The Ground Of The Church

Nowhere in the New Testament is there any justification whatsoever for having more than one church in a city.

Give no occasion of stumbling, 

either to Jews or to Greeks, or to the church of God: 
(1 Cor. 10:32)

But if any man seemeth to be contentious, 

we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. 
(1 Cor. 11:16)

Spiritually, all born‑again believers throughout all time are members of the universal church.

It is very easy for Christians to talk about the "church," as long as they can keep it on an ethereal, spiritual level. 

World Council of Churches

                    It is when the matter of the practical here and now expression of the universal church is brought up that a problem arises. On what basis did these apostolic churches meet? How can Christians meet such that their meetings are not only spirit‑filled but also practical, not only exclusive to the world and sin but also completely inclusive of all whom the Lord has received?

                So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being built up; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and by the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied. (Acts 9:31)

            This is the universal church spoken of here, yet it is expressed practically on the earth in these three regions.

And I was still unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ: (Gal. 1:22).

            In one of these regions, the church had several practical expressions. On what basis did they meet?

                Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. (1 Cor. 16:1)

                Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia; (2 Cor. 8:1).

The churches of Asia salute you.... (1 Cor. 16:19).

            Same thing again, churches here are plural because these are regions in which the universal church is expressed by more than one practical church.

                John to the seven churches that are in Asia: . . . saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and. unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Rev. 1:4, 11)

            At the time that this was written, seven practical churches, in seven cities in Asia, expressed the universal church in Asia. There was one, and only one, practical expression of the church for each city.

To the angel of the church in Ephesus…

And to the angel of the church in Smyrna…

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos…

And to the angel of the church in Thyatira…

And to the angel of the church in Sardis…

And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia…

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea…(Rev.2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14)

Again, there was one church for each city. Nowhere in the New Testament is there any justification whatsoever for having more than one church in a city.

                And when this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea. (Col.4:16)

            The epistle spoken of is the one of which this verse is a part, namely, the epistle to the Colossians; i.e., all the believers in Colosse who were the church in Colosse. Notice that it says to have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans and to read the epistle from Laodicea. This directly equates the boundary of the city of Laodicea as the scope of the church of Laodicea. The scope of each practical church should be the boundary of the city in which it is the expression of the universal church.

                 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalo­nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. (1 Thess. 1:1)

                Historically, the church of the Thessalonians was the one church in the city of Thessalonica.

                and thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had be commit­ted to the grace of God for the work which they had fulfilled. And when they were come, and gathered the church together, they rehearsed all things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles. (Acts 14:26‑27)

            What church did they gather together? The First Main Pauline Church? The Second Church of Peter? No, no, no! The church that they gathered together when they came to Antioch was the church at Antioch. There was no need to provide additional details, the city establishes the boundary of each practical expression of the universal church and each practical expression represents that city before God.

And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them. (Acts 16:4)

What church? Which one? The church, at Jerusalem!

                 And when he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went down to Antioch. (Acts 18:22)

Again, which church? The church, in Caesarea!

and the report concerning them came to the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem . . . (Acts 11:22).

Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there . . . (Acts 13:1)

I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church that is at Cenchrea: (Rom. 16:1).

  unto the church of God which is at Corinth . . . (1 Cor. 1:1).

                For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that divisions exist among you . . . (1 Cor. 11:18).

            The believers at Corinth began to allow themselves to become divided. What did the apostle Paul have to say about this? Did he commend them? Did he say to them, "I think that it's a good idea that you are each following the Lord in your own way, according to what each of you think is best for you?" Surely, this is the attitude of most of today's Christians.

                Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them that are of the household of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I mean, that each one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized into the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius; lest any man should say that ye were baptized into my name. (1 Cor.1:10‑16)

                And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it; nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do you not walk after the manner of men? ( 1 Cor. 3:1‑3)

            What is the source of division? Is Christ divided? No! It is very clear that divisions are caused by our fallen, carnal flesh as expressed through the self: If believers are really following Christ, they cannot but be one with all believers. If believers are not really following Christ, and instead are doing what is right in their own eyes, they cannot but be divided. Oneness is of the Lord in the Spirit. Division is of our self, which is the expression of the fallen nature in our flesh.

            What do you think the apostle Paul would say about today's sanctioned divisions and the popular phrase, "Worship at the 'church' of your choice.”? Such a phrase is a Satanically‑motivated invitation to commit spiritual fornication.

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called to him the elders of the church. (Acts 20:17)

            What about the government of the church; how is it expressed practically?

And when they had appointed for them elders in every church . . . (Acts 24:23).

                For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge; (Titus 1:6).

            Compare the two verses. One set of elders in every church and one set of elders in every city, because there should be one and only one church in each city.

                 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Phile­mon our beloved and fellow‑worker, and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow‑soldier, and to the church in thy house: (Philem.1: 2).

                Salute the brethren that are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in their house. (Col. 4:16)

                Salute Priscilla and Aquila my fellow‑workers in Christ Jesus . . . and salute the church that is in their house. (Rom. 16:3, 6)

            Some believers have taken these verses as giving scriptural authority for them to set up a so‑called church in their home, a "home church." How convenient if this were really so! We could each have our own home church: the fewer the members, the less the disagreement and the more the "oneness." No, oneness is not due to a lack of strife but only results from a denial of the nature that causes it.

                The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. (1 Cor. 16:19)

                And Paul, having tarried after this yet many days, took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila: . . . And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there: . . . (Acts 18:18-19).

Gaius my host, and of the whole church . . . (Rom. 16:23).

                And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad the regions of Judea and Samaria.... But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison. (Acts 8:1, 3)

            Anyone who will objectively read these verses cannot help but realize that the church in those days (being a new creation of God) had few meeting places and most of the time met at someone's house. This did not make them a "home church," rather, the church in that city at that time happened to be meeting at that believer's house. When Priscilla and Aquila lived in Rome, the church at Rome met in their house. Later, they moved to Ephesus, and the church in Ephesus met in their house. By no stretch of the imagination was a church meeting in their house apart from the church in these cities. A careful, objective examination will show that it was the church at Colosse that was meeting at Nymphas’s house.

                They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. …praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were being saved. (Acts 2:41, 47)

                And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the spirit were obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7)

            Most Christians today would make the excuse that one church in one city was okay for those times, but that it is not practical today. Who is it not practical for, them or God? The church in Jerusalem had tens of thousands of believers, quite probably over 100,000 at one time- yet there was never more than one church at Jerusalem- even though the large numbers forced them to have to meet from house to house. To return to the divinely ordained principle of one church-one city requires the denial of the self. This is the real reason why, for so many, it is neither convenient nor desirable.

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