T HE “C HURCH ” J ESUS B UILT The establishment of the church… The apostasy … Attempt at reformation … Our effort to restore … W HY S O M ANY D IFFERENT K INDS OF C HURCHES T ODAY ?

Paul Peter Timothy Steven Us - if saved! The Body of Christ : Ephesians 1:22,23 All Those IN Christ – Ephesians 1:10, 2:16; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13 Saved Individuals – Acts 2:47; Romans 12:5; Eph. 3:6; 5:23 S CRIPTURAL C ONCEPTS … T HE CHURCH UNIVERSAL Jesus— the head- Ephesians 1:22

Christians in the same area joining together to do the Lord’s work - Ephesians 1:1; Phil. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:2 Submitting to the head in organization, work and worship - Ephesians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2:13,14; Colossians 3:16,17; John 4:24 S CRIPTURAL C ONCEPTS … T HE CHURCH L OCAL Jesus— the head- Ephesians 1:22

Catholic (606) Lutheran (1517) Presbyterian (1560) Baptist (1608) Methodist (1740) Mormon (1830) Pentecostal (1898) 10 Pennies 3 Dimes 2 Nickels 2 Quarters U NSCRIPTURAL C ONCEPTS … D ENOMINATIONAL C ONCEPT OF THE B ODY OF C HRIST C HURCH OF C HRIST ?

U NSCRIPTURAL C ONCEPTS … D ENOMINATIONAL C ONCEPT OF THE B ODY OF C HRIST Smaller Than the Universal Church, but Larger than The Local Church. Catholic (606) Lutheran (1517) Presbyterian (1560) Baptist (1608) Methodist (1740) Mormon (1830) Pentecostal (1898) C HURCH OF C HRIST ? Unscriptural

The Bible Alone Mormon Baptist Methodist Christian “The seed is the Word of God” (Luke 8:11) Denominationalism necessitates different seeds! Bible + Methodist Discipline Bible + Baptist Manual Bible + Book of Mormon Why So Many Churches? Men have tampered with the seed!

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."(Matthew 16:18,19) Birth of Christ 3-4 BC Earthly Ministry –26-27 AD Death, Burial & Resurrection – AD (3 Years) In The Beginning… J ESUS P ROMISED T O B UILD H IS C HURCH

(40 Days)(10 Days) First gospel sermon – Acts 2:14-39 Saved added to the church – Acts 2:41,47 They continued steadfastly... Acts 2:42 In The Beginning… T HE E STABLISHMENT OF T HE C HURCH Death, Burial, Resurrection AD Ascension of Christ– Acts 1 Day of Pentecost– Acts 2

The day of Pentecost Acts 2 Philippians Lydia & Jailor Acts 16 Ethiopian Nobleman Acts 8:26-39 The Samaritans Acts 8:4-13 Saul of Tarsus Acts 9:1-18; 22:16 Cornelius & his household Acts 10,11 Etc. Acts 17 – Thessalonica, Berea Acts 18 – Corinth Acts 19 - Ephesus In The Beginning… T HE G ROWTH OF T HE C HURCH 1 Corinthians 4:17

Jesus commissioned and equipped the apostles: Matthew 28:18,19; John 16:13; The apostles then revealed all truth – Acts 20:27; Ephesians 3:3-5 The church was, ( and is ) to be governed by the Word of God – Luke 8:11; Ephesians 4:11-16; Jude 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Colossians 3:17 The church to be subject to Christ – Ephesians 1:22,23 In The Beginning… T HE D ISCIPLINE OF T HE C HURCH

Biblical History: Why So Many Different Churches Today? T HE F ALLING A WAY  Adam and Eve – Genesis 3  From Adam to Noah – Genesis 6:7,12  Those delivered from Egypt – Numbers 14:1-4, Hebrews 3:16-19  The nation of Israel – * Divided – 928 BC. * Northern 10 tribes fall –722 BC. * Judah falls – 589 BC.  The restoration – 535– 439 BC.

