The Lord's Church

Its Founder: Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:18).

Its Beginning: On the first Pentecost after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 1-2, 11:15).

Its Names: Several names are used in the New Testament, such as: churches of Christ (Rom. 16:16), church of God (I Cor. 1:2), and church of the First-born (Heb. 12:23). They indicate the church belongs to Christ, and any of them may be used when referring to the church. Division was condemned, and denominations did not exist in the time of the apostles.

Its Organization: In the New Testament church there was no earthly head office, and each congregation was independent. There were elders, who are also called bishops or presbyters, who were responsible for the spiritual oversight. Deacons were responsible for the physical tasks. See I Tim. 3; Titus 1; Acts 20:28-31; Heb. 13:7, 17; and I Pet. 5:1-4.

Its Mission: To preach the gospel so that souls may be saved. The church takes the gospel to those who have not heard, so that they might have an opportunity to obey. It also teaches, encourages, exhorts, and chastises those who are Christians so that they might grow and mature spiritually (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 15:15-16; Rom. 1:16; II Tim. 2:15, 3:14-17; and II Pet. 1:1-11).

 
Common Questions

Q. Why don't you have an organ or choir?
A. The commandment to the early church was for them to sing spiritual songs from the heart (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). For an individual to so worship, they must sing. There is no example or command from God for an instrument to be used. Men introduced instruments into the worship service about 600 years after the death of Christ.

Q. How often do you have communion?
A. On the first day of every week (Acts 20:7).

Q. Who may take communion?
A. The communion is intended for those who are Christians. At the time Jesus initiated the observance (Matt. 26:26-29), He said He would not observe it again until He did it new with them in His Father's kingdom. The instructions regarding the Lord's Supper are given to Christians (I Cor. 10:15-21, 11:23-29), and there is no indication of it being observed by non-Christians. In fact, such would seem inconsistent. The non-Christian would be observing a memorial to the death of Jesus and looking forward to His return. But, at the same time, they are saying by their conduct that they don't care enough to obey and follow Him.

Q. What title should I use in speaking to your preacher?
A. The Bible does not give the preacher a title such as "pastor" or "reverend". "Pastors" pertain to those men, also known as elders or bishops, who have the spiritual oversight of a congregation (I Tim. 3:1-7; I Pet. 5:1-4). The word "reverend" is used only one time in the Bible, and it is speaking of God (Psa. 111:9). Jesus warns against such titles (Matt. 23:5-12). Although the work of the preacher may be described as that of a minister, or evangelist, there is no special title by which he is to be addressed. Therefore, address the preacher in the same manner as you would any other man.

Q. Is the church of Christ a denomination?
A. The idea of a denomination is one entity which is composed of a number of parts. The church, which the Lord built, is not composed of denominations. There is to be unity (I Cor. 1:10-15). Only one gospel is to be preached (Gal. 1:6-9). Also, there is but one body, which is the church, and Christ is the head (Eph. 1:20-23, 4:4). In the New Testament, you cannot find different churches with different names and doctrines. It was the prayer of Jesus that His followers be one, even as He and the Father are one (John 17:21).

Q. How can I tell if a church is the one that I read about in the New Testament?
A. You can't tell by the name alone. Just a name is not enough to identify an individual. You would want to look at all of the characteristics to insure you have the right person. Likewise, to be the church that Christ built, we must follow the pattern of the New Testament church. Before the first century was over, the Lord was already displeased with some of the congregations (Rev. 2-3). The passage indicates that unless they changed, the Lord would no longer consider those congregations to be part of His church.

Q. Will only members of the church of Christ be saved?
A. Jesus purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28). He is the Saviour of the body/church (Eph. 5:23), and the Lord added the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). There is no indication of salvation outside of the Lord's church.

Q. But, aren't there good, religious people in every denomination who will be saved?
A. Very doubtful. Denominations teach many ways of salvation. The Bible teaches only one. If a person becomes a Christian, as the Bible teaches, but continues to support error, one cannot expect God to be pleased and grant eternal life (II John 9-11).

ARE YOU IN THE LORD'S CHURCH?