How Was The Church Established?

There are numerous theories floating around, connected with the establishment of the church. One of the popular theories states that the church came into existence before the creation. The theory is based on the premise that before creation, God had already determined the name of every individual who would be the member of the church. There is an additional assumption which states that the church was recognized in the days of Abraham. There are some who believe that the church came into existence during the times of John the Baptist.

However most Christians believe that the Church was envisaged by the prophets of the Old Testament (Isa. 2:2,3; Dan 2:44) and by Jesus, Himself which can be referenced in Matthew 16:18. His apostles were told by Jesus that they would receive authority from the Holy Spirit to lead them into the truth (John 16:13; Acts 1:4-8, Luke 24:49). The apostles were bestowed this power on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and the church was built by those who believed in the message and were baptized. The word "church" actually refers to God's people or the congregation and not the building in which people assemble.