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Which is what Christ did with Matthew. He explicitly said that his Church would prevail, and that he was building his Church on Peter, the Rock. That’s a pretty strong clue that the office is intended to be passed on from one holder to another.

Talk about private interpretation...Jesus never said his church would prevail...

You constantly mis-quote scripture apparently to justify your religion...

Matt: 18:16 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it

Jesus said his Church would be "the light of the world." He then noted that "a city set on a hill cannot be hid" (Matt. 5:14). This means his Church is a visible organization. It must have characteristics that clearly identify it and that distinguish it from other churches. Jesus promised, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18). This means that his Church will never be destroyed and will never fall away from him. His Church will survive until his return.

The Church has remained one, holy, catholic, and apostolic—not through man’s effort, but because God preserves the Church he established (Matt. 16:18, 28:20).

What if Matthew 16:13-19 is not talking about anything that is present on earth today to begin with?

What if there was an Old Testament assembly of believers who all died in faith (Hebrews 11), "the CHURCH in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38), who were in Abraham's Bosom--Paradise (Luke 16), who were waiting for the death of the Testator (Hebrews 9:16, 17), and His Resurrection, to lead captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8, 9; Psalm 68:18), against who the "gates of Hell" could not prevail when Christ went there and led them to Heaven after His Resurrection?

What if the "gates of Hell" being powerless to prevail has reference to people who had been on the INSIDE as captives until salvation was completed on the Cross, and justification was secured by the Resurrection, waiting to be led out captive by their Redeemer?

What if "gates of Hell . . . prevail[ing] against" are not a reference to hellish power against a church on earth at all?

What if the church of Matthew 16:13-18 actually has something to do with the Great Assembly in the Davidic Kingdom, and not to the present Church Age at all?