Which Church Is True?

The Mormon church claims to be the one true church. If you talk to anyone who belongs to the Mormon church, they will admit that they strongly believe, or in their words “they know,” that they have the fullness of the truth, whereas the remainder of the Christian community has only parts of the truth. 

Essentially, this is what Mormons believe:

• When Jesus Christ and His original apostles died, members of the church were scrambling to figure out what was right and what was wrong.

• Eventually, denominations started popping up. People had decided to take it into their own hands, teaching certain doctrines and leaving the rest out. 

• Mormons believe that because of this, people began removing and adding things to the Bible to fit their desires. 

• Fast forward to the year 1820 in Palmyra, New York in the United States. 

• Young, fourteen year old Joseph Smith looked around at all of the different sects of churches around him, and wondered which church was true, and which church he should join. 

• He read James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.”

• Understanding that God would answer his prayers, if he prayed to Him in faith, Joseph Smith found a quiet area to kneel and pray, in a grove of trees, now called The Sacred Grove. 

• When he began praying, he was “seized upon by some power which entirely overcame (him), and had such an astonishing influence over (him) as to bind (his) tongue so that (he) could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around (him)...But, exerting all (his) powers to call upon God to deliver (him) out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon (him)...just at this very moment of great alarm, (he) saw a pillar of light exactly over (his) head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon (him)...When the light rested upon (him), (he) saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above (him) in the air. One of them spake unto (him), calling (him) by name and said, pointing to the other–’This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!’”

• Joseph Smith then inquired of the apparent God the Father and Jesus Christ as to which church he should join.

• Joseph Smith was told not to join any of the churches, because although each church had a version of the truth, none of them held the complete truth. These two personages explained to Joseph that he would be made a prophet over the one church who had the complete truth, the Mormon church. 

• This event is referred to, in the Mormon church, as the First Vision. The First Vision is the pinnacle of the Mormon’s belief system. 

For members of the Mormon church, this is a believable story. Not only that, but the foundations of their testimonies are centered on this supposed event. I decided that, if I wanted to know the truth, I had to begin examining concepts, such as these, with an unbiased perspective. However, the unbiased perspective is impossible to find within the Mormon church. 

I had been conditioned for over twenty years of my life to believe in the most abstract, complicated and unbelievable things. The First Vision, and the entire story of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, had been ingrained in my brain for so long that the outlandish claims being made eventually became trivial. 

It was not until I had distanced myself from Mormon teachings that analyzing the Mormon religion from an unbiased point of view became natural. 

After deciding to leave the Mormon church, my husband and I began looking at other churches to attend. A few members of his family had recently started attending a Bible-centered church in Prescott, Arizona called Canyon Bible Church. They raved about it! 

Our first day attending, the Canyon Bible Church held an information meeting after the service, so, excitedly, we decided to stick around and get some more information regarding their beliefs and how the church works. 

It was an incredible meeting! Everything they talked about aligned perfectly with what we were looking for in a church. Both Sam and I wanted to sign up to become members right then, but eventually, we decided to give it a few more weeks to see if it truly was what God wanted us to do. 

A few weeks went by. And the excitement of it faded quickly. The teachings of the church continued to align with our current and new beliefs, however, there seemed to be a slight disconnect in the services for me. 

An important thing that everyone reading this should know about me is that, although I do not have a learning disability or an attention deficit issue, I have struggled with social anxiety, specifically geared towards church functions. And not just the Mormon church functions, but any church functions! I find it difficult to pay attention to something for more than an hour at a time, especially Gospel-related.

This disconnect that I felt during the services was not something that most people could feel. The sermons were great! The pastors were humorous and knowledgeable, and the congregation was kind and supportive. But I was having a hard time focusing on what the pastors were talking about, especially since I was new to the Bible and its teachings. The sermons all seemed to have a component of more advanced information and insight that I was not able to fully comprehend or appreciate. 

After a couple of months of inconsistent attendance at the Canyon Bible Church, we decided to focus on doing our own Bible studies to meet the criteria of church. We did very well at this Bible study - for about a month…Then we started to become complacent, which is a completely normal human response to anything! 

During this time, I had begun studying the New Testament in my personal studies, and was growing more excited to share my insights and to learn more about what everything meant. I desperately desired to be a part of a Bible study group, but I had no idea where to look for one that would meet my needs!

By the grace of God, one of Sam’s coworkers named Heather, informed Sam about a Bible study that her church was doing. She invited us both to attend with her, and so I gladly accepted. This church was in Chino Valley, Arizona, about a 25 minute drive from my house, and it was called Grace Church. 

I decided to attend a young adult Bible study on a Monday night. I sat with Heather, and met a few of her fellow young adult Bible study goers and I soaked up all of the information I could about the first chapter of Ephesians. I thoroughly enjoyed it! 

A couple weeks later, Sam and I decided to attend one of their church services. I was impressed at how many young adults there were who attended the church, and I was excited to experience another Bible-centered church service. 

