1. Welcome to the assembly of the 160th Ave. Church of Christ!
We gather Sunday at 9 a.m.(class), 10 a.m., p.m., & Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Check the bulletin for various announcements

2. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
Psalms 1:1-3 NKJV

3. Is The Church of Christ A Denomination?

4. What do you mean by “a denomination”?
1. Any religious group? 2. Any religious group using the Bible and believing Jesus is God? 3. Any religious group using the Bible, believing Jesus is God, and accepting others on this basis? 4. “a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, online)
I. What do you mean by “denomination”?
A. A religious group, regardless of their teaching? (Muslim, Mormon, Catholic, Protestant)
B. A religious group that uses the Bible and says Jesus is God? (Catholic, Protestant, SDA excludes several rel groups—Mormon, JW)
C. A religious group that uses the Bible, accepts Jesus is God, and accepts all other religious groups who agree with them in those two areas?
D. “a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices”
1. = a group of churches which belong to a bigger religious organization (earthly leader, earthly headquarters, or a general assembly).
2. = a religious organization with teachings and practices that contradict the teachings and practices of other religious organizations. (such as what is Scripture?, what is sin?, when does Jesus save a sinner?)
3. If you trust the accuracy of Merriam-Webster Dictionary, this is the typical meaning of “denomination.”
E. Other? "Denomination." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 7 July 2017

5. What do you mean by “The Church of Christ”?
1. The worldwide group of saved people (Mt. 16:18)? 2. A group of Christians, working together as a church (Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 2:14; etc)? 3. A group of churches that began in the 1800s during The American Restoration Movement?
II. What do you mean by “The Church of Christ”?
A. The single, worldwide group of all the saved? Mt. 16:18
B. A group of Christians committed to working together as a church?
1. Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 2:14; church (at ___), etc.
2. God never called them “Catholic churches, Protestant churches, Baptist churches, Grace Ministries, etc.”
C. A group of churches (a type of church) that didn’t exist until the mid-1800s and were started by Alexander Campbell and/or Barton Stone during the American Restoration Movement?
1. This is who some people think we are, but I know of no one here who believes this.
2. Paul, by the HS, taught the gospel and called God’s ppl from place to place... (above) long before the 1800s.
D. Other?

6. So, what are you asking (or being asked)?
Is the group of the saved a denomination, meaning---
A religious group?
A religious group using the Bible and believing Jesus is God? (2 Tim. 3:16; Jn. 20:28; Lk. 24:47)
A religious group using the Bible, believing Jesus is God, and accepting others on this basis?
“A religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices” (Eph. 1:22-23) Y I* N
III. So, which question are you, or others, asking?
A. Is the single, worldwide group of all the saved (Mt. 16:18) a denomination?
1. A religious group? Yes, but was Jesus talking about Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, etc?
2. A religious group that uses the Bible and says Jesus is God? Yes (2 Tim. 3:16-17; Jn. 20:28) but that is not all that is important to God (Mk. 16:15; Lk. 24:47 repentance and remission of sins, and others).
3. A religious group that uses the Bible, accepts Jesus is God, and accepts all other religious groups who agree with them in those two areas?
a. This was not how Jesus decided who to accept Rev. 2-3
b. No one is accepted by God who has not been forgiven of their sins, even if they use the Bible and believe Jesus is God (Rom. 6:23; Lk. 6:46).
c. By this definition, “No.”
4. “a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices”
a. My church is not... (above definition)---His congregations belong to Him, not to a rel. organization.
b. Eph. 1:22-23 the body does not own lots of little bodies---Jesus is the head, not the church.
B. Is a group of Christians committed to working together as a church (Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 2:14) a denom?
1. A religious group? Yes
2. A rel group that uses the Bible and says Jesus is God? Yes (but is that all that matters? What Scr?)
a. How does God view a congregation who believes the truth but accepts others who do not? Rev. 2:15-16
b. “No,” by this definition.
a. A group of Christians who work together as a church today (as in Scripture) is not a religious organization overseeing other congregations---“No” by this definition.
b. A group of Christians who work does not belong to a larger organization with its own beliefs and No, by this definition.
C. Is a group of churches that didn’t exist until the mid-1800s and were started by Alexander Campbell and/or Barton Stone during the American Restoration Movement a denomination?
2. A religious group that uses the Bible and says Jesus is God? Yes
3. A religious group that uses the Bible, accepts Jesus is God, and accepts all other religious groups who agree with them in those two areas? Sometimes “Yes,” sometimes “No”
4. “a religious organization whose congregations are ...” “Yes” ibid
ibid N
* incomplete

