The Church of Christ

What's so different about the Church of Christ from the various religious organizations of today?  The Churches of Christ exist today because people have separated themselves from the various man made religious institutions and returned to following the simple New Testament pattern as is found in the Bible.  We do our best to adhere only to the Bible as our source of religious authority.  We are opposed to all departures from the original biblical plan.  The Churches of Christ of today wear the same name as the first century Church, teach the same plan of salvation, and worship the same way the Church did in the days of  the apostles.

The phrase "Church of Christ" is a descriptive term to signify Christ's Lordship of the church, not a denominational label.  In New Testament times there was only one Church, and every Christian who obeyed the plan of Salvation was a member of it.  The idea of more than one Church with various doctrines, forms of worship, and different names simply was not God's plan.  The Bible makes no mention of modern denominations.  Divisions in the original Church only came about years later.  The very oldest denominations did not begin until several hundred years after Jesus established his Church.  Many man made denominations have begun only within the last 100 years.  Jesus foretold of departures from the original plan.  (I Tim. 4:1-2, II Tim. 4:3-4, Acts 20:29-30, II Thess 2:3)

The only guide for faith and practice of those early Christians was God's Word by the inspired preaching of Apostles.  Today we have the Bible and can know what doctrines and practices are based on biblical principals.  If we compare ourselves, our beliefs, and our actions to what is written in God's Holy word we can know the truth.  The Bible is the inspired, authoritative, all sufficient word of God. (II Timothy 3:16-17)

The word "Church"  ("Ekklesia" in the Greek) literally means "To Call Out".   The Church in the New Testament Scriptures refers to"A Called Out Body of People."  The Church includes all the saved who have been called out of the world into God's service.

·         Establishment: The Church was established on the day of Pentecost in the City of Jerusalem about 33 AD.

·         Founder and Head:  Christ promised to build His Church during his earthly ministry.  The Church has no head except for Christ.  His dominion over the Church is complete.

·         Name: The term "Church of Christ" is not used as a denominational designation, but rather as a descriptive  term indicating that the church belongs to Christ.  No specific authority is given for any denominational name.  It is distinct from religious institutions of modern human origin. 

·         Number: The Church in New Testament scripture is always referred to in singular terms and could not be correctly labeled a denomination as it is many times in today's world.  The word "denomination" suggests a fraction or a part of the whole.  The Church of Christ is not a part or fraction of anything or denomination.

·         Organization: The Church must remain free from earthly political, economical, and secular governing organizations.  The local congregations of the New Testament days had Elders, Deacons, and Evangelists.

·         Membership:  Through the preaching of the Apostles, many on hand in Jerusalem obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ and were added to the Church.   When a person obeys the Gospel of Christ and becomes a Christian, God adds them to the Church.

·         Names of the Church Members: The Bible uses the terms "Christians", "Saints", and "Brethren" to primarily describe the members of the New Testament Church.