It is unfortunate that often today when people think about “church” they immediately think “denomination.” In reality, those words are not parallel at all. They are contradictory when we see what God revealed concerning “church.”
 
The word “denomination” is absent from the Bible. What does that word mean? “A large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy” (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, www.dictionary.com). Do you see that the idea of denominations is different groups each having a unique faith, name, and organization? That does not resemble the word or concept of “church” in the New Testament.
 
The word “church” refers to a group of people who are “called out” for some purpose. In the New Testament, it does not always refer to a group of religious people. In Acts 19:40, there was a disorderly “church,” or gathering. Here, people were “called out” of their daily routine in order to join the riotous crowd. But what does it mean when referring to religious matters?
Jesus said “I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). Did He mean that He was going to establish many different groups of congregations, each having a unique faith, name, and organization? No, Jesus was speaking of His “called out” people. Who are they? Those who are “called out” of darkness and are made members of His kingdom are His church (Colossians 1:13). Those who are His church do not have faiths, names, and organizations differing from others who are His church. In fact, His word shows us the faith, name, and organization for His church.
 
Paul said that there is one faith, not many faiths (Ephesians 4:5). The one faith is the one revealed message of truth, sound words (Jude 3; 2 Timothy 1:13). Instead of wearing names which identify us by a day (Pentecost, Seventh Day) or a common man (Luther, John), we must wear the name of our Savior (1 Corinthians 1:13).
 
Regarding organization, God set Jesus to be head of the one church (Ephesians 1:22-23). When Paul was preaching, each local church used qualified men to serve as elders (pastors, bishops), who ensured that the church there followed God (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). There was never a “Senior Pastor,” “Reverend,” or nation-wide Bishop who led groups of congregations. If you think that organization isn’t an important matter to God, then ask yourself if its okay to let the parents submit to the children (Ephesians 6:1-4). God’s organization matters.
 
So—what kind of a denomination are we? Since we want to please God, we reject the idea of being a denomination. By teaching the one faith, wearing our Savior’s name, and being organized as God revealed, we will not become a new “kind” of church. We will simply and gladly be a church of Christ.