Begin Before the Denominations
Catholic.
Orthodox.
Baptist.
Methodist.
Lutheran.
Pentecostal.
Presbyterian.
Latter-day Saint.
Non-denominational.
The list continues.
Each tradition has its own history, doctrines, organization, practices, and explanation of its relationship to early Christianity.
But none of those modern labels existed when Jesus walked through Galilee.
So instead of beginning by asking which modern church is correct, we can ask a simpler question first.
What Did Jesus Establish?
What organization appears in the New Testament?
What offices did it contain?
What authority did its leaders claim?
What ordinances did believers practice?
What happened after Jesus ascended?
Did Jesus Say He Would Build a Church?
Yes.
After Peter identifies Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus responds:
Christians interpret the meaning of “this rock” differently.
Some understand the rock as Peter himself.
Others understand it as Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ.
Others emphasize the revelation by which Peter knew Jesus' identity.
Those interpretations deserve separate consideration.
But one point is difficult to miss.
Jesus speaks of building His Church.
Jesus Chose Twelve Apostles
Jesus did not simply preach to crowds and leave everyone to organize themselves independently.
The Gospels say He deliberately selected twelve men from among His disciples and designated them as apostles.
The number twelve appears intentional.
Israel had twelve tribes.
Jesus establishes a leadership group of Twelve.
These men receive responsibilities beyond those of the larger group of disciples.
They travel with Jesus.
They are taught privately.
They are sent to preach.
They receive authority.
And after the Resurrection they become central witnesses of Jesus Christ.
The First Organizational Clue
Jesus did not merely gather believers.
He appointed apostles.
What Is an Apostle?
The word translated as apostle carries the idea of one who is sent.
In the New Testament, apostles are not simply enthusiastic believers.
They are commissioned representatives.
Jesus sends the Twelve to preach and minister in His name.
After His Resurrection, He commissions them to carry the Gospel to the nations.
The apostles therefore become part of the continuing structure of the movement after Jesus' mortal ministry.
Jesus Gave His Apostles Authority
Organization alone is not the whole story.
The New Testament repeatedly connects ministry with authority.
Matthew says Jesus called the Twelve and:
They were sent to preach, heal, and act in His name.
Jesus later tells His apostles:
That creates an important principle.
Is Sincerity the Same as Authority?
A person may sincerely want to act for God.
But the New Testament repeatedly describes people being called, sent, appointed, or ordained.
Peter and the Keys
After Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus tells him:
The meaning and extent of these “keys” have been debated throughout Christian history.
Catholic Christianity sees this passage as foundational to Peter's special role and ultimately to papal authority.
Orthodox Christianity recognizes Peter's prominence while understanding authority and succession differently.
Many Protestant traditions interpret the passage primarily in relation to Peter's confession, the Gospel, or authority shared by the apostolic Church.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints understands keys as specific governing priesthood authority that can be conferred upon authorized servants.
The interpretations differ.
The text itself gives us something concrete to investigate:
Jesus speaks of keys and authority.
Did the Apostles Expect Their Organization to Continue?
One event after the death of Judas is especially important.
Judas had been one of the Twelve.
After his death, only eleven remained.
The surviving apostles could simply have continued with eleven.
Instead, Acts describes them selecting someone to take Judas' place.
Two candidates are considered.
Matthias is chosen.
Acts then says:
Why Replace Judas?
If the Twelve were intended only for Jesus' mortal ministry, why fill the vacancy after Jesus had ascended?
That is a significant organizational question.
Then Came Paul
The New Testament later identifies Paul as an apostle.
Paul was not one of the original Twelve.
He had actually opposed the Christian movement.
After the experience he describes as an encounter with the risen Christ, Paul becomes one of Christianity's most important missionaries.
The existence of Paul demonstrates that apostolic ministry was not understood merely as a historical title permanently restricted to the original Twelve.
Were There Prophets in the Church?
Yes.
The New Testament speaks openly of prophets in the Christian Church.
Acts mentions prophets traveling from Jerusalem to Antioch.
Among them is Agabus, who gives prophetic warnings.
Paul also lists prophets among the offices or gifts Christ gave to the Church.
This passage becomes especially important when asking what the New Testament Church looked like.
Why Were These Offices Given?
Paul does not merely list apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
He explains why they were given.
They were for the work of ministry, the strengthening of believers, and the building up of the body of Christ.
Paul continues by saying they were needed until believers came into unity of faith and maturity in Christ.
He also warns against believers being:
Has That Need Disappeared?
Has Christianity reached complete unity of faith?
Are believers no longer confronted by conflicting doctrines?
If apostles and prophets helped protect the early Church from doctrinal instability, when—and why—were those offices no longer needed?
What Other Offices Appear?
The New Testament contains more than apostles and prophets.
It also refers to evangelists, pastors, teachers, bishops or overseers, elders, and deacons.
The exact relationship between some of these titles during the first century is debated.
Church organization appears to have developed as Christian communities expanded.
But the larger point is clear.
The New Testament Church had recognizable leadership roles.
