What does the Bible say about the name? In Ephesians 1:22 we find that Christ has been made head over all things unto _the church_. Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.” And so, first of all, it is simply called _the church_. Then in Revelation 1:4 we read about “the seven _churches_” of Asia, meaning the seven different congregations which are specified in chapters three and four. In a general sense, including all saved people on the earth, it is simply called _the church_. In the plural form this name refers to the various local congregations of that great body. We learn also from First Corinthians 15:9 that it is called the _church of God_. Paul said he was not fit to be called an apostle, because he persecuted the _church of God_. First Corinthians Cor 11:16 says, “But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” So in the singular and comprehensive sense, it is called the _church of God_; not as a denominational title, but as an expression of ownership. It is the church which belongs to God. And in Matthew 16:18 Christ said, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” It is, therefore, the church which belongs to Christ. And in the plural form, we read in Romans 16:16, “The churches of Christ salute you.” Friends, we learn from the Bible, then, that in the broad, general sense, including all saved people, it is called the church, or the church of God, or the church of the Lord, the church which belongs to Christ. Referring to different local congregations, those same terms are used in the plural form. This leads me to believe that anything bigger than a local congregation and smaller than all God’s people throughout the world or some specific geographic area, cannot scripturally be called _the church_. That’s where denominationalism comes in. The only way this universal institution can scripturally be broken down into different parts is to do it on a geographical or congregational basis. Splitting it up on any other basis results in sectarianism or denominationalism—creates different parties and sects. I have two pictures drawn here to keep that before your mind. Here’s the Bible picture (speaker points to board). The big ring includes all of God’s people throughout the entire world. These small dots represent various congregations like the church at Laodicea, the church at Smyrna, the church at Ephesus, the church at Madison, the church at Chapel Avenue, the church at Columbia, Tennessee, and so on around the world—different local congregations. This is purely a geographical grouping.