Question: Why Are There so Many Different Churches?

Question

In the Bible, we only read about one, yes, about the one assembly (church). But why, then, are there countless churches, gatherings, and assemblies?

Answer

In fact, the Bible only speaks of “the assembly [church] of the living God” (1 Tim. 3:15). The Lord Jesus speaks of “my assembly“. Elsewhere, the apostle Paul says: “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4). So there is only one assembly (church), which consists of all the redeemed worldwide or in one place.

This raises the question: What has gone wrong that there are so many groups of believers today? The answer is as simple as it is sobering: pretty much everything has gone wrong. Christians have distanced themselves from the Word of God.

As a result, some faithful believers have had to separate from others in order to continue to come together according to the biblical pattern (cf. 1 Cor. 11:18, 19). Unfortunately, Christians have often separated from other Christians of their own free will in order to found a new church, congregation, or assembly according to their own considerations. They have not asked after God but sometimes even see this church’s diversity as a wonderful bouquet of flowers. But God rejects these divisons.

If God says that this one assembly exists, then no Christian needs to found a (new) assembly. They already exist. Every “new” church or assembly that is to be placed alongside the existing assembly is, therefore, a sect that adds something to the principles of God or takes something away from it. It cannot be according to God’s thoughts.

After all, He founded His assembly long ago. According to Acts 2, this was on the day of Pentecost after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Of course, new local gatherings can always come into being. However, they are not “new” churches or assemblies but representations of the one worldwide assembly. They do not distinguish themselves from the existing assemblies by name or differing principles. Otherwise, they would be sects.

So what can we do today? You can still come together on the biblical basis of Ephesians 4:4 (“there is one body“) and Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them.” Then, you will gather with those who come together on the biblical basis of the assembly of God, be they only two or three.

Thank God, this is still possible today. All of God’s children who want to separate themselves from all unrighteousness will be welcome here. “But pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22).

Despite all the different churches and assemblies, we do not want to lose sight of the fact that there is still one assembly/church to which all the redeemed belong – even in one place at a time. It cannot be destroyed and will forever form the one body of which Christ is the head.