Both CES and TWI believe that the Church went into widespread apostasy and heresy by the time the Apostle John died at the end of the first century. In their view, the Reformation corrected mostly minor teachings, leaving heresy on essential teachings such as one God and holy spirit. They give lip service to the value of the reformers' work while maintaining that they were ignorant and blind on the most important doctrine. Fourth, CES and TWI share the same idea of their group's place in history. Fifth, they claim not to be a church or denomination, yet act just like one.
Most church bodies are associations of congregations.
When the churches meet in convention, together they elect leaders to short-term offices, approve budgets, make statements on doctrine, plan goals and programs, and direct studies that are to be done. Local churches control their own schedules, staff, finances, discipline and leadership. Church bodies recommend things, but local churches choose whether or not to implement them. They collect offerings from local fellowships, but unilaterally decide how to use them. CES and TWI have the same goals as denominations, including networking local fellowships, forming local groups, training leaders, and education.