Beliefs
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What
is the
That's a good question! Simply put, we are a non-denominational,
New Testament church.
Members of the
Seek
to duplicate the non-denominational church of the first century.
Take
the Bible as our supreme guide.
Reject
doctrines and practices that were introduced after the close of the New
Testament.
Seek
to be Christians only.
Believe
this is the one and only way to unite all who are seeking to follow Christ.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who
are the churches of Christ
and
what do they believe in?
By: Batsell Barrett
Baxter
What is the distinctive plea of the
It is
primarily a plea for religious unity based upon the Bible. In a divided
religious world it is believed that the Bible is the only possible common
denominator upon which most, if not all, of the God-fearing people of the land
can unite. This is an appeal to go back to the Bible. It is a plea to speak
where the Bible speak and to remain silent where the Bible is silent in all matters
that pertain to religion. It further emphasizes that in everything religious
there must be a "Thus saith the Lord" for all that is done. The
objective is religious unity of all believers in Christ. The basis is the New
Testament. The method is the restoration of New Testament Christianity.
The Historical background of the Restoration Movement
One of the
earliest advocates of the return to New Testament Christianity, as a means of
achieving unity of all believers in Christ, was James O'Kelly of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. In 1793 he withdrew from the
In 1802 a
similar movement among the Baptists in
Members of
the
How many churches of Christ are there?
The most
recent dependable estimate lists more than 15,000 individual churches of
Christ. The "Christian Herald," a general religious publication which
presents statistics concerning all the churches, estimates that the total
membership of the churches of Christ is now 2,000,000. There are more than 7000
men who preach publicly. Membership of the church is heaviest in the southern
states of the
How are the churches organizationally connected?
Following
the plan of organization found in the New Testament, churches of Christ are
autonomous. Their common faith in the Bible and adherence to its teachings are
the chief ties which bind them together. There is no central headquarters of
the church, and no organization superior to the elders of each local
congregation. Congregations do cooperate voluntarily in supporting the orphans
and the aged, in preaching the gospel in new fields, and in other similar
works.
Members of
the
There are no
conventions, annual meetings, or official publications. The "tie that
binds" is a common loyalty to the principles of the restoration of New
Testament Christianity.
How are the churches of Christ governed?
In each
congregation, which has existed long enough to become fully organized, there is
a plurality of elders or presbyters who serve as the governing body. These men
are selected by the local congregations on the basis of qualifications set down
in the scriptures (1 Timothy 3:1-8). Serving under the elders are deacons,
teachers, and evangelists or ministers. The latter do not have the authority
equal to or superior to the elders. The elders are shepherds or overseers who
serve under the headship of Christ according to the New Testament, which is a
kind of constitution. There is no earthly authority superior to the elders of
the local church.
What does the
The
original autographs of the sixty six books which make up the Bible are considered
to have been divinely inspired, by which it is meant that they are infallible
and authoritative. Reference to the scriptures is made in settling every
religious question. A pronouncement from the scripture is considered the final
word. The basic textbook of the church and the basis for all preaching is the
Bible.
Do members of the churches of Christ believe in the
virgin birth?
Yes. The
statement in Isaiah 7:14 is taken as a prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ.
New Testament passages such as Matthew
Does the
Only in the
sense that God predestines the righteous to be eternally saved and the
unrighteous to be eternally lost. The statement of the apostle Peter, "Of
a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he
that feareth him and worketh righteousness is acceptable unto him" (Acts
10:34-35) is taken as evidence that God did not predestine individuals to be
eternally saved or lost, but that each man determines his own destiny.
Why does the
The word
baptize comes from the Greek word "baptizo" and literally means,
"to dip, to immerse, to plunge." In addition to the literal meaning
of the word, immersion is practiced because it was the practice of the church
in apostolic times. Still further, only immersion conforms to the description
of baptisms as given by the apostle Paul in Romans 6:3-5 where he speaks of it
as a burial and resurrection.
<For a more in-depth look at what the
Bible teaches about baptism, click here.>
Is infant baptism practiced?
No.
