Church of Christ - Who we are? [Member Sign-up]
Members of the church of Christ do not conceive of themselves as
a new church started near the beginning of the 19th century. Rather,
the whole movement is designed to reproduce in contemporary times
the church originally established on Pentecost, A.D. 33. The
strength of the appeal lies in the restoration of Christ's original
church - Batsell Barrett Baxter.
The Church of Christ is the Body of Christ comprising human beings
who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord
after believing the Word preached to them, repented of past sins,
confessed the Lord and have been baptized, and consequently been
added to the Church by the Lord. This Church is one and spiritual,
comprising Christians of the local restored churches (restored, not
reformed).
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated
with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to
base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New
Testament congregations as originally established by the authority
of Christ. Historically, Churches of Christ in the United States
were recognized as a distinct movement by the U.S. Religious Census
of 1906. Prior to that they had been reported in the religious
census as part of the movement that had its roots in the several
independent movements that occurred through the leadership of people
such as Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Walter Scott, and Barton W.
Stone. They were active in American frontier settlements and cities.
Those leaders had declared their independence from various
denominations, seeking a fresh start to restore the New
Testament church, and abandoning creeds. The names "Church of
Christ", "Christian Church" and "Disciples of Christ" were adopted
by the movement because they believed these terms to be Biblical.
Our mission is to...
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am
with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew
28:19-20)
Our vision is to...
Continue serving the Lord faithfully and spreading the knowledge of
the good news of salvation sincerely until the fulfillment of the
saying that "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the
glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Habakkuk 2:14)
Arguments and Contentions? Never give
the enemy any chance!
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into
Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other
doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which
minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so
do. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words,
even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which
is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting
about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife,
railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt
minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw thyself. (1 Timothy 1:4; 6:3-5)
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do
gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be
gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing
those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them
repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may
recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken
captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:23-26)
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and
strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man
that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being
condemned of himself. (Titus 3:9-11)
