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Christian church facts for kids

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Hortus Deliciarum, Das Gebäude der Kirche mit den Gläubigen
Medieval illustration of the ecclesia from the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad of Landsberg (12th century) apologetics organization
This page is about the local church group. For the building, see Church. For the worldwide body of Christians, see Christian Church. For other uses of the word "church", see Church (disambiguation).

A Christian church (or local church) is a group of people who share a faith or belief within a community. They usually meet in one particular location called a cathedral, temple, tabernacle, or simply a church building. A church group represents a certain doctrine and traditions. Many Christian churches that use the same name and share the same beliefs are a part of a denomination. A church that not part of a larger group is usually called nondenominational. There are estimated to be over 41,000 denominations worldwide. They may fall within three general groups: Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Churches.

In the Bible

Many Christians believe that churches began on the Day of Pentecost. This is found in the book of Acts in the Bible. The first time the word church is found in the Bible is in Matthew 16:18, when Jesus said, "You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out." The Apostle Paul wrote letters to several churches in different cities. These letters later became books of the New Testament.

Images for kids

  • Icon-Pentecost

    An Eastern icon depicting the Descent of the Holy Spirit. The date of Pentecost is considered the "Birthday of the Church".

  • Spread of Christianity to AD 600 (1)

         Predominantly Christian region by AD 325      Predominantly Christian region by AD 600

  • Nicaea icon

    An icon depicting Constantine I, accompanied by the bishops of the First Council of Nicaea (325), holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381.

  • Mor-mattai

    Founded in AD 363, Mar Mattai Monastery, a Nestorian Church, is recognized as one of the oldest Christian monasteries in existence.

  • AugsburgConfessionArticle7OftheChurch

    The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered. –Augsburg Confession

  • Camp meeting of the Methodists in N. America J. Milbert del M. Dubourg sculp (cropped)

    Methodist preachers are known for promulgating the doctrines of the new birth and entire sanctification to the public at events such as tent revivals, brush arbor revivals, and camp meetings, which they believe is the reason that God raised them up into existence.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Iglesia (organización) para niños

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