You may find in the world today "churches'' of every description. Of course, the very idea of a "church" comes from the New Testament (N.T.), Jesus said, "I will build my church" (Mt. 16:18). There was a church that existed in N.T. times, and we can read about that one in the N.T.
But what should the church be called? There are only two ways to determine that, so far as I know. (1) Call it what it was called in the N.T. (2) Call it anything you want to call it.
The majority of men have chosen the latter course. Therefore they call their churches (and they are theirs, for they are certainly not the Lord's church) just about anything.
Every one of the following churches are, or have been, in existence:
"The Praying Church of God in Christ"
"Antioch and Knight's Chapel Freewill Christian Baptist Church of Christ"
"Mitchell Chapel Church of the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas"
"The Pentecostal Powerhouse"
Mount Calvary Holy Church of America, Incorporated
Texas Banner Church of God
Dolly Pond Church of God in Grasshopper Settlement
Greater Little Hope Baptist Church
Independent Holiness Christian Sun-Rising Spiritual Baptist Church
Gods Filling Station "Come in and get filled up with the Holy Ghost"
Eternal Life Christian Spirited Church
Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Patriarchal Church, In the Name of Virgin Mary of Kazan
The House of Prayer Full Gospel Soul Winners for Jesus Christ
Fourth Missionary and Congressional Mother's Conference of the Israel (sic) Universal Spiritual Churches of Christ
African Casteroil Dead Church
Catholic Church of south Africa King George Win the War
African Correctly Apostolic Jerusalem Church in South Africa
General Six-Principle Baptists
High Priestess of the Church of the Lion of Judah with Seven Golden Umbrellas
Soul Saving Assembly of the U.S.A,
Bible Way Churches of Our Lord Christ, Worm Wide, Incorporated
Church of Daniel's Band
Two-Seed-in-the-Spirit-Predestinarian Baptists
American Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church
Commandment Keepers Holy Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth the House of Prayer for All People
And the beat goes on.
A few years ago a lady wrote to Abigail Van Buren with a real problem:
Dear Abby: I am 44 years old, well fixed financially, and would like to get married. I would like to meet a man about my age who enjoys going to church. I belong to the First Methodist Church, Blessed Angels Catholic Church, and the Mount Zion Jewish Temple. I also attend the Christian Science Church regularly, but do take an aspirin occasionally. Please help me find a man of good character who is interested in marriage, and who belongs to any or all of the above mentioned churches. (Signed) Ida J.
Now, how does that grab you? We hear a lot these days about the "unchurched." But, here's a lady who was really "churched."
Seriously, now--would it be good to be a member of all the churches we have mentioned? How can any one of them be better than another, when they were all started by humans and wear human names?
But the church of the Lord (Acts 20:28) was built by the Lord (Mt. 16:18) and, as the Lord's bride (Eph. 5:25; Rev. 21:9), wears the Lord's name (Rom. 16:16). You can read about this divine church with a divine name in the divine Book. It's really that simple.
TRUTH MAGAZINE XIV; 41, pp. 11-12
August 27, 1970
