We need to see what the “church” is according to Scripture to answer your question. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 “…on this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.” When did He start building His church? We read of the “birthday of the church” in Acts chapter 2. The Holy Spirit came down from heaven to indwell believers and to form the church (verses 1-4), which is the “body of Christ” (see 1^st Corinthians 12:13 with Ephesians 1:22-23). Then we read of Peter preaching the gospel to unsaved Jews and “those who received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were ADDED TO THEM” (verse 41). Finally, we read in the last verse (verse 47), “And the Lord ADDED TO THE CHURCH daily those who were being saved.” In short, we see here that “the church” is NOT a denomination or a building made of brick and mortar, the church is COMPOSED OF SAVED SINNERS who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. I would also encourage you to read 1^st Peter 2:4-5 where Peter speaks of the believers as “living stones” who are “built up a spiritual house” and a “holy priesthood” who “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Once we see this truth (that the church is a “spiritual body of believers in Christ”) we will cease speaking of “going to a particular church.” Instead, we will see that believers are the church, the body of Christ, and when we are gathered together for worship or ministry we are simply “going to meeting.” This is why we read in Acts 2:42, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” In other words, the church continued to “go to meetings” to learn the doctrines of the apostles, to remember the Lord in His death in the breaking of bread, and to pray.

The Apostle Paul condemned denominationalism in 1^st Corinthians 1:10-14, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Cloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” This was the beginning of “internal divisions” and eventually it blossomed into “outward divisions” that we call denominations. Today a Lutheran is basically saying, “I am of Martin Luther.” A Wesleyan is saying, “I am of John Wesley.” And every other denomination that takes a name is referring to the man whose teachings they are following. Those who call themselves “The Church of Christ” are guilty of saying “I am of Christ,” as if they ALONE belong to Christ, to the exclusion of other believers. The fact is believers, members of the body of Christ, are found in many different “fellowships,” including many of the denominations throughout Christendom. This is to their shame for they should be simply meeting as members of the body of Christ, refusing to take any name that would separate them from other members of the body of Christ. Those in the “Church of Christ” may be nondenominational but they are still taking a name which the apostle Paul condemned.

One more point and this is crucial. If you do a Google Search on the “Churches of Christ” you will see that “their distinguishing beliefs are that of NECESSITY OF BAPTISM FOR SALVATION and the prohibition of instruments in worship.” I will not comment on the second belief (for I too believe that the New Testament never speaks of using musical instruments in worship). But their first belief concerning baptism being required for salvation is contrary to Scripture. Their “proof text” is Acts 2:38 where Peter said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” On the surface this SEEMS to require baptism for forgiveness of sins but if that were the case it would clearly contradict many scriptures which teach that salvation is “by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ” (John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24, 6:47; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:22; 10:9). Paul made it abundantly clear that one is saved by faith alone: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). And in 1^st Corinthians 1:17-18 Paul had this to say about baptism and salvation, “For Christ did NOT SEND ME TO BAPTIZE, BUT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.” These words teach us that “baptism is NOT part of the gospel of Jesus Christ!” The gospel is the “message of the cross” and salvation comes through believing that message, as see in verse 21, “It pleased God through the foolishness of the message to SAVE THOSE WHO BELIEVE.” So, why did Peter, one that one occasion, tell his Jewish hearers to be baptized?  I believe the Jews, who were guilty of rejecting Jesus as their Messiah and having him put to death publicly, had to publicly identify with Christ in baptism in order to show to the rest of their nation that they had made a mistake in having Him crucified. Baptism was the “outward sign that they had truly repented and believed on Christ as their Savior.” We read in Acts 2:41, “Those who GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD were baptized, which shows that they had already been “saved by believing the message of the cross” and their baptism followed to show others that they truly believed and were now going to “follow Christ” (which is the teaching concerning baptism in Matthew 28:18-20).  (DO)  (588.1)