The Church of Christ doesn't have any creed books or
manuals other than the Bible to tell us how to live and be saved.
We don't have any governing bodies or organization that instructs any
congregation how it must believe. That's what makes the Church of
Christ different... and better. Each individual congregation of
the Church of Christ is completely autonomous, using only the Bible as
its guide. For this reason, there really isn't a "denomination "
called the "Church of Christ." If so there would have to be about
15,000 denominations called the Church of Christ. That is why the
Church of Christ is truly non-denominational.
For this reason, I am answering these questions as best
I can from the scriptures; I am not telling you how the "Church of
Christ" believes on any of these questions. But from my long
history with the numerous church members and countless hours of study, I
feel confident these answers will be acceptable to most members of the
Church of Christ. I will also give you book Chapter and verse for
each question. Why not use these, see what the BIBLE says
about it, and rely solely upon that! Then you will understand why you
don't need any creed books or manuals, or people in another city to tell
you what you believe. Just read the Bible and accept that.
That's what we do!
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| I. What would we most like to share with the
religious world? |
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| We would 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
speaks 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.
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| II. What is the historical background of the
restoration movement? |
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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 Baltimore conference of his
church and called upon others to join him in taking the Bible as the
only creed. His influence was largely felt in Virginia and North
Carolina where history records that some seven thousand communicants
followed his leadership toward a return to primitive New Testament
Christianity.
In 1802 a similar movement among the Baptists in New England was led
by Abner Jones and Elias Smith. They were concerned about
"denominational names and creeds" and decided to wear only the name
Christian, taking the Bible as their only guide. In 1804, in the
western frontier state of Kentucky, Barton Stone and several other
Presbyterian preachers took similar action declaring that they would
take the Bible as the "only sure guide to heaven." Thomas Campbell,
and his more illustrious son, Alexander Campbell, took similar steps
in the year 1809 in what is now the state of West Virginia. They
contended that nothing should be bound upon Christians as a matter
of doctrine which is not as old as the New Testament. Although these
four movements were completely independent in their beginnings
eventually they became one strong restoration movement because of
their common purpose and plea. These men did not advocate the
starting of a new church, but rather a return to Christ's church as
described in the Bible.
Members of the church of Christ do not conceive of themselves as a
new church started near the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Rather, the whole movement is designed to reproduce in contemporary
times the church originally established on Pentecost, A. D. 30. The
strength of the appeal lies in the restoration of Christ's original
church.
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| III. How many congregations of the Church of
Christ are there? |
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| The most recent dependable estimate lists more than
fifteen thousand 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 7,000
men who preach publicly. Membership of the church is heaviest in the
southern states, particularly Tennessee and Texas, though
congregations exist in each of the fifty states and in more than
eighty foreign countries. Missionary expansion has been most
extensive since the second World War in Europe, Asia and Africa.
More than 450 full-time workers are supported in foreign countries.
The churches of Christ now have five times as many members as were
reported in the U. S. Religious Census of 1936.
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| IV. Are the churches connected through some
sort of council? |
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| 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 teaching 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.
Members of the church of Christ conduct forty colleges and
secondary schools, as well as seventy-five orphanages and homes for
the aged. There are approximately forty magazines and other
periodicals published by individual members of the church. A
nationwide radio and television program, known as "The Herald of
Truth" is sponsored by the Highland Avenue church in Abilene, Texas.
The radio program is currently heard on more than 800 radio
stations, while the television program is now appearing on more than
150 stations.
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.
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| V. Then how are the churches of Christ
governed? |
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| 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 congregation on the basis of qualifications set down in
the Scriptures (II Tim. 3:1-8). Serving under the elders are
deacons, teachers, and evangelists or ministers. The latter do not
have 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.
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| VI. What does the church of Christ believe
about the Bible? |
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| 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 scriptures is considered the
final word. The basic textbook of the church and the basis for all
preaching is the Bible.
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| VII. Do members of the church of Christ
believe in the virgin birth? |
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| Yes. The statement in Isaiah 7:14 is taken as a
prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ. New Testament passages such
as Matthew 1:20, 25, are accepted at face value as declarations of
the virgin birth. Christ is accepted as the only begotten Son of
God, uniting in his person perfect divinity and perfect manhood.
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| VIII. Does the church of Christ believe in
predestination? |
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| 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 an evidence that God did not predestine individuals to be
eternally saved or lost, but that each man determines his own
destiny.
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| IX. Why does the church of Christ baptize only
by immersion? |
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| 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 baptism as given by
the apostle Paul in Romans 6:3-5 where he speaks of it as a burial
and a resurrection. If the bible says it is a burial, who are we to
argue or attempt to change it?
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| X. Is infant baptism practiced? |
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| No. Only those who have reached the "age of
accountability" have the need to be baptized. 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.
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| XI. Do ministers of the church hear
confession? |
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| 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.
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| XII. Are prayers addressed to or through any
saints? |
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| No. God the Father is considered the only one to
whom prayers may be addressed. It is further understood that Christ
stands in a mediatorial position between God and man (Heb. 7:25).
All prayers are therefore offered through Christ, or in the name of
Christ (John 16:23-26).
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| XIII. How often is the Lord's supper eaten? |
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| 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 they
are hindered unavoidably, 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.
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| XIV. What kind of music is used in the
worship? |
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| 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 more than 1,000 years thereafter (Eph.
5:19). There is simply no authority for engaging in acts of worship
not found in the New Testament. This principle eliminates the use of
instrumental music, along with the use of candles, incense, and
other similar elements.
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| XV. Does the church of Christ believe in
heaven and hell? |
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| Yes. The statements 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 (Heb. 9:27). After
judgment is pronounced he will spend eternity either in heaven or
hell.
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| XVI. Does the church of Christ believe in
purgatory? |
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| No. The idea of purgatory came from a group of men
who didn't want their loved ones to face an eternity in hell even
though they rejected God and his word. So the only way they
could avoid this was to add something to God's word to make them
feel better. Unfortunately, man adding something to the Bible
simply does not make it so. The absence of any reference in the
scriptures to a temporary place of punishment from which the soul
will eventually be released into heaven prevents the acceptance of
the doctrine of purgatory.
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| XVII. Does the church of Christ have a creed? |
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| No. at least, there is no creed in the usually
accepted meaning of that term. 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 church of Christ give their
allegiance. The Bible is considered as the only infallible guide to
heaven.
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| XVIII. How does one become a member of the
church of Christ? |
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In the salvation of man's soul there are two
necessary parts: God's part and man's part. God's part is the big
part, "For by grace ye have been saved through faith, and that not
of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man
should glory" (Eph. 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 pert 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 be clearly set
forth in the following steps:
(1) Hear the Gospel. "How then shall they call on him in whom
they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they
have not heard? and how shell they hear without a preacher?" (Romans
10:14).
(2) Believe. "And without faith it is impossible to be
wellpleasing 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).
(3) Repent of past sins. "The times of ignorance therefore
God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all
everywhere repent" (Acts 17:30).
(4) 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 8:36-37).
(5) Be baptized for the remission of sins. "And Peter said
unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one 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 2:38).
(6) 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 marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9).
Now that you are aware of a church in the twentieth 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! |
