Prominent Religious Doctrines:
“Did John Establish A Church?”

Many of our denominational friends believe and teach that John the Immerser established the church before Jesus Christ. I have heard people say that “Jesus was a Baptist.” They teach that John established the church before Jesus ever died. Is this true? Let us read the Bible and learn who established the church we read about in the New Testament.

The Testimony Of John And Christ.

If John established the church before Christ, and our Lord was indeed a part of the church that John founded, why did Jesus say, “I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell (Hades, the grave, death -JJ) shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18)? Was Jesus establishing a church in addition to the one John founded? Was He in competition with John? John said they were not in competition (John 3:25-36). He made it clear, “He (Christ) must increase, but I must decrease.” He described himself as equivalent to the “best man” at a wedding, and not the groom. Yet if John, directed by Jehovah, established a church, why did Jesus say what He did in Matthew 16:18? If Jesus simply entered into the church that John established, why was He building a church and getting His apostles ready for its consummation?

The Testimony Of The Apostles.

I find it more than coincidental that the apostles, the “ambassadors for Christ” (II Cor. 5:20), the eyewitnesses to Him (Acts 10:39, 41); the ones who would preach the gospel to “all nations” and “every creature” (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15), never once said anything about John establishing a church. They consistently speak of the church belonging to Christ. Paul said Christ purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He said, “the churches of Christ salute you” (Rom. 16:16). Why not “churches of John”? Paul spoke of a “great mystery” concerning “Christ and the church” in Ephesians 5:23-33. Why did he never talk about “John and the church” if John were the founder? If John established the church, why do we not read about it being in existence until AFTER Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and ascension? (Acts 2:47, 5:11, 12:5, 13:1, 14:23; I Cor. 1:1; II Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:2; I Thess. 1:1; II Thess. 1:1; Rev. 1:4, 11)

If John Established and Founded The Church, Then....

1. Jesus did NOT purchase “the church” with His own blood, but “a church.” This is contrary to Paul’s statement to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28.

2. Paul was wrong to refer to congregations as “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16). They were, in fact, “churches of John.”

3. Christ saying He “will build” His church meant there were two churches, or two bodies in competition with one another as John’s disciples had supposed (Jn. 3:25-36). Paul said there was only ONE body (Eph. 4:4).

4. John is the head of the church, and not Christ, contradicting Paul (Col. 1:18 and Eph. 1:22).

5. It was founded upon something other than the confession Peter made in Matthew 16:16. The Lord’s church is based upon the confession of Christ as the Son of God (Matt. 16:18).

6. Death prevailed against the church, for John was beheaded (Mk. 6:16, 27), buried (Mk. 6:29), and “his grave is with us to this day.” Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the other hand, was crucified, buried, but arose from the dead, never to die again (Acts 2:22-24, 13:34). Christ said death would NOT prevail against His church.

Friends, who are we going to believe -- those who say that John established a church, or the Bible which says that the church was established by the Lord and that it belongs to Him? - Jarrod Jacobs