Kalatium:
Today , I was just wondering how did we end up with so many churches.

I happen to be in Maiduguri currently but I can't seem to find my church and the churches that are somehow close I haven't heard of them before. I don't know their doctrines nor the kind of their beliefs.

I am just stock. Thinking of just staying at home today and watch service online.

I wish we christians have just one church so that irrespective of where you are you can be comfortable going to any church.

You sef can open church. Do it the way pimps run the business.

Find a section of the city with high population of young women, located close to brothels and liquor shops. This makes your church a place of salvation in the midst of sins and rots. Men with money will soon start coming for the young girls. Thats all you need. You will soon build a mega church yasef, with jet.

It can indeed be overwhelming to find the right church, especially in a city with numerous options. Online services provide a convenient solution, allowing us to connect with faith regardless of location. A unified About Christian community could simplify this quest, providing a sense of familiarity and comfort when attending any church.

Kobojunkie for don dey masturbate on this thread. Na wetin shim like be dis.

There's only 1 Church of all true believers anywhere and everywhere on earth. Jesus knows them & they know themselves.

Church of Christ is not about denominations or some organization or institution not physical building!

ImperialYoruba:


You sef can open church. Do it the way pimps run the business.

Find a section of the city with high population of young women, located close to brothels and liquor shops. This makes your church a place of salvation in the midst of sins and rots. Men with money will soon start coming for the young girls. Thats all you need. You will soon build a mega church yasef, with jet.

Church is a serious big business in Nigeria. Christianity has turn to business and comedy arena where one man milk on the gullibility of his fellow members.

Which of the churches were your own parents attending and what doctrine were you taught?

There is just one Christian group but it's a pity that falsehood is what most people chose.

If you want to know the only Christian group all you need is to read Jesus' words carefully then observe all the groups claiming Christians around you, you will surely KNOW THEM! John 8:32

Whoever is not associating with them can not survive the destruction of evildoers Jesus said:

Moreover, just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of man: they were eating, they were drinking, men were marrying, women were being given in marriage until that day when Noah entered into the ark, and the Flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it occurred in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building. But on the day that Lot went out of Sodʹom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be the same on that day when the Son of man is revealed. Luke 17:26-30

Note that there must be many INNOCENT people in the days of Noah, Jericho, Sodom, Gomorrah but did they escape the destruction?
NO!
It was only those that knew what God's people should do and act accordingly.
That is what it means to be FAITHFUL.
FAITH is the assured expectation of what is hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities that are not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Many INNOCENT people will die in the end of all badness thinking they're on God's side simply because they are innocent {Matthew 7:21-23} while FAITHFUL ones will act in line with their FAITH to prove that they're prepared to WORK with God! James 2:18-26

So don't just sit down at home assuming you have anything to do with Jesus because there is an assignment Jesus gave his disciples and it's only those doing it he will recognize not just innocent people that's why innocent people in all the religions will perish for not trusting in what Jesus commanded that's what it really means to BELIEVE in him! John 3:16

God bless you and may you have PEACE!

Kalatium:


Your argument is baseless.

How will it be when you cant reason wihtout biased mindset?

WHERE DID THEY ALL COME FROM?
1 Tim. 4:1-11
Oguneme, Ifeanyi Augustus
Church of Christ, Koso, Oyo town.



I. Christ founded but one church - Matthew 16:18
A. It belongs solely to him. It is not a democracy - Matthew 28:18
1. He is the head of the church - Ephesians 1:22-23
2. We must keep the commandments because he is the only Sovereign - I Timothy 6:13-16
B. It is Christ’s desire that his followers be united - John 17:20-21
1. The Scriptures teach that the Godhead is composed of three beings: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; yet, they are united in purpose, work and nature such that there is a complete oneness about them.
2. It is a oneness that husbands and wives strive to emulate - Matthew 19:6
C. The church promised by Christ was fulfilled
1. Some would see the kingdom, the church, come in their lifetime - Mark 9:1
2. Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem - Acts 1:3-8
3. They received power from God on the day of Pentecost, which Peter said fulfilled Joel’s prophecy - Acts 2:16-21
4. People were baptized and added to the church - Acts 2:37-41,46-47
D. But that harmony sought by Christ is not seen in modern times
1. Would you suppose that the Father is a Pentecostal, the Son a Lutheran, and the Spirit a Mormon? Would that be one?
2. Could we imagine Paul establishing the Methodist Church while Peter began the Baptist Church?
3. People wish to claim unity, not because it exists, but because they ignore the differences
a. Such division does not come from God! - I Corinthians 14:33
b. It is only by being one that the world will be converted - John 17:21
c. If unity promotes belief, then what does division create?


