How to respond to the claim that there were multiple churches in the New Testiment?

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This week, a Protestant friend of mine asked how the Catholic Church claims to be the first church, but there were little churches in the New Testament that the Apostles wrote to. I have found early church writings refuting this such as those of Ignatius of Antioch and Saint Irenaeus, but I am doubtful that he would accept sources outside the bible, so I am not sure how to argue against the claim without the early church writings.
 
I don’t quite see what point they’re trying to make. Are they also denying that the Catholic Church exists today because, for example, there’s one Catholic Church in my hometown, and one in the town I now live?
 
I believe that he was trying to apply his modern understanding of different denominations to these churches, and not like you said simply different Catholic churches.
 
Protestantism, as with all separatist movements, must justify its separation. The rationalization and logical contortions which follow challenge both the imagination as well as credulity. I must mention that Saint Paul wrote his letters to get them all back on the same page.

A question to ask is: Where did Jesus teach that one should find a Church that suits their particular desires, then join it?

I have a collection of bibles and not one of them mentions “church shopping”
 
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There are multiple Catholic churches in my city, and more in every other town in this province. Does that mean each of them is a separate denomination, or are they all part of the Catholic Church?
 
The same way many different dioceses today make up one Church, so it was then.

Now, don’t take this too far. There has been development in how the Church has been organized and structured, but if we’re going to be speaking of those early Churches that the apostles wrote to, they’re much more comparable to dioceses, not different denominations. All of these regional churches belong to the one catholic and orthodox Church founded by Christ. A number of regional assemblies (the term the word Church is derived from) belonging to one larger assembly. The word Church can apply to a local Church and to the whole Church. Your protestant friend is making the error of using the term in an extreme univocal sense.
 
Rebecca said:
…, but there were little churches in the New Testament that the Apostles wrote to.
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It sounds like an argument you often meet on Protestant websites. There are some Protestants, though only a minority, who claim that the only kind of church mandated in the NT is the local community or assembly (ekklesia), each with its own elders or overseers (presbyteroi, episkopoi) but without any hierarchy. No bishops, no diocese – the local churches don’t form part of any larger structured organization.

It’s possible to find passages in the NT to counter this argument, e.g. 2 Cor 8:23 and Titus 1:5, but it can be an uphill struggle to get a stubborn “Bible Christian” to listen to reason.
 
The problem is the uneducated modern person draws no distinction between “congregation” and “church”.
 
@Rebecca

As St Peter the Prince of the Apostles, AS Jesus established the Catholic Church and appointed St Peter as the Head ,although different Churches where established all where under leadership of St Peter by Jesus in

Matthew 16:16-19 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Isaiah 22:22 I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

Job 12:14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt; those he imprisons cannot be released.

John 21:16-19 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”
 
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Acts 1:12-14 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away; 13 and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 1:16-18
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 “Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus.
Acts 2:14-18 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; 16 but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

The First Converts
Acts 2:37-42 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” 40 And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Acts 15:6-14
6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. 7 And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore why do you make trial of God by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
12 And all the assembly kept silence; and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brethren, listen to me. 14 Symeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
 
Acts 15:30- to 35 So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation. 32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and strengthened them. 33 And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brethren to those who had sent them. 35 But
 
SCRIPTURE ALONE ? Jn 21:25… not everything is in the Bible. 2 Tim 2:2; 1 Cor 11:2… St. Paul speaks of oral tradition. Acts 2:42…early Christians followed apostolic tradition. 2 Jn 1:12…more oral tradition. 2 Pet 1:20-21… against personal interpretation. Heb 5:12… guidance needed to interpret scriptures

PETER & PAPACY Mt 10:1-4; Mk 3:16-19; Lk 6:14-16; Acts 1:13… Peter always mentioned first, as foremost apostle. Mt 18:21; Mk 8:29… Peter speaks for the apostles. Acts 3:6-7… Peter worked first healing. Acts 10:46-48… Gentiles to be baptized revealed to Peter. Jn 1:42… Simon is Cephas (Aramaic: Kepha for rock). Mt 16:18-19… “on this Rock… keys of the Kingdom." Is 22:22; Rev 1:18 … keys as symbol of authority. Jn 21:17… “feed my sheep” Lk 22:31-32 … “strengthen your brethren.” “BROTHERS”
 
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CHURCH & AUTHORITY Acts 2:42… doctrine, community, sacred rite (bread). Eph 5:25-26… Christ loved the Church. 1 Tim 3:15… church is pillar/foundation of truth. Mt 16:19 … whatever you bind on earth is bound in Heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Mt 18:17-18… church as final authority. Jn 20:23… If you forgive; the sins of any, they are forgiven, if you retain them, they are retained.

Jeremiah 3:15 ‘And I will give you shepherds =(The Pope successor of St Peter ) after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
 
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I have always found it interesting that the preposition of location, unlike the traditional Protestant way. (e.g., 1st Baptist Church of Central City) The Bible refers to them, for example, as the Church at (or in) Ephesus.
 
I figured. Does he expain where he got the idea that they all believed different things? If they did, that’s exactly the reason Paul was writing to them: to correct them.
 
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