We only ended up staying for the first half of the service, but that first half of the service was incredible! The pastor's teaching was animated, funny and knowledgeable. But the best part was that his lesson was accompanied by a slideshow of scripture verses and information that corresponded to his teaching. Surprisingly, it kept my attention the entire time we were there!

Following the service, I informed Sam that I wanted to continue to attend this church. I wanted to learn more about it and I wanted to give it a chance. He agreed. However, this decision began stirring something uneasy inside me. 

From years of believing that there is only one church that is true, I began wondering if I was going to hell, if I did not choose the right church. I understood that this thought process was due to two things:

1. The incessant years of being brainwashed in the cult of the Mormon religion.

2. My own anxieties and insecurities, clearly not from God, but from the devil. 

But understanding something logically and understanding something completely are two very separate things…In order to find the answer to the question that kept pecking at me, I knew that I had to turn to the Bible. 

The first scripture that came to my mind, as I pondered this idea, was Matthew 18:20, a common scripture among Christians. It reads, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” This scripture swiftly became the slogan to my study. 

Throughout the New Testament, the word “church” is used in two different ways: a gathering of professing believers and a spiritual entity that has close fellowship with Christ. 

1. A Gathering of Professing Believers

2. Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

3. Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

4. 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

5. Spiritual Entity With a Close Fellowship To Christ

6. Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

7. Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”

8. Ephesians 3:21, “To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

As I began studying Christian materials surrounding this daunting question, I came across a few interesting and compelling articles. One of which explored the Greek definition of the word “church.” This is what the article explained:

“The word church is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia, meaning “a called–out assembly.” The word describes a group of people who have been called out of the world and set apart for the Lord, and it is always used, in its singular form, to describe a universal group of people who know Christ. The word ekklesia, when pluralized, is used to describe groups of believers who meet together. Interestingly enough, the word church is never used in the Bible to describe a building or organization.”

Obviously, there is plenty of debate that goes on with the term “true church.” As we have discovered from our research of the Mormon church, we can see that they strongly believe that they are the only true church. With the assistance of Christian study materials and the Bible, I have concocted a list of six important components to a true Christian church:

1. Rooted in the Bible

This is a fundamental component of any truly Christian church. The Bible is the Word of God. It is a love letter that God designed specifically for us. As true disciples of Christ, we should treasure the Bible, above everything else. As Psalm 119:72 states, “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” 

A true Christian church is guided by the Bible. Camilla Klein published a riveting article centered around this exact topic. What Does A True Christian Church Look Like? Discover The Key Characteristics Of A Genuine Church In this article, she explained this:

“The Bible serves as the foundation for all Christian beliefs and practices, making it essential that churches prioritize scriptural teaching in their services and programs. A true Christian church will frequently reference and quote from the Bible during sermons or teachings. Pastors and leaders should encourage individual members to read, study, and abide by biblical principles in their daily lives.”

2. Focused on Evangelism and Outreach

Matthew 28:19-20, also known as The Great Commission, says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” “Making disciples of all nations” means to share the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection with everyone. 

One of the most important aspects to the evangelism of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be an ambassador for Christ, as 2 Corinthians 5:20 reads, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” An ambassador is “a high-ranking diplomatic representative who is appointed by a country’s government to represent their interests in a foreign country.” As ambassadors for Christ, we are charged with representing the interests of Christ (spreading His Gospel) in every foreign country.

Evangelism starts at home. We cannot be expected to travel thousands of miles across oceans and lands to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a people we do not know, when we are not able to serve and be an ambassador for Christ in our own community. 

A common Christian motto is, “Make heaven crowded.” By preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone we come in contact with, through words and actions, we are on the frontlines of God’s army of truth, and that is how we can “make heaven crowded.”

3. Centered Around a Loving Community

An important goal of an authentic Christian church should be to foster deep connections and a sense of community among their members. Camilla Klein sums this up for us,

“This means that attending Sunday services shouldn’t be just an obligatory ritual or religious obligation to tick off our list for the week. Instead, coming together in worship and fellowship with other believers should be something we look forward to because it gives us opportunities to connect with people who are seeking God alongside us.”

Members should be genuine with one another. They should show genuine interest in the lives of other members, without judgement and without discrimination. Shauna Niequist, a best selling author and devout Christian, said in one of her Living Life Together devotionals, “There’s so much beauty that comes when we share the insides of our lives because it sets other people free to share the insides of their lives.” (Shauna Niequist | Author)

Being open, honest and vulnerable in our faith is so valuable in Christianity today. This kind of vulnerability can feel very countercultural in our world, but then again, the Christian walk often is countercultural!

As John 13:34-35 beautifully says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

4. Led by Godly Leaders

Godly leaders should be the core of a Christian church. These leaders should hold themselves accountable for their actions and have a deep love and respect for God’s Word. Matthew 20:28 states, “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many,” so should church leaders serve and not expect to be served. 

Although all of us are sinners, preachers, pastors, teachers and other church leaders should strive to stand as examples of Christlike living. Including discipleship, dedication to the Bible and God’s Word, forgiveness, repentance, faith, love, grace and so many more.

