The New Testament Church | The Institute for Creation Research

The New Testament Church

“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:46,47).

This is the first mention in the Book of Acts (which describes the development of the New Testament church) of the word “church” (Greek, ekklesia, “those who are called out”). Since that first church, there have been a great multitude of different “churches” established with widely varying doctrines and practices. Many groups of such churches from time to time have tried to restore what they considered to be the type of church described in Acts and the Epistles.

However, it should be obvious that there can be no such thing today as a true New Testament church, for the good and sufficient reason that the churches described in the New Testament did not yet have the New Testament! They had to be guided in their faith and practice to a large degree by the direct teaching of the apostles, as well as that of special prophets and other men of supernatural insight whom the Lord sent in accord with particular needs.

Today we have a far greater blessing than any New Testament church ever had—that of the complete and final word of God, the inscripturated revelation that had been “For ever . . . settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89) and is now fully transmitted to men, “That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (II Timothy 3:17).

The Lord, through the centuries, has graciously used many different kinds of churches, despite all their variations, and even in spite of their many failings and failures. Wherever and whenever a church believes the Bible to be God’s inerrant word, and preaches the glorious gospel of Christ, He will still add to the church daily such as should be saved. HMM

The Latest
NEWS
Mysterious Erosion Confirms High Flood Boundary
Two separate research reports arrived at a similar conclusion.1,2 Both found an episode of mysterious erosion had occurred near the end of...

NEWS
A Uniquely Designed Air-Filled Sac Within Birds’ Lungs
Soaring birds are a majestic sight to behold, especially when they undergo such climbing and endless spiraling so effortlessly. Not surprisingly, evolutionists...

NEWS
Liberty and the Word of God
“And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts” (Psalm 119:45). July 4th is called Independence Day here in our country because on...

NEWS
July 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome...

NEWS
Valued Longtime ICR Employee Mary Smith Retires
Mary Morris Smith, an employee of the Institute for Creation Research for many years, has retired. The second daughter of ICR founder Dr. Henry M. Morris...

NEWS
Man of Science, Man of God: George Washington Carver
Who:  George Washington Carver What: Father of Modern Agriculture When: 1864 or 1865 – January 5, 1943 Where: Diamond Grove,...

ACTS & FACTS
The Scopes Monkey Trial: A Battle of Worldviews
Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, and its statue of William Jennings Bryan Image credit: M. Mueller The Scopes Monkey...

ACTS & FACTS
Long Non-Coding RNAs: The Unsung Heroes of the Genome
Evolutionary theory holds that all living things came about through random, natural processes. So conventional scientists believe the genome has developed...

ACTS & FACTS
Yosemite National Park, Part 1: Tiny Clues of a Grand Picture
Yosemite National Park in California is a sure source of stunning scenery. It’s no wonder that American naturalist John Muir persuaded President...

ACTS & FACTS
From Inference to Theory: A Common Design Case Study
Without a doubt, humans, chimpanzees, and other organisms share similar features. An early explanation was that these features reflect similar designs...