Question: Dear Dr. Roane, when did the Church begin? Some say at Pentecost; others when Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, "Receive the Spirit (John 20:22)"; still yet others who say that has always been around, albeit, under a different name.
Answer: Dear friend, thanks for the question. For me this is an easy one: The nascent Church began as we know it when Jesus called his first disciples (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:4-11; and John 1:29-2:2. There you will see that the establishing of the Church was a process as each was called; and in all aspects this has been true since the beginning of creation by the Lamb that was sacrificed from beginning of time itself (1 Peter 1:20).
Evidence the proof of this by reference to Revelation where the four and twenty elders are listed (c.f. Revelation 2:26-27, 5:10, 20:4; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). And, The word "church" is an anglicized translation of the Greek word "ekklesia," which is defined as an assembly or a gathering of "called out ones." It is often thought of as a building or a denomination; however, strictly speaking it is neither of these; it is simply those members who are securely in the Body of Christ from all ages past and present (Ephesians 3:1-20).
One thing is for sure, it is "God's household, is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15)."
Further, Ephesians 4: 11-13 teaches that Christ himself gave us:
. . . the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
So, from this we can rightly assume that the Church has roots, apostolic roots, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers as well as tradition to guide us into all truth by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13).
The following verses should also be helpful:
(1 Corinthians 3:11—one foundation)
"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
(Matthew 16:18—The confession of Peter)
"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (realm of the dead) will not overpower it." (It will not cease with either the death of Peter, or for that matter Christ himself.)
(Ephesians 2:20— a foundational principle)
[The Church] having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone…".
(1 Corinthians 3:9— We are God’s building)
"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. "
(1 Peter 2:5 —we are spiritual stones, a spiritual house; a holy priesthood)
. . . you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 3:10 —a carefully constructed building)
"According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it."
It is in this regard that I consider myself a restorationist rather than one of the many splinters of Protestantism.
Trust this helps,
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