THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Derrick Coble

The reason that any church exists today is because each one had a beginning. Every church can be traced back to the founder, the place it began, and even the year. For example, history declares that the Baptist Church was founded by John Smyth in London, England (1607); Presbyterians were founded by John Calvin in Switzerland (1535); Jehovah's Witnesses were founded by Charles T. Russell in Pennsylvania (1874); the Methodist Church was founded by John Wesley in London, England (1729). Thus, for any religious group this documentation can be found. It might be surprising, but the same can be said of the church of Christ, with a few major differences. The church of Christ was not just founded by a man, but a God-man named Jesus Christ (Mat. 16:18). The church of Christ did not begin in just any place, but a place that was prophesied of old (Isa. 2:3). Finally, the church of Christ did not begin in just any year, but the first year that ever a church was known—33 AD (Acts 2). Also note that the history of the church of Christ is not linked to any man made record book, but to the inspired Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16,17).

THE MAN WHO STARTED IT ALL
The man who started the church of Christ is Jesus. He was made in the likeness of men as a partaker of flesh and blood; yet, he still possessed all the qualities of deity in the flesh (Phi. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:9). It was prophesied by Isaiah that He would enter the earth through the womb of a virgin (Isa. 7:14), whom Matthew identified as Mary (Mat. 1:18-25). This is the man who “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). He was the one who was not of this world and who declared that His Kingdom would not be worldly either (John 8:23; 18:36). He was the one who ensured that His church would be built no matter what (Mat. 16:18). He is the head over His church and it will stand forever (Eph. 1:22; Luke 1:32,33).

THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL STARTED
The church that belongs to Christ first met in Jerusalem. It was there that Jesus Himself declared that it would begin (Luke 24:47). He even told his apostles, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Of course, the test of a prophet is to see if what he says really does come to pass (Deu. 18:22), and it did (Acts 2). Many so called “prophets” who have started religions of today need to be tested so their false words are revealed (1 John 4:1). Nonetheless, the words about the church of Christ are not falsely told. About 700 years beforehand Isaiah and Micah foretold that “out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:3; Mic. 4:2). The church of Christ began in Jerusalem and has reached into all the world (Mark 16:15).

THE YEAR THAT STARTED IT ALL
Perhaps the most notable fact about the church of Christ is that it is the first and oldest church in the history of mankind. It began in the year 33 AD, long before the establishment of the Catholic Church (606 AD) which claims to be the oldest religion today. Thus, the Catholic Church is not the oldest religion but it is the oldest group of apostates from the Lord’s church. From the first century forward everyone who has obeyed the doctrine of Christ has been added to the church of Christ (Acts 2:47). Consequently, Jesus’ terms of salvation (faith, repentance, confession, and baptism), worship, prayer, fellowship, and godly living have been passed down through God’s Word and His church from generation to generation producing a living body today (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 4:16;2 Tim. 2:2; 4:2; 1 Pet. 2:5).

So, the history of the church of Christ and its beginning is found only in God’s Word. It is not “some new thing” like the Athenians (and most people today) were interested in (Acts 17:21) nor is it a “sect” [the modern form would be a denomination, cult, etc.] like Tertullus thought Paul was leading (Acts 24:5). It is simply the church that Jesus came to build (Mat. 16:18), purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28), and will save all obedient men (Acts 2:47).