[avenir]

That's just ridiculous. The churches of the first century did not have multi-multi-multi billions in assets and income, a government all to itself, a church every couple of miles in most cities all over the world, and a bureaucracy that rivals the US Government. Nor is the most powerful government in the world hunting down Catholics and killing them. Nor were the Churches negotiating with Rome to be good little Churches in exchange for official recognition. / With all due respect, the Churches of the first century far more closely resembled today's house churches in China than they do the Catholic Church.

You speak truth, ModelBreaker. Pentecost killed religion--now it is simply "wherever two or more are gathered in my Name".

[Campion]

Pentecost killed religion--now it is simply "wherever two or more are gathered in my Name".

Someone forgot to tell the first Christians. Like, for instance, the bishop of Antioch, who was installed by the Apostles, and wrote, on his way to martyrdom in Rome, that to offer the Eucharist "behind the bishop's back" was no different than devil worship.

Someone even forgot to tell James, who was present at Pentecost, and later wrote: Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)

(The verse you cite was addressed to the Apostles, not to everyone, and is not some sort of blanket permission to run off and start your own church.)