II. The history
A. In the beginning there were no denominations.
1. In whatever town you went, the church was the same
2. Oh, the problems in each church varied, but when you entered a town, you did not have 75 denominations to choose from
a. A large city might have more than one church meeting in its borders, but those churches were the same kind of church
3. They followed the same creed, recorded in the pages of the Bible
4. The foundation of their faith was in this teaching - Romans 10:17
5. For the first few hundred years the only authority for faith was the Bible, though there were often many arguments about what the Bible actually said about various matters.


B. Beginning of creeds
1. In the 2nd century a man named Marcion started teaching that there were two Gods. He thought the Old Testament referred to a tyrannical God who created a flawed world. He believed that Jesus revealed a good God of love and mercy.

2. The Old Roman Creed was developed to counter Marcion’s followers and was intended to be recited at baptism.
a. It was lightly modified and began being called the Apostles’ Creed around AD 390 because a belief developed that the apostles each wrote a line of the creed before leaving Jerusalem.

3. But earlier, in the late 4th century, a man named Arius started teaching that the Christ was not divine, that he was not God incarnate (God inhabiting human flesh). This caused a major controversy among Christians.

4. About this time Constantine was the Roman Emperor and he was sympathetic toward Christians, unlike prior emperors
a. He invited church leaders to meet at Nice in A.D. 325 to settle this dispute.
b. After much discussion and study, they came to an agreement that the Bible did indeed teach that Jesus was God in the flesh.
b. As a result, they wrote the Nicene Creed, which was bound on the believers at that time

5. Until this point, a believer’s faith rested in the Bible, but now documents written by men were made equal to the Bible.

a. Thus, began the apostasy predicted by the writers of the New Testament - I Timothy 4:1-4; II Thessalonians 2:3


C. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches
1. In A.D. 380 the Roman Emperor Theodosius declared Christianity to be the state religion.
a. A drastic switch from when Christians were persecuted by Romans and died for their faith.
b. The church grew rapidly, but people were often not truly converted. Instead, they brought into the church their pagan practices.
2. Due to competition between the bishops of Rome and Constantinople regarding who has highest authority in the church, both took on the title of Universal Bishop in A.D. 606. The following year, Boniface III took on the title of Pope and Universal Father.
a. This disagreement festered until it eventually led to a split that formed the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches in A.D. 1054
b. They each had a set of documents that formed the traditions which defined their different beliefs
b. Catholic Catechism and Orthodox Liturgical Rites


3. The Roman Catholics try to bolster their claim to be the head of the church by claiming a succession of popes prior to A.D. 606, starting with Peter as the first pope.
a. The problem is that historically there were no popes before.
c. In Roman Catholicism, priests and popes are unmarried; yet, Peter was married - Matthew 8:14


4. The Orthodox churches divided by region
a. Four main groups are the Eastern Orthodox, the Oriental Orthodox, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Eastern Catholic church
c. Their beliefs and practices differ


D. Lutheran
1. When we get to the middle ages, the Romans Catholic church had grown very corrupt and powerful.
a. Thousands were put to death for disagreeing with the church, or for simply owning a Bible.
b. From this grew oppositions to the church


2. One famous protest against the church was lead by Martin Luther. He had studied to be a priest, but he tried to reform the church and was met by opposition.
a. He wrote his objections and nailed them to the door of a church in Wittenburg, Germany, in 1517.
b. For that he was excommunicated in 1520
c. This lead to the formation of the Lutheran Church in 1530
d. Luther actually begged his followers not to use his name, but they persisted.
d. His teachings were formalized into what is called “Luther’s Catechism”

2. Luther’s opposition did eventually cause reforms to take place in the Roman Catholic church

3. However, his opposition to the Roman Catholic ideas of salvation by works caused him to go too the other extreme and he taught salvation by faith alone.
a. Faith is a major element of salvation, but the Bible teaches that we are saved by an obedient faith - Romans 16:26-27
b. Specifically, the Bible says we are NOT saved by faith alone - James 2:24

