Is it essential for a church’s name to include the name of Christ? Mormons belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as those belonging to the denomination called the Church of Christ believe this is the case.

Romans 16:16 is the only reference specifically using the term “churches of Christ.” If this designation is so important, then why does the same author (Paul) use the titles “the churches of Galatia” (Gal 1:2), “the church of the Thessalonians” (1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1), and the “church of God” (1 Cor 10:32; Gal 1:13) in other letters?

Certainly Paul wasn’t being careless in these cases and accidentally left Christ’s name out of these examples. Rather than saying a church must have Christ’s name in its title, it seems that Paul is more concerned that a church teaches doctrinal truth as found in the gospel of Christ.

For other passages discussing common passages used by Latter-day Saints, click here.