Christian Church facts for kids
The Christian Church is a term that means all the people who believe in Christianity around the world. It's like a big, worldwide family of believers. Christians see this "Church" not just as a human group, but as a special part of God's plan to connect with people.
This idea of the Christian Church started with Jesus in the first century AD. It's called "Christian" because Jesus is known as "The Christ," which means "the anointed one" or "holy one from God."
While the "Christian Church" refers to all believers, there are also many different Christian groups or organizations. These are often called Christian denominations. They are like different branches of the same big family.
Most major Christian groups share the same main beliefs. These core beliefs are often said aloud in a statement called the Creed. For example, the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Anglican, and other Protestant churches all believe that God created everything and is an eternal father. They also believe that Jesus is the son of God who died to save people from their sins, and that the Holy Spirit is God's gift to help and comfort Christians. Christians believe these three are parts of one God.
However, different denominations also have some beliefs that are not the same. These differences have sometimes led to disagreements and caused the organized church to split into different groups.
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What Does 'Church' Mean?
The English word church comes from the Greek word kyriake. This word means "Master's house" or "Lord's house." Today, we use the word "church" for both a building where Christians worship and for the worldwide group of Christian believers.
In 381 AD, Christian leaders met at a big meeting called the First Council of Constantinople. There, they added some important words to the Nicene Creed, which is a statement of Christian beliefs. These words describe the Christian Church as "One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." These four words explain important things Christians believe about the Church:
- The Church is One. This means there is only one true Christian Church, and it is for everyone, everywhere.
- The Church is Holy. This means it belongs to the true and living God.
- The Church is Catholic. This means it includes "everyone" who truly believes in Christ. The word "Catholic" here means "universal" or "including all."
- The Church is Apostolic. This means it was started by the Twelve apostles of Jesus. Christians believe they follow the teachings and path of these first followers.
History of the Christian Church
The Christian Church began with Jesus and his first followers, the apostles, in the Middle East. From there, it spread across the Roman Empire and eventually around the world. Over time, different groups formed, leading to the many Christian denominations we see today. These changes often happened because of different ideas about beliefs or how the church should be organized.
Related pages
Images for kids
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A medieval drawing from the Hortus deliciarum (12th century) showing the church building with believers inside.
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An Eastern icon showing the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians consider Pentecost the "Birthday of the Church."
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Areas that were mostly Christian by AD 325 Areas that were mostly Christian by AD 600
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An icon showing Constantine I with the bishops from the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD). They are holding the Niceno–Constantinopolitan Creed of 381.
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The Mar Mattai Monastery, founded in 363 AD, is one of the oldest Christian monasteries still existing.
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A quote from the Augsburg Confession: "The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered."
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Methodist preachers often shared their beliefs about the new birth and entire sanctification at public events like tent revivals and camp meetings.
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See also
In Spanish: Iglesia (organización) para niños
