Aaron Erhardt

Jun 16, 2026

The Lord promised to build his church. He declared, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). “Church” is from the Greek word ekklesia and means “assembly.” It was not an inherently religious term but was used for any gathering of people (Acts 19:32, 39, 41). What makes this assembly special is that it belongs to the Lord. He purchased it with his own blood (Acts 20:28). The church of Christ came into existence on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, in fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-2).

Some argue that the church was established during the personal ministry of Christ. If that were true, it had no blood (John 19:34), no head (Ephesians 1:22-23), no completed gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), no redemption (Hebrews 9:15, 22), and no new covenant (Hebrews 9:16-17). Moreover, it would have existed under the limited commission and its members could not have gloried in the cross. Acts 2 is the first time the church is spoken of in the present tense.

The church of Christ is described in scripture with various metaphors showing its relation to the Lord. It is referred to as his body, his bride, his flock, his temple, his kingdom, his building, and his household. Moreover, the church is referred to as the “church of God,” which in Acts 20:28 refers specifically to Christ, and collectively as “churches of Christ” in Romans 16:16. Individually, members were called “Christians,” which means “one who follows Christ” (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). All these designations appropriately connect the church to Jesus Christ.

The church of Christ was founded around A.D. 30 in Jerusalem. It wore his name, assembled on his day, and followed his teachings (to the exclusion of all human creeds). That church was both non-denominational and pre-denominational. It is the one church that was planned by the Father, purchased by the Son, and revealed by the Spirit. So, have you checked out the church of Christ?