Those who are not designated church leaders should keep in mind that their leaders are human, just like us. We should not hold them on a pedestal and worship the leaders. True Godly leaders will stand as a link with us and God, helping to shape our understanding and knowledge of the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the will of God. 

5. Committed to Discipleship

Discipleship refers to helping others grow in their faith in Jesus Christ. In describing the importance of discipleship within a church, Camilla Klein says, 

“When you attend a good Church, you will reach an understanding that they have specific programs or activities like Bible study groups, prayer meetings, seminars, workshops, retreats where members can learn more about their faith for growth purposes.”

In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Following the pattern that Jesus taught, a genuine Christian church will foster a desire in their members to develop their own discipleship as well as assist others in growing their faith as well. 

6. United in Christ

A sincere Christian church strives to be unified in Christ, following the pattern laid out in 1 Corinthians 12. As the body of Christ, churches should seek to encourage their members to identify and use their spiritual gifts to bless the Kingdom of God. 

It is important to remember that no organization will come close to being perfectly united in Christ, however, this type of unity should always be at the heart of the desires and actions of the church. 

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In hopes to follow the purpose of the Leap of Faith blog, let’s apply what we know about the Mormon religion with this new-found list of components of a true Christian church.

1. Rooted in the Bible

Unfortunately, the Mormon church is not rooted in the Bible. Although members of the Mormon church will try to convince themselves and non-members that they do in fact believe in and study the Bible, that is far from the truth.

The essence of Christianity hinges on the accuracy of the Bible, and according to the Mormon church, the Bible is a corrupt document. Right out of the gate, the Mormon church does not resemble a true Christian church.

2. Focused on Evangelism and Outreach

One of the things that the Mormon church is known for are their missionaries. You know, the young men in white dress shirts, pants and a tie? They go door-to-door soliciting neighborhoods, claiming to preach the Word of God. 

Missionary work in the Mormon church is very important. They view it as the pinnacle of loyalty to the church, and they do take it very seriously. However, although they do focus a lot of their energy on missionary work, they are still preaching a very false gospel, centered on the fictional stories that Joseph Smith concocted. 

3. Centered Around a Loving Community

In my 25 years of membership in the Mormon church, I have come across some amazing people. But, I have also come across some pretty nasty characters. In the dozens of Mormon congregations I have attended regularly, unfortunately, in my experience, the majority of them show a lack of genuine care for others. 

Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. I am not by any means saying that this is the case everywhere. Like I said, some people are fantastic! And your experience may have been different from mine. But from my own personal experience, I have found the Mormon church to be lacking in their genuine loving community. 

Fast forward to my attendance with the Grace Church in Chino Valley, Arizona. I have not met a single soul there that has demonstrated the same fake friendship and obligatory service as I did in my 25 years in the Mormon church. 

4. Led by Godly Leaders

The Mormon church would like to think that their leaders are Godly leaders, who treasure the Bible, hold themselves accountable and are good examples to the remainder of the world. But the truth of the matter lies with this: most of the leaders in the Mormon church, specifically the local leaders, have no idea that they are leading members further into a cult. If they are aware of this, they have probably been so desensitized by the possibility of power that they don’t really care. 

As for the men and women in Salt Lake City, Utah, they are knowingly creating a hostile environment for true Biblical-believing Christians, following the false teachings of Joseph Smith and the desires of their own wicked hearts. 

5. Committed to Discipleship

Similarly to the Mormon church’s belief in missionary work, they often set up activities and meetings for all age groups to deepen their testimonies of the Mormon religion. 

The way that I view this is a way for members of the church to surround themselves with the cult culture of the religion. The Mormon church heavily discourages members from finding information about the church from sources outside of direct Mormon sources, which is a classic sign of cult behavior. Because of this, they instill a subtle paranoia among Mormon members towards strangers, keeping them chained by the ankle to the false christs and false gospel of the Mormon church. 

6. United in Christ

1 Corinthians 12 is one of the only Bible chapters that ever gets discussed by Mormons. Typically, they do strive to understand their roles in the Body of Christ. However, from what we know about the Mormon religion, we know that they have a very skewed perspective of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His teachings, which makes it almost impossible for Mormons to truly become parts of the Body of Christ. 

Because Mormons do not believe in the fundamentals of true Christianity, they cannot be united in Christ. Their beliefs differ so much from that of other Christian denominations that they cannot work together as the Body of Christ. Therefore, their unity in Christ is absent.

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These guidelines have been laid out for us throughout the Bible by a loving God. A loving God who wants all of His children to find their way back to Him. God has gifted us with this information so that we can “deny (ourselves) and take up (our) cross daily and follow (Jesus Christ).” 

Unfortunately, the Mormon church does not fit the criteria as a true Christian church, thus exposing the falsity to their claim of being the one and only true church. 

I believe this sums it up perfectly:

“The answer is that no visible church or denomination is the true church, because the bride of Christ is not an institution, but is instead a spiritual entity made up of those who have by grace through faith been brought into a close, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The true church is the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17) and the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 12:27). It cannot be contained, walled in, or defined by anything other than its love for Christ and its dedication to Him. The true church is, as C. S. Lewis put it, ‘spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.’”

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