E. Anglican
1. In the same era, Henry VIII was king of England. He was married to Catherine of Aragon, the widow of his older brother and daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain (who financed Columbus’ voyage).
a. She produced no male heirs to the throne, so Henry wanted out of the marriage.
b. He petitioned the Pope for an annulment, but Catherine’s nephew, Charles V, was now the Holy Roman Emperor and he advised the Pope not to grant the annulment.
c. Meanwhile Henry met Anne Boleyn. Tired of waiting, Henry broke off from the Roman Catholic church and set up his own church with himself being the head. Now he could do as he wish.
e. He ended up marrying six times and beheaded four of his wives.


2. The new church is called the Church of England and to clarify its beliefs, it has the Book of Common Prayer, first written in 1549.
a. As it spread to other countries, it became known as the Anglican Church
b. Except in the United States, where there was so much hatred for the British after the Revolutionary War, that the group here changed its name to the Episcopal Church.


3. Because it wasn’t started because of differences in religious beliefs, the Anglican Church retained many Roman Catholic practices and beliefs.




F. Presbyterian
1. Meanwhile, John Calvin lead a reformation in Switzerland. Like Luther, the initial attempt was to reform the Roman Catholic Church. When it failed, a new church was formed.
2. The Presbyterian Church used Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536)
3. Calvinism is based on the idea of God’s complete sovereignty - to the extent that God predestined some people to be saved while others are lost.
a. In a sense, Calvin believed that all of our lives were pre-programmed by God.
b. This doesn’t match the Bible. Consider Jeremiah 7:31. If God didn’t think of it, then how could it be predestined?
c. Also, this contradicts the idea of free will - John 7:17
4. Of course, a new denomination needs a document defining it, which for the Presbyterians is the Westminster Confession of Faith


G. Baptists
1. For a long while there were groups in England and Europe abandoning Roman Catholicism for simple worship as found in the Bible
a. Among many beliefs, these groups rejected the idea of infant baptism, insisting that baptism is for adults based on faith.
(1) In a world influenced by Roman Catholicism, that was seen as condemning children to hell because of the belief that children are born sinful.
b. They also practiced baptism by immersion, even though everyone else was using sprinkling or pouring at the time - Acts 8:38-39
2. John Smythe is usually cited as the founder of the Baptist Church, but it can be shown he was actually withdrawn from by the church he was associated with and he died in 1612 unable to join any group because of his belief in successionist baptism.
3. Rather, the Baptists were a liberal element of these earlier groups that gradually strayed; traced back to the early to mid-1600's.
a. “The Baptist movement was born in the midst of the ferment and evolution of the English Church in the seventeenth century. Originally a collection of hole-in-the wall dissenters who were easily confused with Seekers, Ranters, Quakers, and political anarchists, Baptists rose to positions of prominence and respectability by 1700 in England and Wales.” [“A People Called Baptists”, Christianity Today].
b. “By 1624, there were five known General Baptist churches and by 1650 they numbered at least 47.” [Chris Traffanstedt, “A Primer on Baptist History”].
c. It is important to note this because Baptist often wish to claim other earlier groups as being Baptist, even though the teachings were different
4. This group became influenced by Calvin’s teachings. For example, believing that once a person is saved, he cannot be lost.
a. “We believe the Scriptures teach that such as are truly regenerate, being born of the Spirit, will not utterly fall away and perish” [Hiscox, Standard Manual for Baptist Churches, p. 67].
b. “The way a man lives has nothing to do with the salvation of his soul” [Sam Morris, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Stamford, Texas, “A Discussion which Involves a Subject Pertinent to All Men,” p. 1-2].
c. Compare this to John 15:1-6 and Hebrews 3:12
5. They also eventually changed their minds about baptism
a. “It is most likely that in the Apostolic Age when there was but ‘one Lord, one faith, and one baptism,’ and no differing denominations existed ... ‘baptism was the door into the church.’ Now it is different ... The churches therefore have candidates ... give their ‘experience,’ and then their reception is decided by a vote of the members.” [Hiscox, Standard Manual for Baptist Churches, p. 22].
b. Why should it be different?


