Actually, the church itself doesn’t really have a name.
Have you ever noticed that, in the New Testament, the churches didn’t have any names? There was no such thing as “the First Baptist Church,” or “the First Presbyterian Church.” That is because, in the New Testament, the believers simply came together wherever they lived to be the church in that place, e.g., the church of God in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2), the church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:1), or the church of the Thessalonians (1 Thess, 1:1). We do refer to ourselves as “the church in Chicago” or “the church of the Chicagoans,” but only to describe who we are. Again, we don’t want to consider such designations as a special name for ourselves. If we were to do that, we would be dividing ourselves from our fellow believers in Christ.
So, while we are incorporated as “The Church of the Chicagoans,” that is only for legal purposes, or for practical matters such as designating this website. We don’t take such descriptions as our actual name.
To “denominate” literally means “to give a name to; designate” (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition). If we take a denominational name for ourselves, we would be dividing ourselves from our fellow believers who have not taken that same name. That is why, instead of giving ourselves a particular name, we just refer to ourselves as the church in the city where we live. This is the New Testament way.
For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
– First Corinthians 1:11-13
In fact, a few verses before this, the Apostle Paul speaks of the fellowship God has actually called us into:
God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
– First Corinthians 1:9
This is the genuine, New Testament fellowship, and one of the ways we show that we are in this fellowship is by refusing to be called by any name other than the name of Christ (cf. Rev. 3:8). According to the Lord’s own word in His prayer on the night He was betrayed, it is by remaining in this fellowship to be genuinely one with our fellow believers that we show the world He really is the Christ, the one sent by the Father:
I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
– John 17:20-21
