I have been asking this question for some time as it takes up a major portion of the New Testament scriptures. Are they a part of a denominational body? Do any of them organize themselves into a local church organization? Several years ago, I browsed through some old Christian Messenger copies, a periodical that Barton W. Stone edited. To my surprise, I found several news items where reports of Christians had started a church in a certain township. It was not just something reported among those of Stone’s persuasion. Other denominations were seen doing the same thing. Was this something we would expect to see among saints of the first century? Copy after copy, I saw references to a few Christians in a community who formed another and another. In one issue, a subscriber had written Elder Stone about how one would proceed to establish a church. He gave a simple outline of how to begin a charter and formulate the words identifying its establishment. Yet, Stone never gave any answers to the question from the Scriptures.
It occurred to me during the reading to ask anyone reading it, “What were these few Christians before forming a local church?” If, indeed, they were Christians, disciples of Christ, were they not the body of Christ before they formed themselves into a church? And, if they were the body of Christ, why would they feel the need to form themselves into a local church? Here’s the short answer to that question. It’s the same reason most of us do what we do when no Scripture supports it. From popular opinion, that’s all they knew to do like the ancient Israelites who wanted a king so they could be like the nations around them. To be a nation without a king is unheard of, and to be the called-out in a community without a church was unheard of, too. Even, Luther, who I admire as a great teacher, made the same decision when he attempted to reform the church. We all start with a given set of rules that we accept as a true pattern. Without question, Luther never wanted to start another church because he recognized the mother church as the true church. He began his work on that presumption. It just needed reformed.
I beg of you, my dear friends, make sure you are building a solid foundation before starting something. Don’t just assume that the foundation you have been given and accepted as sure and solid is where you need to begin construction. These assumptions that go unchecked are, in fact, the basis for much error, deception, and division.