H. Methodists
1. In 1729, Charles Wesley was dissatisfied with the formal ritualism of the Church of England. He formed the “Holy Club” with fellow students at Oxford. His brother, John, joined the club.
a. They established a set of rules to follow each day to improve their spiritual lives.
b. Fellow students taunted them, calling them Methodists, for following methods (rules) daily.
2. That list of rules became a book called, “The Methodist Discipline”
a. “We have therefore expected that the DISCIPLINE would be administered, not merely as a legal document, but as a revelation of the Holy Spirit working in and through our people.”[The Methodist Discipline, 1964, p. 1]
b. Thus, they place this man-made document on the same level as the Bible
3. Initially a sect within the Church of England, it gradually separated into its own denomination by the late 1700's to early 1800's.

I. Mormons
1. Around 1827, Joseph Smith claimed an angel revealed golden plates to him containing the message of the Book of Mormon.
2. This lead to the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in 1830. It is popularly know as the Mormon Church.
3. Other books were added to the Book of Mormon, including Doctrines and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price.
4. Among its many strange teachings:
a. “In 1876, section 101 from the 1835 edition (and subsequent printings) was removed. Section 101 was a "Statement on Marriage" as adopted by an 1835 conference of the church, and contained the following text:
(1) “Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy, we declare that we believe that one man should have one wife, and one woman but one husband, except in the case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again.
(2) “This section was removed because it had been superseded by section 132 of the modern LDS edition, recorded in 1843, which contains a revelation received by Joseph Smith on eternal marriage and plural marriage, the principles of which can be dated to as early as 1831.” [Wikipedia]
(3) Section 132 basically states that unless one practices polygamy, there is no hope of obtaining the highest reward in heaven.
(4) Of course, this contradicts the Bible - Matthew 19:4-6
b. They also teach that Adam is now God of our world and that men can rise to become gods in other worlds.
(1) “He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the father? He is the first of the human family. Jesus, our eldest brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character who was in the garden of Eden, and who is our Father in heaven.” [Journal of Discourses, V. 1, pp. 50-51]
(a) Notice that this would make Mary an adulteress.
(2) The Bible teaches that God is Spirit - John 4:24
(3) Spirit does not have flesh and bone - Luke 24:39
(4) Plus the fact that God pre-existed the creation of the world

III. We could go on with hundreds of other groups and ‘churches’ that you know there founder, but these illustrate how the religious world that claims to follow Christ became so divided.
A. In every case books are added to the Bible, written by men, to define how their group is different from all the rest.
1. Some claim that their books are from God, but if they were, they would not contradict the Bible or each other - I Corinthians 14:33
2. Truth does not contradict itself - John 17:17
B. As Jesus told the Pharisees - Matthew 15:9
1. Following such teachings is a waste of time because they will not lead you to God and to heaven. Rom. 16:17-18

Padipadi:

I decided to quote the your whole writeup cos I want to give a simple summation that answered all.
Though, there's no central church but there's a central God. The doctrines may differ just as languages, culture, interpretations are different. But they all acknowledged Jehovah who's also known as Yahweh. Even in Islam, there's the sunni and shia muslims. Also, there's a version of janjaweêds which I thought you belonged to. Am talking about the terrorists, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Mossad, Boko Haram, etc. If we are to count denominations in Islam, it ll be more too in Islam too. Every religion have lacuna. As for Bible verses that aren't same, different people wrote the Bible. So you can expect that to happen.
One thing I can commend the muslims for is that they somehow agreed on arabic as religion language and writing of koran same way to bring in uniformity. But with it, there's still shia and sunni muslim disparity.
For you to know who's following the footsteps of Jesus. It's so simple.
It's that Christian or any individual that's showing fruits of the holy spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23. love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
So you can't tell me you v not met Christians like that.
However, if you say should there be modification in Christendom, yes if it's received from God.

Na Galatians a letter of Paul you dey quote again?

Anyways, I don't belong to any supporter of APC as you say! Look for that among your folks!

So God dey modify Christendom?
How?

SmartyPants:


The Bible and all its core teachings such as the 10 commandments. You clearly haven't through this through have you? lol.

So all denomination follow all these?

The Unitarians don't believe in the Trinity but unity!

AntiChristian:


Na Galatians a letter of Paul you dey quote again?

Anyways, I don't belong to any supporter of APC as you say! Look for that among your folks!

So God dey modify Christendom?
How?