Biblical History: T HE W ARNINGS ! Why So Many Different Churches Today? T HE F ALLING A WAY  Jesus warned of false teachers – Matthew 7:15; 24:5,11,13,23-26  Paul warned that an apostasy was going to take place – Acts 20:28- 32; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 4:1-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12  Peter mentioned the reality of false teachers – 2 Peter 2:1-3  As did John – 1 John 2:18; 4:1

Biblical History: The Signs: Why So Many Different Churches Today? T HE F ALLING A WAY  The presence of false teaching – Acts 15; Galatians 5:1-4; Colossians 2  Division was condemned in the church at Corinth – 1 Cor. 1:10-17 ;  There were those who possessed the “ spirit of preeminence ” - 3 John 9,10  Five of the seven churches of Asia had begun to travel the road of apostasy. – Revelation 2,3

Biblical History: Post Biblical History: Why So Many Different Churches Today? T HE F ALLING A WAY A gradual departure from God’s Word  Presiding Elders  Elder – Bishop distinction  Metropolitan Bishops –  Diocesan Bishop -  Arch Bishops – (Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, & Rome)  The Pope – (606 AD.)

Elders Original Step #1 Presiding elder Step #2 Elder – Bishop distinction Step #3 Metropolitan Bishops – Step #4 Diocesan Bishop - Step #5 Arch Bishops – Elders Step #6 POPE – Boniface III 606 AD W HY S O M ANY D IFFERENT C HURCHES T ODAY ? T HE F ALLING A WAY

Biblical History: Post Biblical History: Why So Many Different Churches Today? T HE F ALLING A WAY  Council of Nicea (325 A.D.)  Latin Mass (394 A.D.)  Purgatory (593 A.D.)  Transubstantiation (1000 A.D.)  Celibacy of Priest (1015 A.D.)  Indulgences – (1192 A.D.)  Auricular Confession (1215 A.D.)  Sprinkling (1311 A.D.)

October 31, 1517 nailed his 95 theses to the door of the “All Saints Church” in Whittenberg His goal was to “Change” the traditions of the Catholic church. “Whatever is not against scripture is for scripture, and scripture for it” [Handbook of Denominations, pg. 132] Why So Many Different Churches Today? A TTEMPT A T R EFORMATION

“What the Bible does not command we may not do,” Gave up images, crosses, indulgences, observing the mass, and the practice of celibacy, and the use of organs in the church. In 1522, mounted a protest against the fast at Lent, a standard Catholic practice Why So Many Different Churches Today? A TTEMPT A T R EFORMATION

Martin Luther – (1517) John Calvin Presbyterian (1560) Augsburg Confession (1530) John Smyth Baptist (1608) John Wesley Methodist (1737) Church of England (1534) Ellen G. White Adventism (1844) Joseph Smith Mormon (1830) Over 3,000 mainline churches Why So Many Different Churches Today? A TTEMPT A T R EFORMATION TODAYTODAY

Most everyone is in agreement that such a state of division is not good! But what can be done about it? Why So Many Different Churches Today? A TTEMPT A T R ESTORATION Three Proposed ways to obtain unity: Catholicism – Accept the authority of the Roman Catholic Church – even though there is very little resemblance to what we find in the NT. Interdenominationalism – Unity in the absence of following a divine pattern of organization, doctrine, and worship. Restoration – Returning to the divine pattern revealed in the NT – in organization, doctrine, and worship.

The Bible Alone Mormon Baptist Methodist Christian “The seed is the Word of God” (Luke 8:11) Denominationalism necessitates different seeds! Bible + Methodist Discipline Bible + Baptist Manual Bible + Book of Mormon Why So Many Churches? Men have tampered with the seed!

Division exist contrary to the prayer and teaching of Jesus Christ – (John 17:20,21; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13)  Men departed from the scriptures - and brought into existence Catholicism –  Men tried to reform the apostate church - which resulted in denominationalism –  Division is not good – but how can we go about restoring the unity for which Jesus prayed for and demands ? Why So Many Different Churches Today? C ONCLUSION

Our plea is for a complete return to the pattern revealed in the New Testament: Book, Chapter, and Verse Everything the scriptures teach Nothing the scriptures do not authorize Call Bible things by Bible names Do Bible things in Bible ways B ACK TO THE B IBLE Why So Many Different Churches Today? C ONCLUSION

You can be a member of the Lord’s church! Not by submitting to the Pope - Not by submitting to the doctrines and commandments of men - But by submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ – Mark 16:16 Why So Many Different Churches Today? C ONCLUSION