"Is it possible to really find the true church?" This question came up in a recent conversation with a young man I met while going door-to-door in the community. There are so many churches, so many different doctrines, so much confusion. Can we really find the Lord's church?

WHAT IS THE CHURCH?
Before we can ever think to look for the Lord's church, we need to first understand what the church is. Jesus said, "...on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it." (Mt 16:18). Though He used words like "rock" and "build", don't misunderstand the construction of the church. It is not a building made of brick and lumber, but rather a gathering of people. Our English word "church" comes from the Greek ekklesia, which might otherwise be translated "assembly". The church is not the place where people meet, but the gathering of people itself. Note a few Scriptures which demonstrate such:

• "...the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."
  (Ac 2:47)
• "...great fear came upon all the church..." (Ac 5:11)
• "...a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem..." (Ac 8:1)
• "...they assembled with the church and taught a great many people."
  (Ac 11:26)
• "...constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church." (Ac 12:5)
• "...when they had come and gathered the church together..." (Ac 14:27)

Though the Greek word ekklesia could be applied to any gathering of people (ie. political, social, religious, etc), it very quickly became used primarily (if not exclusively) of the Lord's Church, that is, those who are saved believers. Hebrews 12:23 refers to "...the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven..." As seen above, those who responded to the gospel message through obedience were "...added to the church..." (Ac 2:47)

HOW MANY CHURCHES ARE THERE?
There are many churches in existence. In fact, depending upon the size of your community, there may be hundreds of churches. And yet consistently, we find in Scripture that there is only to be one church (Eph 1:22-23; 4:4). Jesus came to build His church, not His churches.

"But we're all one church", one might contend, "we're just different parts of the Lord's body." One of the consistent attributes emphasized of the church throughout Scripture is the unity which it ought to share. Ephesians 4 goes on to say, "...one body, and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph 4:4-6). See the great emphasis on unity? Consider a few more words in that regard:

• "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Co 1:10)
• "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Php 1:27)
• "...fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." (Php 2:2)

When we consider the myriad of churches which exist, and the myriad of doctrinal differences which accompany them, I am caused to wonder how someone might conclude that such an array can constitute the "one church" spoken of in Scripture.

Just as an illustration, some churches teach that we are sinners from birth, while others do not. Some teach that Jesus is God, others do not. Some teach that priests should not marry, others do not. Some teach that baptism is essential for salvation, others do not. We could go on and on. There is no semblance of unity in this. Amos 3:3 asks the question, "Can two walk together, unless they be agreed?" Surely the multitude of churches which exists cannot be called "one" and yet have so many disagreements and differences.

HOW THEN DO WE FIND THE LORD'S CHURCH?
Back to the question of the young man I met recently, "Is it possible to really find the true church?" There are just so many, and so many different things being taught. Is the church which the Lord built still around? How can we distinguish His church from a host of counterfeits?

If I were to give you my keys, and a bit of information about my vehicle, could you find it in a parking lot? I'm sure you could. In some ways, one vehicle looks just like another, but there are specific attributes which serve to distinguish them also. I drive a red 1995 Ford Windstar. As you walk through the lot, you could use that information, and very easily find the right vehicle.

Likewise, in some ways, one church looks just like another, but there are also specific attributes which distinguish them also. If we will learn what the Lord's church is like, as revealed in His word, then we can find His church. Consider some characteristics which distinguish the Lord's church:

• Jesus Christ is the builder (Mt 16:18). If a church claims to have been founded by Charles Wesley, or Joseph Smith, or Charles T. Russell, Fox Parham, or any other person than Jesus Christ, we can know that it is not the Lord's church.
• The Scriptures plainly reveal to us the origin (both when and where) of the Lord's church. Isaiah speaks about the Lord's house being established in Jerusalem in the latter days (Isa 2:1-3). Joel also spoke of the beginning of the Lord's kingdom at Jerusalem, and supplies signs which would accompany it (Joel 2:28-32). And Daniel, in the interpretation given to Nebuchadnezzar of the dream which he had, speaks of the kingdom of God being set up, specifically in the days of the fourth world empire from the Babylonians (Dan 2:31-45). After Babylon (1), came the Medo-Persian empire (2), then the Greeks (3), and eventually, the Romans (4). All this is culminated in Acts 2, where the first gospel sermon was preached, and the Lord's church began. If a church claims to have started at a location other than Jerusalem, we can know that it is not the Lord's church. Likewise, if a church claims to have started at any time other than the first Pentecost after the Lord's ascension, we can know that it is not the Lord's church.
• The doctrine which is believed and taught at a church will help us to know if it is the Lord's or not. Acts 2:42 reads, "...they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." If a church teaches something other than or in addition to what the apostles taught, then it is not the Lord's church. So many churches today not only use God's word, but also have a creed, or a manual, or a catechism, or a confession of faith, or some other book. The Lord's church continues steadfastly in the doctrine taught by the apostles, not the doctrines of men as recorded in a human creed. Any church which holds to a confession of faith, a manual, a catechism, a creed book, or any other such document, is not the church the Lord built.
• How does one become a member of the church? In some churches, it may be as simple as making a confession of faith. In others, one may be voted upon by the leaders of the church. One becomes a member of the Lord's church through obedience to the gospel message. In Acts 2, when Peter was asked by those present, "...what shall we do?", he responded, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." (v 38). Verse 41 tells us, "...those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." And then, at the close of the chapter, we read, "...the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." One becomes a member of the Lord's church through repentance and submitting to baptism for the remission of sins. Churches who do not do so, are not the Lord's church.
• Once while studying with a woman, I was told that it really didn't matter what a church was named. "Names really are not that important." Really? I then asked her if she would mind if I addressed her as Bob from then on. She got the point. Names are important. It matters what we call one another (my name is William, please don't call me Debra). It also matters what we call the church. As we read in Scripture, we can see the descriptive names which were used to refer to the Lord's church. Paul wrote to "the church of God which is at Corinth" (1 Cor 1:2). When writing to the brethren at Rome, He shared greetings with them from "...the churches of Christ..." (Ro 16:16). Notice, both these describe the church as the possession of the Lord. But what am I to understand when a church is called the United Church of Canada? Or Baptist Church? Or Pentecostal Church? Or Lutheran Church? Etc, etc.. If it is the Lord's church, then it will surely acknowledge Him in what it is called.

Is it possible to find the Lord's church today? Absolutely. With the information provided in the Bible, we are as able to find the Lord's church as we could find a vehicle in a parking lot, given the right description. God has given us the pattern, we are responsible to follow it. The Lord's church exists still today – it is where folks are gathered in the name of the Lord, doing according to Scripture, without addition. Friend, will you come and be added to the Lord's church, even today?