1. Why God’s Church
Has No Name

2. A “Wonky” lesson
It’s purely to inform
Remember the purpose  
Understand God did not name

3. I. There is a need to be able to
distinguish ourselves from
denominational churches.

4. Jesus only built ONE church.
Matthew 16: 18
I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

5. Jesus purchased only one church.
Acts 20: 28
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock,
among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

6. Jesus is the head of the ONE church He built and purchased.
Ephesians 1: 22-23
And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

7. The Apostles taught that there is only one church.
Ephesians 4: being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

8. Because God has only
ONE church there is
no need to name it.

9. A name is required to
distinguish between
those in God’s church
and those outside.

10. Acts 11: 26
And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

11. I Peter 4: 15-16
Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

12. II. Though it has no name the
New Testament refers to
the church using many
different metonymies.

13. Kingdom - Col.1:13 Priesthood - I Pet. 2:9
Household - I Tim 3:15 Flock - I Pet. 5:2
Body - I Cor. 12: Bride - Rev. 21:9
Temple - I Cor. 3: A people - Tit. 3:14

14. “The assembly at Ephesus”
III. The New Testament often
refers to the church by
its location.
“The assembly at Ephesus”

15. locates rather than names.
Such a designation
locates rather than names.
Just “The church in Jerusalem”
not “The Church of Christ” there

16. Acts 11: 22
The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.
Galatians 1: 1-2
Paul, an apostle …. 2 and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:

17. Acts 9: 31
The church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

18. IV. The New Testament often
refers to the assembly / the
church by its ownership.

19. Remember,
“ekklesia” was a common word.
There were many assemblies for
reasons other than religious.

20. Most often it is referred to as the assembly or church of God.
Acts 20: 28
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

21. I Corinthians 1: 2
To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, …
I Thessalonians 2: 14
For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,

22. I Timothy 3: 15
I am writing these things to you hoping to come to you soon 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

23. In the N.T. the church is referred to as the “church of Christ” only once.
Romans 16: 16
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the churches of Christ greet you.

24. Hebrews 12: 23
But you have come to Mount Zion … to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in Heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

25. The church is referred to as belonging to the congregants.
Romans 16: 3-4 – Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their
own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but
also all the churches of the Gentiles;
I Corinthians 14: 33 – God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

26. V. Nowhere in the New Testament
do we read of the church being
referred to in any other ways.

27. Over the centuries some have tried to call the church by man-made names.

28. Acts 19: 9
But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

29. Some today actually use the name of their founder.
1. Martin Luther
2. John Wesley
3. “Campbellites” as a pejorative

30. The N. T. forbids this practice
I Corinthians 1:12-13
Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

31. Some have adapted the name of their government.
Presbyterian .. elders ( presbuteros )
Episcopalian .. overseers ( episkopos )

32. Some are known by their main doctrinal issue. Methodist Baptist
Pentecostal
Seventh Day Adventist

33. There is no name given
to God’s church, but with
all the different religions
we must have a way to
distinguish our self.

34. Why are we “The Church of Christ?”
There is no scriptural mandate.
No government to enforce it
It originated as the tradition of
the early church fathers.

35. An elder named Ignatius. 100 A. D
An elder named Ignatius A.D. And if those that corrupt mere human families are condemned to death, how much more shall those suffer everlasting punishment who endeavor to corrupt the Church of Christ, for which the Lord Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, endured the cross, and submitted to death!

36. Apostolic Constitutions: Syria AD 250
But this peace and haven of tranquility is the Church of Christ, into which do thou, when thou hast loosed them from their sins, restore them, as being now sound and unblamable, of good hope, diligent, laborious in good works.

37. Augustine of Hippo AD
When we have to do with Pagans, and show this coming to pass in the Church of Christ, which before was predicted of the Name of Christ, of the Head and Body of Christ, lest they think that we have forged these predictions, …

38. Why use the name Church of Christ ?
We could choose from many biblical designations, but we use the one in common with others with whom we wish to associate and share fellowship.

39. He called us “Christians”
which means disciples.
Luke 19: 10

40. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
I Corinthians 11: 26