I once heard a preacher ask, “If you had to write a ten page paper about the church you are a member of, could you use only the Bible or would you have to use outside sources?”

The truth is many churches would have to use outside sources because many of their doctrines, beliefs, practices and even their names cannot be found within the pages of the Bible.

Jesus said, "Upon this rock I will build My church…" (Matthew 16.18). This is the church that began in Acts chapter two in Jerusalem. Following the baptism of the first converts to Christ, Luke records, "the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2.41-47). Thus, all whom the Lord saves are added to His church. Further, scripture refers to the church, the saved, as His body (Colossians 1.18). Since there is only one body (Eph. 4.4), there is only one church. Scripture mentions no other.

In the New Testament, groups of believers who lived in the same area joined their efforts and resources to form local congregations, also called "churches" (Galatians 1.2). The apostle Paul called these groups "churches of Christ" in Romans 16.16.

Jesus established the church, not men. It is His. Thus, it wears His name. He is the purchaser (Acts 20.28), founder (Matthew 16.18), head (Eph. 1.22-23; Eph. 5.23) and Savior of His body (Ephesians 5.23). Since churches in the New Testament are called churches of Christ, and since we strive to be nothing more or less than a New Testament church, at Northside we call ourselves after the pattern of the scriptures (2 Tim. 1.13), the church of Christ.

We are confident that we can be a church that you can read about in the Bible. We are simply a local group of Christians (Acts 11.26), seeking to serve God based on the teachings revealed in His word. We are not affiliated with any denomination or cult, but are an independent body of Christians acknowledging Christ as the only head of the church (Eph. 1.22-23; Eph. 5.23). - Bryan Garlock