It was more than an informal collection of people who independently believed in Jesus.
How Were People Called to Ministry?
The New Testament describes people being appointed and set apart for responsibilities.
One recurring practice is the laying on of hands.
Acts describes apostles and other leaders praying and laying hands upon individuals for particular ministries and blessings.
Paul reminds Timothy of a gift associated with the laying on of hands.
The pattern suggests that ministry involved more than simply declaring oneself a minister.
People were called.
People were appointed.
People were sent.
Hands were laid upon them.
Authority mattered.
What About Priesthood?
The word priesthood appears prominently in discussions of the Old Testament and in the New Testament book of Hebrews.
Christians disagree about how priesthood authority functions after Christ.
Catholic and Orthodox traditions maintain ordained priesthoods within an apostolic ministry.
Many Protestant traditions emphasize the priesthood of all believers and do not understand ministerial authority in the same way.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that priesthood is divine authority delegated by God and that this authority was restored through heavenly messengers.
Before evaluating those later claims, however, there is a simpler biblical question:
Did People Have to Be Authorized to Act in God's Name?
The New Testament evidence strongly indicates that calling, commission, and authority were important to the early Church.
How Did Someone Become a Christian?
The book of Acts provides repeated examples of people responding to the Gospel.
At Pentecost, Peter's listeners ask what they should do.
Peter answers:
Several elements appear together.
Faith in Jesus Christ.
Repentance.
Baptism.
Reception of the Holy Ghost.
These were not peripheral ideas in the earliest Christian movement.
Was Baptism Optional?
Jesus Himself was baptized.
He commanded His apostles to baptize.
Acts repeatedly describes converts being baptized.
Philip baptizes the Ethiopian official.
Paul is baptized.
Households and individuals throughout Acts receive baptism as the Gospel spreads.
Christians disagree today about the proper mode, subjects, timing, and theological effect of baptism.
But the New Testament leaves little doubt that baptism belonged to early Christian practice.
How Was the Holy Ghost Received?
Acts contains several accounts involving the gift or reception of the Holy Ghost.
One especially important example occurs in Samaria.
People there had accepted the word of God and had been baptized.
Peter and John then came from Jerusalem, prayed for them, and laid their hands upon them.
Acts says they received the Holy Ghost.
Other passages describe the Holy Spirit being received in different circumstances, so Christians interpret these events differently.
Still, the laying on of hands clearly appears as an important practice in the apostolic Church.
Did the Church Have a Sacrament or Communion?
Yes.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and wine and connected them with His body and blood.
The early Christians continued commemorating Jesus through the breaking of bread.
Paul gives instructions to the Corinthian church concerning the Lord's Supper.
Different Christian traditions later developed different understandings of the Eucharist, Communion, or Sacrament.
But the practice itself reaches directly into the New Testament.
Did the Church Practice Healing?
Healing is prominent throughout the New Testament.
Jesus heals.
The apostles heal.
Other disciples participate in miraculous ministry.
James gives specific instructions to believers who are sick:
Here we find several recognizable elements:
Elders.
Prayer for the sick.
Anointing with oil.
Acting in the name of the Lord.
Were Spiritual Gifts Part of the Church?
Paul writes extensively about spiritual gifts.
He mentions wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
Different gifts are given to different people.
But they operate within one body.
The New Testament Church therefore expected God to remain actively involved with His people.
Christianity was not presented merely as a philosophy built around the remembered sayings of a dead teacher.
The early Christians believed Christ was alive and the Holy Spirit continued to act.
Did Revelation Continue After Jesus Ascended?
Yes.
The book of Acts repeatedly describes divine guidance after Jesus' Ascension.
Peter receives a vision.
Paul receives revelation.
Prophets speak.
The Holy Spirit directs missionary work.
Church leaders seek divine guidance when difficult questions arise.
The book of Revelation itself presents prophetic revelation given to John.
When Did Revelation Stop?
The New Testament does not portray the Ascension of Jesus as the moment heaven became silent.
How Did the Church Resolve Doctrinal Disputes?
Acts 15 gives an important example.
A serious disagreement developed over whether Gentile converts needed to follow particular requirements of the law of Moses.
The issue could have divided the Church.
The apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem.
They discussed the question.
Peter spoke.
Paul and Barnabas reported their experiences.
James gave judgment.
A decision was then communicated to the churches.
The letter announcing the decision contains a remarkable phrase:
The picture is not one of every congregation independently deciding its own doctrine.
There is leadership.
There is council.
There is communication among churches.
And there is a claim of divine guidance.
Was Missionary Work Part of the Original Church?
Missionary work is one of the defining features of the New Testament.
Jesus sends disciples to preach.
After the Resurrection, He commands the apostles to take the Gospel to all nations.
Acts follows Christianity as it expands outward from Jerusalem.
Paul and his companions travel from city to city establishing Christian communities.
Missionary work was not an optional program added centuries later.
It was built into the Church's mission from the beginning.
What Did the Original Church Look Like?
If we gather the New Testament evidence without first attaching a modern denominational label, a recognizable pattern emerges.
