1. How To Find The Lord’s Church

2. Past: how to choose a church?? Location – close enough? Size – large enough? Friends – social enough? Children – play enough? Building – lavish enough? Respectability – who goes there?

3. Present: why choose a church?  Who needs it?  Rv.2-3, not one reference to...  Area of town  Size  Friends  Children  Building…

4. Christians were not left alone Met with other Christians in local churches. Hb.10:24-25 Rv.2-3, separate congregations Ac.2 – Rv.2-3 Ac.9:31

6. I. Terms That Describe It

7. Ro.16:16; 1 Co.1:2; Ga.1:2; 1 Th.1:1… not 1. These are not proper names not 2. These are not denominations (congre- gations bound together into manmade organizations)  1 Co.1:10; 4:17 A congregation could describe itself with any Scriptural term

8. No denominational names were ever used in NT Denominational names are divisive 1. Baptist: emphasizes baptism; disting- uishes it from other denominations 2. Presbyterian: church government... 3. Methodist: methods of work/worship... 4. Pentecostal: spiritual gifts...

9. I. Terms That Describe it II. Where It Originated

10. Jerusalem (Isa.2:1-3)  Lk.24:46-47 → Acts 2 Contrast denominations 1. Baptist: Holland 2. Presbyterian: Scotland 3. Methodist: England 4. Pentecostal: U.S.

11. I. Terms That Describe It III. Its Age II. Where It Originated

12. Acts 2…5…11 – church of Lord existed Denominational birthdates are too late to be NT church 1. Baptist: 1609 2. Presbyterian: 1560 3. Methodist: 1729 4. Pentecostal: 1918

13. I. Terms That Describe It IV. Its Founder II. Where It Originated III. Its Age

14. Mt.16:18; Ac.20:28  We refuse money with wrong picture...  Denominations claim different founders  Baptist: John Smyth  Presbyterian: John Knox  Methodist: John Wesley  Pentecostal: Bresee; Spurling, et al.

15. I. Terms That Describe It V. Its Law II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder

16. 2 Tim.3:16-17; Ja.1:25 Gal.1:6-9, anathema Denominations follow different laws 1. Baptist: Bible + creed → Baptists 2. Presbyterian: Same → Presbyterians 3. Methodist: Same → Methodists 4. Pentecostal: Same → Pentecostals

17. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder VI. Its Entrance Requirements V. Its Law

18. Acts 2:37-47 Added when saved (cf. 5:…11) Denominations follow different plans 1. Baptist: repent, believe, vote, baptism 2. Presbyterian: sprinkle infants; teach 3. Methodist: Same as Presbyterians 4. Pentecostal: Some same as Baptists; others require H.S. baptism

19. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder VII. Its Structure V. Its Law VI. Its Entrance Requirements

20. Acts 20:28; Ph.1:1; 1 Pt.5:2-3  Independent / Autonomous  Church must exist before it selects elders, Ac.14:23 1. Baptist: convention; President… 2. Presbyterian: different elders; hierarchy 3. Methodist: presiding elders; circuits 4. Pentecostal: preacher oversight… larger Denomination: organization larger than local church, smaller than church universal

21. Denominational Practices: based on creeds and no differing denom- inations existed baptismwas Now, it is different “It is most likely that in the Apostolic age when there was but ‘one Lord, one faith, and one baptism,’ and no differing denom- inations existed, the baptism of a convert by that very act constituted him a member of the church, and at once endowed him with all the rights and privileges of full membership. In that sense, ‘baptism was the door into the church.’ Now, it is different...” – Hiscox, Manual for Baptist Churches, p. 22

22. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder VIII. Its Worship V. Its Law VI. Its Entrance Requirements VII. Its Structure

23. Acts 2:42; Ep.5:19; Ac.20:7; 1 Co.16:1-2 Denominations promote different acts of worship 1. Baptist: National anthem; organs; sporadic Lord’s supper; fundraisers, etc. 2. Presbyterian: Organs; social gospel, etc. 3. Methodist: Same. Political forums… 4. Pentecostal: Mechanical music; H.S. baptism; ignore 1 Co.14 rules

24. Earmarks not No matter how much another hog looks like yours, it is not yours unless the earmarks match Police manhunt: 6’6” John Smith… Imagine Peter, the Roman Catholic Imagine Paul, the Methodist?