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No, we do not believe this. As there is only one God, there is also only one genuine church, which includes all believers, regardless of their conviction or practice regarding the church. We have never claimed that we, the believers meeting together as the local churches, are the only true church, but what we do claim is that we are a part of it. According to the Lord's own speaking in Matthew 16:18, “I will build My church,” it is clear that there is in God's eyes only one true church. This is the unique universal church, which is composed of all those in every place and throughout all of time who have believed into the Lord Jesus Christ.
Based on such an understanding of the oneness of the church universally, what is the Bible's pattern for the practical daily church life? We believe that, in accordance with all of the examples in the New Testament, the practical visible expression of the church should match the oneness of the universal church. Just as the church is indivisible universally, its visible expression in time and space should likewise be absolutely, uncompromisingly one. In order to establish and maintain such practical oneness among the many members of the Body of Christ throughout the earth, God ordained that there would be only one church in each city which, collectively, are the many local expressions of the one universal church. These local churches include all of the believers in their respective cities; therefore all the believers in their respective cities comprise the church in each city. According to the New Testament, these local churches are established solely on the inclusive ground of geography—specifically, the entire city—not on the exclusive ground of any doctrine, person, spiritual experience, concept, or form of church government (Rev. 1:11). We therefore stand on the basis, or ground, of the city in which we live to meet together as the church.
By meeting as the church in a city, we are endeavoring to maintain the oneness with all the believers in that city, neither excluding nor dividing ourselves from those who choose not to meet with us. In practice, meeting as the church in a city is also the most inclusive, least exclusive possible basis on which to meet, for by definition the boundary of the church includes all Christians within a given city. Therefore, as a proper and genuine local church, we receive all believers in Christ just as God has received them (Romans 14:3; 15:7); our meetings are open to all believers and are for all believers, and we gladly fellowship with others whether or not they choose to meet with us in this way.
For more information, please see: www.localchurches.org
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