Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ consist of a fellowship of nondenominational Protestant Christians who are dedicated to the restoration of the New Testament type of Christianity. This new type of restoration includes all its doctrine, ordinances and the whole life of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ is an independent group from the Christian Church of Disciples of Christ. The Disciples of Christ split because of disagreements on the denominationalization of the Disciples of Christ. This started at the local level of the congregation who refused to take part in the development of the General Assembly.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ are considered part of the restoration movement and in their theological beliefs are considered middle of the road between the Disciples of Christ and the Church of Christ. It is the choice of the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ not to be identified with any denomination style. The main difference is in the use of instrumental music.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ movement began around the 1800 in the eastern United States. Founding leaders were Thomas Campbell and his son Alexander Campbell.
History
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ sprang out of the restoration movement of the 1800 in the eastern United States. The well-known leaders were Thomas Campbell born in 1763 in Ireland and died in 1854. Thomas Campbell was a minister of the Presbyterian Church. He taught that spiritual maturity was crucial to the convictions a person’s held. He was brought up on charges by the Presbyterian Church which charged him on his ecumenical practices and his church theology. Thomas Campbell objected to creeds as terms of communion. He also had an understanding for lay ministry, wanted to have fellowship with other churches, did not believe a preacher had to have a divine call, believed believers can live in a world without sinning, all issues that conflicted with Presbyterian Church practices and theology. They suspended Thomas Campbell, and he became an independent.
Campbell organized the Christian Association in 1810 in Washington Country, Pennsylvania. He moved to Pittsburgh in the autumn of 1815 and organized a congregation focused upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.
He failed and moved to Kentucky in the fall of 1817. Thomas Campbell worked with the already existing Baptist churches. This congregation had a hard time understanding his views on the nature of conversion and he was unable to gain a large following.
He moved back to Washington Country, Pennsylvania in the autumn of 1819. There Thomas discovered his old congregation had united with the Redstone Baptist Association.
Thomas Campbell had a vision to lead religious groups into a respectful patient search of the Bible together. Thomas Campbell believed old truths could be affirmed and that new truths could be discovered together within this religious group of people.
Alexander Campbell was the son of Thomas Campbell and was born in 1788 and died in 1866. Alexander Campbell along with his father Thomas Campbell formed the Restoration Movement in the fall of 1816. It was out of this movement that three fellowships emerged; The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Churches of Christ and the non-instrumental Churches of Christ.
Thomas Campbell set into motion a Bible based restoration movement remove the old apostate faith and order and to replace what he believed to be a corrupted tradition with one of a one true church that was revealed in the New Testament.
Alexander Campbell delivered a sermon on the Law which argued against religious practices that were not authorized in the Old or New Testament. Because this went against the teachings of the Baptist and other Calvinists, Alexander and his father was forced to withdraw from the Redstone Association. They united with the Mahoning Baptist Association on the Ohio Western Reserve.
Alexander Campbell was more supportive of a society that was within a denomination. Under the leadership of Alexander Campbell the Mahoning churches became an independent association in 1828. This launched the Christian Association of Washington County, Pennsylvania independent movement.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ shared its history with the Churches of Christ until 1906. The Church of Christ avoided the use of instrumental music in their worship service.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ shared its history with the restructured Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) until 1968.
Belief
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ congregation do not have a particular set of creeds. Christian Churches and Churches of Christ depend on the Bible as their source of their creed and their moral code. They believe in the deity and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They seek the unity of all believers based on faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, who they believe is the Son of God. They believe the Bible is inspired especially the New Testament. They believe the Bible and faith is all they need of a fulfilled life. Only professed believers who acknowledge the authority of the Bible may receive church membership.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ believe in independence and self-governing of local congregations. They gather together on the first day of the week and the main focus for the worship is the Lord’s Supper.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ believe in Baptism by full immersion where believers are Baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. They teach that once a believer has been converted to Christ they are saved. They believe Baptism is a work of the Grace of God and not a work of man. Upon receiving the Baptism the believer then receives the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the seal and the promise of Heaven.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ believe the need for a public confessing a belief in Jesus Christ as well as a confession of their sinfulness and their repentance. They believe it is on that occasion the believer receive the forgiveness from God for their sins as soon as they call on His name for salvation.
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ believe and teach salvation comes by grace through faith at the Baptism into Christ, and is the only New Testament example that Christians should follow. They believe the true faith is more than believing and more than trusting, but is also important to have repentance and obedience.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Christian Churches and Churches of Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2630,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Christian Churches and Churches of Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2630,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Christian Churches and Churches of Christ:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2630, (accessed).
