The bible doesn't instruct us to just create churches, and make up names for churches. Naming churches after men or doctrines or philosophies is foreign to the scriptures. The bible shows us that the name of the New Testament church, has a New Testament basis, and understand, the name of the New Testament church is a description. It describes the church, and it's relationship to Christ. Furthermore, there’s not just any one name for the church, but all the names for the church that we find in the Bible end up describing, in some way, the same church.
HERE’S WHAT JESUS CALLED HIS CHURCH:
My Church - Mat 16:18
My Kingdom - Luk 22:30, Jno 18:36
The Kingdom of Heaven - Mat 16:19
The Kingdom of God - Jno 3:5, Luk 22:16
HERE'S WHAT THE APOSTLES CALLED THE CHURCH:
The Church - Col 1:18, Eph 1:22, 3:10
The Church of God - 1 Cor 1:2, Gal 1:13
Church of Christ - Rom 16:16
The House of God - 1 Tim 3:15, Eph 2:19
The Household of faith - Gal 6:10
The Kingdom of God - Acts 28:23
The Kingdom of God's Dear Son - Col 1:13
The New Testament church is called by a name, a descriptive name, which identifies it as the church belonging to Christ, the church that is of God, and the church which is based on what has been revealed from heaven.
-Derek Chambers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
