What Does That Church Believe: Churches of Christ?

Where did they come from?

• Early leaders were Thomas Campbell (1763-1854) and his son Alexander (1788-1866); originally Presbyterians; criticized by Presbyterians for not making Presbyterian creeds and confessions the basis of fellowship and communion; served communion to non-Presbyterians; ultimate goal was to move Christianity back to its first-century roots; church membership should be based solely on the beliefs and practices of New Testament Christianity; motto of Christian Association of Washington County was “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”; originally called Campbellites or Disciples of Christ.
• Barton Stone (1772-1844) also broke away from the Presbyterian church and founded his group of followers simply known as “Christians;” didn’t want to be bound by human creeds; thought the Bible alone should be the rule of faith and practice.
• In 1832, the Campbells’ 12,000 followers and Stone’s 10,000 followers joined together in Lexington, KY; retained the name, “Disciples of Christ;” experienced heavy growth early on in Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, and Tennessee.

 

What are their significant historical events?

• In the latter part of the 19th century, a conflict developed between conservatives and progressives; the conservatives withdrew in protest against the development of missionary societies and the use of instrumental music (organ) in church services; while the “Disciples of Christ” stayed and advocated mission societies and instrumental music, the conservatives withdrew and formed the “Churches of Christ” in 1906.
• In 1968, the “Disciples of Christ” strengthened their national presence regarding coordinated missions and evangelism and reorganized as the Christian Church.

 

What are their unique beliefs (Disciples of Christ: progressive)?

• Do not believe in original sin, but each person is sinful and responsible for his/her sinfulness following the age of accountability.
• The salvation process includes: hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized, live a Christian life.
• Baptism is necessary for the remission or forgiveness of sins; although they don’t practice other forms, they accept other forms of baptism including infant baptism.
• The Eucharist is served every Sunday as a memorial feast and is open to all who believe in Jesus.

 

What are their unique beliefs (Churches of Christ: conservative)?

• See above except accepting other forms of baptism.
• Believes the Church of Christ began with the ministry of Jesus in 30 AD.
• Missionaries are supported by local church
• Hymns are sung a capella.
• Premillennialism is often viewed as heresy and must be eradicated from the church.

 

Major points of contention

• Is original sin biblical? Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12-21
• Can a genuine believer lose his or her salvation?  Romans 8:26-39; 1 John 2:19
• Does physical baptism remove or forgive sins?
  • A better understanding of Acts 2:38; John 1:12, 3:16, 5:24, 11:25-26; Acts 10:43; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:22
  • George W. Truett, “Immersion only does not constitute scriptural baptism.  One must be immersed because he is already saved, and not, in any sense to secure salvation.”

 

 

Name

Founded

Members

Congregations

Website

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

1832

518,434

3717

www.disciples.org

Christian Congregation

1887

119,391

1439

www.netministries.org/see/churches/exe/ch10619

Churches of Christ

1906

1,500,000

15,000

www.churchesofchrist.com

www.church-of-christ.org

Christian Churches and Churches of Christ

1927

1,071,616

5579

Unknown

 

My 2 Favorite Christian Churches/Churches of Christ

• Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY              www.southeastchristian.org
• Oak Hill Church, San Antonio, TX                            www.oakhillschurchsa.org