The Original Church Checklist
Apostles
Prophets
Evangelists
Pastors and teachers
Bishops or overseers
Elders
Deacons
Divine authority
Calling and appointment
Laying on of hands
Faith in Jesus Christ
Repentance
Baptism
The gift of the Holy Ghost
The Lord's Supper
Healing
Anointing with oil
Spiritual gifts
Prophecy and revelation
Missionary work
Other teachings and practices could certainly be added.
But this gives us a starting point.
The Question Is Not Which Modern Church Looks Familiar
At this stage, it would be easy to take the checklist and immediately declare a winner.
That would move too quickly.
Different Christian traditions claim continuity with the Church established by Christ in different ways.
Catholic Christianity emphasizes apostolic succession through the bishops and the special role of Peter.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity also claims apostolic continuity through bishops, sacraments, and the historic Church.
Protestant traditions generally argue that the essential Church continues wherever the Gospel is faithfully taught and believers are gathered in Christ, even if later institutional structures changed.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes a different claim: that essential authority and organization were lost after the apostolic era and later restored.
Those claims cannot all simply be assumed.
They have to be investigated.
What Happened to the Apostles?
This is where the historical investigation becomes especially interesting.
Jesus established apostles.
Judas died.
The apostles filled his vacancy with Matthias.
Paul later served as an apostle.
The Church expanded.
Then the first generation began to disappear.
Peter disappeared from the New Testament narrative.
Paul's ministry ended.
James was killed.
Other apostles and early leaders eventually died.
The historical Church continued.
But did everything Christ established continue in the same form?
What Happened When the Apostles Were Gone?
Were they replaced?
Did their authority pass automatically to bishops?
Did the organization legitimately develop into another form?
Did some authority or revelation disappear?
Or was nothing essential ever lost?
Those questions take us directly into the debate over apostolic succession, apostasy, reformation, and restoration.
Jesus Warned About False Teachers
The possibility of corruption within Christianity is not an idea invented centuries later.
Jesus warned about false prophets.
The apostles warned about false teachers.
Paul warned that people would turn away from sound teaching.
Other New Testament writers warned of deception, division, and apostasy.
Warnings do not automatically prove that a complete apostasy occurred.
But they do establish that the earliest Christians themselves believed departure from truth was possible.
Did Jesus Promise His Church Would Never Disappear?
Christians who defend continuous institutional succession often point to Jesus' statement that the gates of hell would not prevail against His Church.
They also point to His promise to remain with His disciples.
Those are important passages.
Others distinguish between the ultimate triumph of Christ and the question of whether every office, authority, ordinance, or doctrine necessarily remained unchanged throughout history.
Again, the text must be examined rather than merely claimed by one side.
Two Different Questions
Did Christianity survive?
Clearly, yes.
Did the Church remain organizationally, doctrinally, and authoritatively identical to the apostolic Church?
That requires a much deeper investigation.
Reformation—or Restoration?
Centuries after the apostles, reformers challenged teachings and practices within Western Christianity.
The Protestant Reformation eventually produced new churches, new translations of Scripture, and renewed emphasis on biblical authority.
For Protestants, this represented necessary reform and recovery of biblical Christianity.
But another question can be asked.
If something essential had been lost—not merely misunderstood— could reform alone restore it?
If divine authority had disappeared, could someone recover that authority simply by reading the Bible correctly?
Or would authority have to be given again?
Reform What Remained—or Restore What Was Lost?
That is one of the central questions explored throughout THE TRUTH Series.
Continue: Reformation or Restoration? →
Don't Begin by Choosing a Church
There is another way to approach the question.
Before asking:
“Which church should I join?”
Ask:
“What did Jesus establish?”
Then open the New Testament.
Write down what you find.
Look for offices.
Look for authority.
Look for ordinances.
Look for spiritual gifts.
Look for revelation.
Look at how leaders were chosen.
Look at how doctrine was decided.
Look at what happened when an apostle was lost.
Then compare that evidence with the competing claims made by Christian churches today.
Don't Start With the Denomination.
Start with the blueprint.
Then ask who still has it—or whether it needed to be restored.
The Question Becomes Bigger
If Jesus established an organized Church with apostles, authority, ordinances, revelation, and spiritual gifts, then what happened to that structure after the first century?
That question cannot be answered simply by pointing to the existence of Christianity.
Christianity survived.
The more specific question is whether the Church Jesus established survived with the same authority and essential organization.
If it did, where?
If it changed legitimately, by what authority did it change?
If something essential was lost, could human reform recover it?
Or would God have to restore it?
That Is the Next Investigation.
Reformation—or Restoration?
Start With the New Testament
THE TRUTH examines what Jesus taught, what His apostles revealed, and what the Bible actually says about the Church Christ established.
Apostles. Prophets. Authority. Ordination. Baptism. The Holy Ghost. Spiritual gifts. Revelation. Paradise. Resurrection. Preaching to the dead. Baptism for the dead. And the promised restitution of all things.
The question is not what tradition says should be there.
What does the New Testament actually show us?