Find Your Church In The Teachings Of Jesus Christ

by Van Robison

sanctuary In reading the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I searched in vain for even one church name or church corporation, or non-profit church organization or affiliation known today, and found none to be mentioned in the teachings of Jesus Christ. The world of Protestantism has splintered into literally many thousands of different groups over the years. The following church names are missing from the four Gospels, and for that matter from the entire New Testament. Jesus Christ never mentioned the name of even one of today's church organizations as we know them, and easily verifiable by checking the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance for any of the following:

  • Southern Baptist Convention--established in 1845.
  • American Baptist Churches--originally known as The Northern Baptist Convention--established in 1907.
  • National Baptist Convention--founded in 1886.
  • Independent Baptist Churches--there are many different groups and even among themselves they differ.
  • International Baptists Churches.
  • Roman Catholic Church.
  • Jehovah Witnesses--founded by Charles Taze Russell in 1872.
  • Mormon Church--founded by Joseph Smith about 1830.
  • Worldwide Church of God--founded by Herbert W. Armstrong in 1934, and has since splintered into many groups.
  • United Methodist Church--traces its roots to 1739 and the teachings of John Wesley.
  • Presbyterian Church--traces its roots to the sixteenth century and to John Calvin.
  • Lutheran Church--traced to the sixteenth century and Martin Luther.
  • Mennonites--trace their influence to Menno Simons (1496-1561).
  • Amish--founded by Jacob Amman (1644-1720).
  • Seventh Day Adventists--originally traced to William Miller (1782-1849). Later, Ellen White helped to organize in 1863.
  • Quakers--founded in England by George Fox (1624-1691).
  • Pentecostal Church
  • Holiness Church
  • Nazarene Church--In Matthew 2:23 it states that Jesus dwelt in a city called "Nazareth", and some people called Him a "Nazarene", but that verse has nothing to do with the Nazarene Church and its beliefs.
And the list goes on for so many churches that an entire encyclopedia or set of encyclopedias could be published about all the church groups in the world today and each purporting "truth." In the teachings of Jesus Christ, He never mentioned or emphasized many of the customs and traditions which the world of churches are ensnared in.

Is the focus of Christians misplaced? Do believers in Jesus Christ really read and think about the teachings of Jesus Christ, or do they instead let "professional clergy" and religious leaders tell them what to think? Perhaps Christians should rethink who is really their Head and who is really their Chief Shepherd. Which church organization did Jesus Christ come preaching? Or did Jesus Christ come teaching principles of life and not church organization at all?

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