Today’s religious commentary will offend many non Catholics, simply because it will show protestants that their church is not the “true” Christian church and that the Catholic Church is the ‘one true’ Church established by Jesus Christ himself.
Please, please don’t get me wrong. I am not putting down other Christian Denominations, I am only shedding light on the truth as recorded on time-worn pages of History.
I trust that we have all read scripture and as Christians we have faith that Christ will return to earth for his Church.
In other words, as the Bible teaches, The Bridegroom will return for His Bride {and not brides!} One Church, one people!
So, you say that you’re a Christian and that you’re a member of a church. Fine. Do you know the History of your Church? If not don’t feel bad, I didn’t always know either until I embarked on a study of Church History. Allow me to share.
Jesus Christ was crucified on 7 April 33 A.D. Three days later he was resurrected. History shows that the Roman Catholic Church was founded in Jerusalem by Jesus Christ, the Resurrected Son of God, in that same year 33 A.D.
Feel free to read the Gospel according to St Matthew 16: 18-19 and the Acts of the Apostles 2: 1-47. Today there are over a billion Catholics in the world.
So how did these other ‘breakaway’ and offshoot churches come about? When did they start?
And who started them? Please read on as answers to these questions are below: In the year 1054 The Orthodox Church (Russian, Eastern, Greek) went into Schism. Today they have approximately 250 million members.
In the year 1521 The Lutherans started. Their congregation traces back to German Martin Luther with approximately 80 million members today.
In the year 1525 The Mennonites Church began in Europe by Menno Simons and today has a membership of approximately 109,000.
My good friends the Anglicans — the Anglican Church was started by His Majesty King Henry VIII in England in 1533. Today their congregation claims some 73 million.
The Presbyterian Church was started by John Calvin in Switzerland in 1550 with over 3 million in the USA today.
Before I became Catholic, I attended a Baptist Church.
It was interesting to know that their denomination was founded by John Smyth and started in Amsterdam in 1609, and has over 35 million members today.
The Methodist church can be traced back to John Wesley in London in 1729 with approximately 4 million today.
The Episcopalian Church was formed by a gentleman named Samuel Seabury in America in 1789 and now has over 2 million members.
The Mormon Church (Latter Day Saints) began in New York in 1830 by Joseph Smith, with 8 million now.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church was started by Mrs. Ellen G. White in the United States of America in 1860. I don’t know and wasn’t able to find out how many people make up this group.
The Salvation Army Church was started by William Booth in 1865 in London. The Jehovah’s Witnesses Church was started by Charles Taze Russell in 1872. The Christian Scientist Church was started by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879. The Unity Church was founded by Charles Fillmore in 1889. The Pentecostal Church was started by an American Bible Society Salesman A.J. Tomlinson in 1906.
The Church of the Nazarene broke away from the Church of God (Holiness) in 1908. For the record, I grew up and spent my earliest days in the Church of God (Holiness) on Cayman Brac before joining the Baptist Church.
The Assemblies of God Church broke away from the Pentecostal Church in 1914.
My Phillipino friends will tell you that Iglesia Ni Cristo was started by Felix Manalo in the Philippines in 1914.
The Church of Scientology was started by L. Ron Hubbard in Washington D.C. in 1952.
The Calvary Chapel was started by Chuck Smith in Costa Mesa, California in 1965.
The Vineyard Christian Fellowship was started by Ken Gullickson and Keith Green in California in 1974.
And many, many, many more churches have come about since the Protestant Revolution. Why? Because mankind is trying to mold God into his choice, instead of accepting that God has molded man in His Image, and likeness.
If I wanted to, I could start a Church tomorrow and call it the “Quincy Brown Reformed Church”. But I won’t. I wouldn’t have the “Authority”. That is why I choose to remain with the Holy Catholic Church. The Church that has the Ultimate Authority!
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them, in the Name of The Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!”
Amen
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