ANSWER: It had been prophesied that a great falling away would come (1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 4:1-5). This apostasy, occurring over many years, was realized in its fullest sense with the development and establishment of the Roman Catholic Church in about 606AD. During these years and for many years to follow, the church of the Bible was greatly oppressed. There are two opinions as to the state of the church during these years. The first is that the true church temporarily ceased to live and function as it did during the first century; that it only existed in “seed form.” The Word of God is described as a “seed” in Luke 8:11 and it is, therefore, held that as long as the “seed” existed, it then follows that the church also would be existent, but in a dormant state. When the “seed” was eventually planted following the “Dark Ages,” it produced the original church, which began then to live and function as it did at the beginning. The second opinion, which I have adopted, is that the church as originally established, though oppressed and driven into near obscurity, never totally ceased to live and function in accordance with the Bible, the will of God. Which opinion is the accurate one is not really important! What is important is that God’s Word (which shall never pass away - Matthew 24:35), though severely suppressed, obviously continued throughout and we have it in it’s purity today. So no matter where we may be; no matter who we are, if we adhere to it’s precepts and patterns only, congregations of the church will come into existence and grow exactly as Christ intended, being totally and in every sense the church of Christ! It is comforting for us to know with assurance that His kingdom, the church, will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44); that it is without end (Luke 1:33) and you and I can be members of it today (Acts 2:38-47)!