[CynicalBear]

That doesn’t work FatherofFive. Each was a separate entity with a separate “candlestick”. No ties to any of the others. Jesus didn’t address one entity and tell that entity to correct it’s subordinates.

[FatherofFive]

Jesus didn’t address one entity and tell that entity to correct it’s subordinates.

Paul did.

“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ."

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 1Cor 1:10-17

You could easily read the above as “One of you says, "I follow Luther"; another, "I follow Calvin"; another, "I follow Wesley"; still another, "I follow Christ."

Christians cannot be “perfectly united in mind and thought” when they have different beliefs on, say, the necessity of water baptism, while others believe “This is my Body” means “This is a cookie”

[paladinan]

That doesn’t work FatherofFive. Each was a separate entity with a separate “candlestick”. No ties to any of the others. Jesus didn’t address one entity and tell that entity to correct it’s subordinates.

Perhaps you might explain why Jesus referred to "building His Church" in the *singular* (ekklesia), not in the plural (ekklesiai)? Or are you suggesting that only one of the seven local Churches (we call them "dioceses"... or "bishoprics", if you're British) had the promise never to have the gates of Hades prevail against it?

Yes, there were local Churches. There are thousands of local Churches in the world, even today (the Diocese of Rockford, IL, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, WI, etc.); but no one who's at all familiar with Church history would confuse local Churches with the One True Church to which they all belong. Scripture and Church history both make it abundantly clear that BOTH categories exist, and both were recognized by Christ, Himself.