Chapter V: Which Church Is Right?

(Note: As this sermon was being presented the outline seen below was on the blackboard before the audience.)

Which Church Is Right?

_Introduction_: This is a question that concerns every person.
I. _God Has Only One_
A. See Matt. 16:18; Eph. 4:4; Cor. 12:20; Eph. 1:22, 23.
B. There are more than two hundred in America.
C. Which one belongs to God?
II. _The One That Follows the Bible_
A. Obviously they don’t all follow the Bible.
B. The Bible is a sufficient guide (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Gal. 1:8, 9; 2
John 9; Rev. 22:18, 19).
C. What does it teach?
III. _Conditions of Membership_
A. Same as condition of salvation (Acts 2:47).
B. Faith (Acts 16:31-33; Rom. 10:14; Acts 2:36).
C. Repentance (Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 17:30).
D. Confession (Rom. 10:10; Acts 8:37).
E. Baptism (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:47; 1 Pet.
3:21).
IV. _Worship_
A. Prayer (Acts 2:42; Acts 20:36).
B. Giving (1 Cor. 16:1, 2).
C. Studying and teaching (Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7; etc.).
D. Vocal Music (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).
E. Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:20-34; Acts 20:7).
F. In spirit and truth (John 4:24).
V. _Daily Christian Living_ (Tit. 2:12; Jas. 1:27; Mark 12:30, 31;
Matt. 7:12).
VI. _Bible Names for God’s Church_
A. The Church (Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:25; Rev. 1:4).
B. The Church of God (1 Cor. 15:9; 1 Thess. 2:14; 1 Cor. 11:16).
C. The Church of Christ (Matt. 16:18; Rom. 16:16).
VII. _Organization_ (Acts 14:23; 20:28; Phil. 1:1).
VIII. _Charity and Evangelistic Work_ (Acts 11:27-30; 12:25; 24:17; 1
Cor. 16:1-4; Acts 11:19-21; 11:22-26; 13:1-4; etc.).
_Conclusion_: The church that follows the Bible on all points is the
one that is right.

By actual count there are 217 people present for this Sunday evening worship. We are glad you are here. Your presence is a distinct encouragement. It helps. We can have better work by your being here than we could if you were not here. We have some visitors and you are very welcome. May you enjoy with us all the blessings that are to be had here and help us make these services even better!

At the close of the lesson we shall sing “Come to Jesus,” for the purpose of encouraging you to accept the Lord’s invitation. The invitation comes from Jesus Christ. By his authority and by the power of the Holy Spirit the doors of the church were opened nearly 2,000 years ago on the day of Pentecost, and the doors of the _Lord’s_ church have been standing wide open ever since. Whosoever will may come. We sing this invitation song for the sake of the exhortation it contains and to give you a convenient opportunity to come forward and make known your desire to obey the Lord. Backsliders are invited to return to God, confessing their sins, repenting of them, and praying for forgiveness. Those who have never been born again are taught by the Bible to believe in Christ, repent of their sins, confess their faith, and be baptized for the remission of sins. We are prepared to assist you in carrying out your obedience of these commands. If you will come forward and make your wishes known, we shall be glad to help you in every way we can.

I promised to speak to you tonight upon the topic “Which Church Is Right?” That is a very important question, and the timeliness of it is evident by the fact that in the United States there are more than 200 churches. Just for the sake of a round number, we’ll speak of them as 200. That is, indeed, enough. In fact, too many! For, in the Bible, there is only one. Now, you just think about that—200 in the United States alone, to say nothing about other parts of the world, and only one in the Bible!