Firstly, is there a problem if I quote Galatians or any of the teachings of Paul? Or probably you v a problem with Paul? Afterall you mentioned his teaching when summing up your points. The part of Galatians U quoted is suitable to describe what Christianity is. Aside that part, there are other parts of the Bible that described who's a Christian. So I v done enough to differentiate church goers and a Christian

Secondly, you said you don't belong to janjaweêds but you stay on Islamic section and talk as a terrorist. A times, dish threats. 90% of terror groups in the world claim familiarity with Islam. So why are you mentioning Christianity with stain?

Lastly, about God modifying Christendom, isn't it God that commanded humans to service? From Christianity to Islam to Buddhism etc? Abi God no call muslims?
So if God created a religion, it's same Allah that can reform it though ministering into the hearts of men.

AntiChristian:


So all denomination follow all these?

The Unitarians don't believe in the Trinity but unity!

Seems it's today you had money for data. I see you v been responding people since morning.
The JAMB question you asked has been answered by me. Denominations are being influenced by Godly inspirations of their leaders.

Padipadi:

Seems it's today you had money for data. I see you v been responding people since morning.
The JAMB question you asked has been answered by me. Denominations are being influenced by Godly inspirations of their leaders.

I have been very busy this September.
God inspired denominations?

Okay same God that inspired Babalola of CAC is the same that inspired Orimolade of C & S.

Same God dey give Catholics pope!
Same God inspired the church board to select pastor's son to inherit the pulpit after pastor's demise.

Same God dey call pastor, call his wife and son!

Padipadi:

Firstly, is there a problem if I quote Galatians or any of the teachings of Paul? Or probably you v a problem with Paul? Afterall you mentioned his teaching when summing up your points. The part of Galatians U quoted is suitable to describe what Christianity is. Aside that part, there are other parts of the Bible that described who's a Christian. So I v done enough to differentiate church goers and a Christian

Yes I have a problem with Paul and his books. He didn't meet Jesus during his time and 2 Corinthians 11:14 that he wrote typically describes him.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light

Secondly, you said you don't belong to janjaweêds but you stay on Islamic section and talk as a terrorist. A times, dish threats. 90% of terror groups in the world claim familiarity with Islam. So why are you mentioning Christianity with stain?

How do terrorist talk? You must have been intimate with them!

Lastly, about God modifying Christendom, isn't it God that commanded humans to service? From Christianity to Islam to Buddhism etc? Abi God no call muslims?
So if God created a religion, it's same Allah that can reform it though ministering into the hearts of men.

Anything that needs modification isn't perfect in the first place!

AntiChristian:

Yes I have a problem with Paul and his books.
He didn't meet Jesus during his time and 2 Corinthians 11:14 that he wrote typically describes him.
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light

I also v a very busy September doing what's good. However after reading your reply this morning, this is my response.

AntiChristian, for you to chose your username, I know you are nuts. No worry. AntiMuslim go soon appear on nairaland. Paul was referring to people like you, other Islamists and anyone not standing on the body of Jesus Christ, eg: false prophets like some guys in middle east over 1500 years ago that said they were the holy spirit. You dey use that verse to blackmail Paul but forgot what he was talking about from the beginning of 2 Corinthians 11 vs 1-33. The ministry of Paul must v hunted you janjaweêds gan o! No wonder the Ottoman empire were on rampage that time to quench his works. Rather, they used their madness to spread the gospel across the globe. If Jesus tarry, those epistles of Paul go pepper una reach Medina and all round the world. Even earlier in this post, you quoted a scripture which Paul write to justify your baseless points o! Do you need a reminder?

AntiChristian:

How do terrorist talk? You must have been intimate with them!

Terrorists talk by twisting the scripture of God to suit they demonic mind. Just as you sampled 2 Corinthians 11 vs 14 as if na remix of Mohbad's song.

AntiChristian:

Anything that needs modification isn't perfect in the first place!

You are wrong. How come you are using scientific innovations and not sticking to ancient means of livelihood?
You for dey trek go your work, house, mosque, trek fo Mecca sef and not use modern transportation. You said things that needed modification aren't perfect, how come your muslim brethrens are copying feats from Christendom into their daily lives? In weddings, namings, burial, lifestyle etc even to Mecca. I see you must be a Yoruba muslim.
I advise you sit your head down and use your brain to decipher that change is constant in life.