Let me say at the beginning that the church in the New Testament is called by many names, all of which are Scriptural and all of which denote the relationship of the church to its owner, builder and founder, Jesus. We find the church called the church of God (1 Corinthians 1:1; 10:32; 11:22; 15:9; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13; 1 Timothy 3:5), the church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23), the church of the Lord (Acts 20:28); the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15); the household of God (Ephesians 2:19); the household of faith (Galatians 6:10); the kingdom of God (Acts 28:23, 31) the kingdom of God’s dear son (Colossians 1:13); the kingdom which cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28) and the church (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22; 3:10; 5:23-32). In 1 Thessalonians the church is called “the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:1). It is called the church of Christ (Romans 16:16) in that it denotes that Jesus is the owner. Jesus called it my church (Matthew 16:18); my kingdom (Luke 22:30; John 18:36); the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19) and the kingdom of God (John 3:5; Luke 22:16).

As we often take pride in what we buy and own and call it “my, car, my house, my computer . . . “ so in the same way God and Jesus calls the church theirs and emphasizes their relationship to it. Should we be ashamed of being called by the names God calls the church in Scripture? Should we be ashamed to call the church what she is called in Scripture? Absolutely not, as long as we always understand that these names denote relationships, and not denominational designations that define us from the rest of the religious world.

There seems to be a move afoot in the church to cast away the name “church of Christ” because of all the “negative baggage” connected with it. Many churches now refuse to be called by that name, instead being called by ___________ Community church (by the way, many Baptists are now doing the same thing).

I have mixed emotions about this, and here are the reasons.

If a church refuses to be called by a Scriptural name, then they are at the same time saying that the church is not God’s or Christ’s, and thus are looking at the church as a man made body or denomination. They fail to honor God by emphasizing his relationship to the church, and who owns the same. This brings me to my second emotion, which is thankfulness that they have let me know how they feel about their relationship with God. If they deny the ownership of the church by God or Christ, then they are implying that the church is not God’s or Christ’s, therefore telling me it was made by some man, and I don’t need to be a part of it. So I weep over the fact that many have become ashamed of the relationship they claim to have with God and Christ, and rejoice in the fact that they are at least being honest and telling the world and the church that they are man made. I weep that some are trying to supplant the church that Christ set up in Scripture by a church of man’s own making and devising – a church that is doomed to fail because if God does not plant the church, it will be plucked up and thrown away (Matthew 15:13-14; John 15:1-10). But this is nothing new – and it will continue until the Lord comes again and takes his bride, the church, home to be with him forever.

Just as I knew my bride on August 9, 1980, and I took no other, so the Lord knows who is his, and he will take no other as well. I close with this thought from 2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." NKJV