Only those who have reached the "age of accountability" are accepted
for baptisms. It is pointed out that the examples given in the New Testament
are always of those who have heard the gospel preached and have believed it.
Faith must always precede baptism, so only those old enough to understand and
believe the gospel are considered fit subjects for baptism.
Do ministers of the church hear confession?
No.
Ministers or evangelists of the church have no special prerogatives. They do
not wear the title of Reverend or Father, but are addressed simply by the term
Brother as are all other men of the church. Along with elders and others they
do counsel and advise those seeking help.
Are prayers addressed to the saints?
No. God the
Father is considered the only one to whom the prayers may be addressed. It is
further understood that Christ stands in a mediatorial position between God and
man (Hebrews
How often is the Lord's supper eaten?
It is
expected that every member of the church will assemble for worship on each
Lord's day. A central part of the worship is the eating of the Lord's supper
(Acts 20:7). Unless providentially hindered, each member considers this weekly
appointment as binding. In many instances, as in the case of illness, the
Lord's supper is carried to those who are hindered from attending the worship.
What kind of music is used in the worship?
As a result
of the distinctive plea of the church - a return to New Testament Faith and
practice - a' cappella singing is the only music used in the worship. This
singing, unaccompanied by mechanical instruments of music, conforms to the
music used in the apostolic church and for several centuries thereafter
(Ephesians
<Click here to hear some sample songs>
Does the
Yes.
The statement of Christ in Matthew 25, and elsewhere, are taken at face value.
It is believed that after death each man must come before God in judgment and
that he will be judged according to the deeds done while he lived (Hebrews
9:27). After judgment is pronounced he will spend eternity either in heaven or
hell.
Does the
No. The
absence of any reference in the scriptures to the temporary place of punishment
from which the soul will eventually be released into heaven prevents the
acceptance of the doctrine of purgatory.
By what means does the church secure financial
support?
Each first
day of the week the members of the church "lay by in store as they have
been prospered" (1 Corinthians 16:2). The amount of any individual gift is
generally known only to the one who gave it and to the Lord. This free-will
offering is the only call which the church makes. NO assessments or other
levies are made. No money-making activities, such as bazaars or suppers, are
engaged in. A total if approximately $200,000,000 is given on this basis each
year.
Does the
No. At
least, there is no creed in the usual sense of the word. The belief of the
church is stated fully and completely in the Bible. There is no other manual or
discipline to which the members of the
How does one become a member of the
In the
salvation of man's soul there are 2 necessary parts: God's part and man's part.
God's part is the big part, "For by grace you have been saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift if God; not of works, that no
man should glory" (Ephesians 2:8-9). The love which God felt for man led
him to send Christ into the world to redeem man. The life and teaching of
Jesus, the sacrifice on the cross, and the proclaiming of the gospel to men
constitute God's part in salvation.
Though
God's part is the big part, man's part is also necessary if man is to reach
heaven. Man must comply with the conditions of pardon which the Lord has
announced. Man's part can clearly set forth in the following steps:
Hear the
Gospel. "How shall they call on him whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14).
·
Believe. "And without
faith it is impossible to be well pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after
him" (Hebrews 11:6).
·
Repent
of past sins. "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now
he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent" (Acts
·
Confess
Jesus as Lord. "Behold here is water; What doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, if thou believeth with all thy heart thou mayest. And he
answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts
·
Be
baptized for the remission of sins. "And Peter said unto them, Repent ye,
and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission
of your sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts
·
Live
a Christian life. "Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of
him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter
2:9).
OPEN INVITATION
Now that
you are aware of a church in the 21st century which is built according to the
blue prints of Christ's original church, why not become a member of it? In
becoming a member of it, you will be called upon to do nothing which you cannot
read in the New Testament. You will then live and worship just as the
apostle-guided Christians of the first century did.
Not only is
this return to New Testament Christianity a wonderful basis upon which all
believers in Christ can unite, it is absolutely solid ground. If we do just
what our Lord commanded we know that our salvation is certain. Come with us as
we go back to the Bible, back to Christ and his church!