
The oldest church in the world is the one that was built by Christ Himself (Acts 2). It is called the “church of Christ” because it belongs to Him (Rom. 16:16). He was the one who ensured that His church would be built no matter what (Mat. 16:18). He is the head over His church and it will stand forever (Eph. 1:22; Luke 1:32,33). The church that belongs to Christ first met in Jerusalem. It was there that Jesus Himself declared that it would begin (Luke 24:47). So, it is the first and oldest church in the history of the world. It began in the year 33 AD, long before the establishment of the Catholic Church (606 AD) which claims to be the oldest religion today. Thus, the Catholic Church is not the oldest religion, but it is the oldest group of apostates from the Lord’s church.
From the first century forward everyone who has obeyed the doctrine of Christ has been added to the church of Christ (Acts 2:47). Consequently, Jesus’ terms of salvation (faith, repentance, confession, and baptism), worship, prayer, fellowship, and godly living have been passed down through God’s Word and His church from generation to generation producing a living body today (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 4:16;2 Tim. 2:2; 4:2; 1 Pet. 2:5). It is not a sect, a cult, or a denomination, but it is simply the church that Jesus came to build (Mat. 16:18), purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28), and will save everyone who obeys Him (Acts 2:47).
Derrick Coble