7. So, what are you asking (or being asked)?
Is a group of Christians joined as a church a denomination, meaning--
A religious group?
A religious group using the Bible and believing Jesus is God? (other things matter too, Eph. 1:3)
A religious group using the Bible, believing Jesus is God, and accepting others on this basis?
“A religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices” Y I* N
III. So, which question are you, or others, asking?
A. Is the single, worldwide group of all the saved (Mt. 16:18) a denomination? B. Is a group of Christians committed to working together as a church (Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 2:14) a denom?
1. A religious group? Yes
2. A rel group that uses the Bible and says Jesus is God? Yes (but is that all that matters? What Scr?)
3. A religious group that uses the Bible, accepts Jesus is God, and accepts all other religious groups who agree with them in those two areas?
a. How does God view a congregation who believes the truth but accepts others who do not? Rev. 2:15-16
b. “No,” by this definition.
4. “a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices”
a. A group of Christians who work together as a church today (as in Scripture) is not a religious organization overseeing other congregations---“No” by this definition.
b. A group of Christians who work does not belong to a larger organization with its own beliefs and No, by this definition.
C. Is a group of churches that didn’t exist until the mid-1800s and were started by Alexander Campbell and/or Barton Stone during the American Restoration Movement a denomination?
2. A religious group that uses the Bible and says Jesus is God? Yes
3. A religious group that uses the Bible, accepts Jesus is God, and accepts all other religious groups who agree with them in those two areas? Sometimes “Yes,” sometimes “No”
4. “a religious organization whose congregations are ...” “Yes” ibid
ibid N
* incomplete

8. So, what are you asking (or being asked)?
Is a group of churches that began in the 1800s as a result of The Restoration Movement a denomination, =
A religious group?
A religious group using the Bible and believing Jesus is God?
A religious group using the Bible, believing Jesus is God, and accepting others on this basis?
“A religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices” Y Y
Y, N
III. So, which question are you, or others, asking?
A. Is the single, worldwide group of all the saved (Mt. 16:18) a denomination?
B. Is a group of Christians committed to working together as a church (Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 2:14) a denom?
C. Is a group of churches that didn’t exist until the mid-1800s and were started by Alexander Campbell and/or Barton Stone during the American Restoration Movement a denomination?
1. A religious group? Yes
2. A religious group that uses the Bible and says Jesus is God? Yes
3. A religious group that uses the Bible, accepts Jesus is God, and accepts all other religious groups who agree with them in those two areas? Sometimes “Yes,” sometimes “No”
4. “a religious organization whose congregations are ...” “Yes” ibid
ibid Y

9. Did the Holy Spirit start denominations?
1. By preserving Jesus’ words (Mt. 16:18)? 2. By guiding Paul to write to, and about, the churches. . . (Rom. 16:16; 1 Thess. 2:14; etc.)? 3. By guiding Paul to write there is one... (Eph.4:4ff)? 4. Saving sinners, who worked together (churches), before the 1800s? N N N N
IV. Did the Holy Spirit begin denominations when He---
A. Gave us Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18?
1. This was not a denomination.
2. To be in Jesus’ church, your sins must be forgiven---how? (Mk. 16:16 vs man-made teachings)
B. Guided Paul to identify these groups of Christians as the churches of Christ, churches of God, or the churches of ____ (place)?
1. These were not different kinds of churches, with different teachings and practices, all accepted by God
2. The HS was identifying God’s people in simple, meaningful ways that did not connect them with man-made teachings or practices.
C. Guided Paul to write There is one. . . (Eph. 4:4-7)?
1. Paul wrote there is one Lord—does it matter what we believe about the one Lord?
2. Paul wrote there is one baptism—does it matter what we believe about the one baptism?
3. These seven “ones” are not the only important teachings of Scripture, but if they were taught, understood, and practiced, they would end the existence of all denominations.
D. Along with the Father and Son, saved sinners who joined each other (church) long before the 1800s?
1. The Church of Christ and the churches of Christ existed before the gospel came to this country—see Scr.
2. Regarding what historians call The American Restoration Movement, the people and places involved in that had no authority or successors and were not infallible.
3. This period of history in our nation is interesting
a. this is not the source of the original faith, baptism, worship, or church
b. many ppl then were seeking to know and follow the original, old, and neglected teachings of Jesus.
c. Who and what are you seeking to know and follow?
If the Holy Spirit did not start denominations, who did?

10. Is The Church of Christ A Denomination?

11. Welcome to the assembly of the 160th Ave. Church of Christ!
We gather Sunday at 9 a.m.(class), 10 a.m., p.m., & Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Check the bulletin for various announcements