1. Romans 16:16 “Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.” Romans 16:16

2. Were the Apostles members of a denomination? Did they join the denomination of their choice? They were members of the church and did not belong to any denomination ! NO

3. “Religious Denomination” “A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy.”

4. Word denomination is not in N.T. Sect of Jews = Pharisees & Sadducees Acts 5:17 - - - - - - - - - Acts 15:5 Sect Sect “a party or disunion, heresy” The Church Was Not a Jewish Sect !!!

5. No person in New Testament times joined a denomination. Christianity is undenominational. It is not inter-denominational It is not conglomerationalism

6. Did the Apostles tell others to join the church of their choice ?? All the apostles were members of the same church. All the people they converted were members of that same church. NO

7. Pentecost – Acts 2 - Peter preached People asked what to do Acts 2:38 – repent and be baptized Acts 2:41 - 3,000 were baptized Acts 2:47 – Lord added them to the church Which church ?????

8. They were all members of the same Church Did the apostles want them to divide into small units or denominations? They had plenty of people to organize several denominations. NO

9. Acts 2:42 “They continued in the apostles doctrine.” They did not teach contradictory doctrines. Denominations today teach contradictory doctrines.

10. Acts 4:32 “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul.” Phil. 1:27b “... that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

11. The apostles discouraged dividing... 1 Cor. 1:10-17 - they had 4 groups “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” v.10

12. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:20-21

13. The apostles did not join any denomination, but were members of the church which Jesus built. We teach people what to do to be saved. They obey the gospel. And the Lord adds them to the church. We become Christians – Acts 11:26

14. “And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Acts 11:26 People ask: “What are you religiously?” “I am a Christian. ” “What kind of a Christian?” “Just a Christian.”

15. “What denomination do you belong to?” “I do not belong to any denomination.” “You mean you are not a member of any denomination?” “No. I have never joined a denomination in my life.” “I obeyed the gospel and the Lord added me to His Church.”

16. Accounts of conversion in the book of Acts show that they heard and obeyed the gospel and were added to the church.

17. They did not join a denomination. Denominationalism was unknown to the N.T. writers. Let us simply be Christians following and practicing the things in the N.T.

18. Romans 16:16 “Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.” Romans 16:16

19. Sermon by Arthur Pigman Evans Church of Christ 515 Gibbs Road Evans, Ga. 30809 706-855-1249 arthurpigman@cybrtyme.com www.evansgachurchofchrist.org Sunday Evening July 1, 2007