Thank you for the question on the church, “Why is it that the church remains unchanged from her birth in jerusalem at pentecost?”
In the last two hundred years, the church has changed drastically both in doctrine and in church practices. The Greek Orthodox church has changed the least. The Catholic Church hasn’t changed much in its practices but has changed some of its doctrine over the centuries. The Protestant hasn’t changed much in their divided doctrinal beliefs and practices since the Protestant Reformation except in the last two hundred year where there is a growing doctrinal deviation from the fundamentals of the Faith.
Overall, here are some reasons why local churches have remained the same through the centuries:
A. Churches wanted to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ as recorded by the Apostles in the words and works of the Gospels. Jesus Christ is both Savior and Lord over the Churches and the Christians. They wanted to be true to the teaching of Jesus (Matt. 28:18–20)..
B. Churches wanted to be faithful to the New Testament practices as recorded in Acts and the Epistles.
Acts 2 says this, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (NIV).
The activities of the gathered believers is quite encompassing: teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread (Lord’s Supper), prayer, sharing of meals and possessions with those in need, praising God, finding favor with all people, and increasing in numerical numbers.
Churches developed over time a general practice of worship order on Sundays which has become tradition: Welcome, Worship songs, Prayers, Reading the Word, Sermon, Holy Communion, Accepting of Gifts and Tithes, A(nnouncements, and Benediction. The order may vary in each church but those elements are mostly presently in most churches. The practice of a shared meal on each Sunday is continued for some churches while most churches have a “Coffee Bar”. The addition of Sunday School and Children’s Worship was added in the 1800’s, but today the Sunday School Hour is being disbanded as well as the mid-week prayer meeting. Fellowship meetings on weekdays or weekend continues in most churches based on interest or needs.
Titus 1 says this, “The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town as I directed you” (NIV).
I Timothy 3 says this, “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (NIV).
SUMMARY: The Christian Church wants to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus and to the church practices recorded in the Gospels, Acts and in the Epistle.
For more perspectives: