The Normal Christian Faith, by Watchman Nee

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NO OTHER NAME

This is not all. A church can only be named after its locality. It cannot have any other name. This is also quite clear from the Bible. The church should not be prefixed by the name of any person, system, country, origin, or doctrine. It must only contain the name of the locality.

Hence, you cannot have a church of Rome in Shanghai or the Church of England in Foochow. Even the Church of Christ in China is something not found in the Bible. Wherever you are, you are the church in that locality. If you want to change churches, you have to move to another locality.

BORN INTO THE CHURCH

After a man has believed in Jesus Christ through the mercy of God, he must realize that God has put him into the church. He is born into it in the same way that a member is born a part of the body. There is no need to join the church, for he is already a part of it. However, for the sake of knowing and fellowshipping with other brothers and sisters, he should find a church that stands on the ground of locality. He should go to them and say, "I am a Christian. Let us have fellowship together." In this way he will be able to function with other members in the Body of Christ and will be able to run a straight course and experience fast progress in his Christian life.

(The Normal Christian Faith, Chapter 16, by Watchman Nee)