What happened before the Restoration movement?

Question:

I have been discussing with a lady about the importance of worshiping God in "spirit and in truth." I told her that the seed was planted in America according to the biblical pattern.  Her question is "what happened to all the people between the time of the early church and the restoration of the church in America?" I think she is trying to prove that it was ok to worship as a denomination because there is no way the church would practically disappear for such a long period of time. She has been attending a Baptist church for several years.