ORIGINS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
“The churches of Christ salute you.”  Romans 16:16

“And the Gentiles [nations] shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.”  Isaiah 62:2

It is a wonderful and beautiful thought…that God our Creator planned from the foundation of the earth for our eternal relationship with Him.  It is a blessing and privilege to serve God and to be his child and to receive the promise of his blessings both here and in the life to come.  It is also a wonderful blessing and privilege to be called by the name promised by God, given by God, and sanctified by God.

Names given by God:
God made man and called him Adam.  Noah was said to have found favor in the eyes of the Lord.  God’s eternal plan for saving mankind was first promised in the garden.  God continued to reveal His plan through promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Jacob’s name was changed to Israel and God’s people were known as the Children of Israel.   The Israelites were first referred to as Jews in II Kings 16:6.  It was through the bloodline of the Jewish nation that Jesus was born into the world.  Jesus’ followers, (both Jews and non-Jews), were referred to as His disciples, later they were called “Christians” at Antioch, Acts 11:26.  Since that time the only other name by which God’s people shall ever be called is “redeemed”.

During the very earliest days of the existence of the Church, people were dividing themselves into groups following after one man or another.  Paul writes to the Church at Corinth in I Corinthians 1:12 - 13, “Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apolos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”   Luke, the writer, speaking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, leaves no doubt about it.  The name of our savior is important - who He is and who we are are central to our salvation.

Today, many religious institutions are typically identified by the name of their originator.  As the Lord’s Church in Rome went into apostasy it was largely overshadowed through the influence of political figures.  There emerged a church-state, which served the purpose of the government and eventually became so powerful that it was able to establish itself as the Roman Catholic Church.  Recognizing
that Catholicism had moved far away from Biblical teaching, various individuals began to try to reform the Catholic Church.  This was known as the Reformation movement.  Men like Martin Luther, John Wesley and others were prominent leaders of the reformation.  Even though they discouraged such, many of their followers chose to call themselves after the names of these men, (not unlike those mentioned in I Corinthians 1:12).  The Lutheran Church, the Weslyan Church, are following the methods of worship defined by Wesley, the Methodist Church, and many others followed.

Later, some realized that reformation was not what was needed, but restoration of New Testament Christianity.  Leaders of the restoration movement began to call for a return to the New Testament as the only authority for doing Bible things in Bible ways and calling Bible things by Bible names.  One of the earliest advocates of the return to New Testament Christianity 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 making the Bible the only acceptable creed.

In 1802 Abner Jones and Elias Smith, two Baptist leaders in New England, were concerned about denominational names and creeds, and decided to wear only the name Christian.  Barton W. Stone of Kentucky left the Presbyterian Church in 1804, calling for man-made creeds to be thrown away and for a return to the name “Christian” as given to the disciples by divine authority in Antioch in A.D. 33.  Thomas Campbell and his son Alexander of West Virginia took similar steps in 1809, insisting that nothing should be bound on Christians that is not as old as the New Testament.  These separate movements were completely independent in their origins, yet led to a vast restoration movement.  These men did not advocate the starting of a new church, but rather a return to Christ’s church as described in the Bible.  Our intent and plea to the religious world today is to replicate the church originally established on the day of Pentecost in A.D. 30.

When Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 “…I will build my Church…”, He established man’s only hope of salvation.  It was indeed the final step in fulfilling God’s promise in the garden, His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the promise of a new name in Isaiah 62:2.   John the revelator writes of the message of the Angel to the seven churches of Asia, (seven different local congregations of the Lord’s church), and points out the importance of being faithful to the name of Christ. Revelation 2:13 “… and thou holdest fast my name, and has not denied my faith…”    In verse 14 he says, “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam…”  Verse 15,  “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. (Doctrine [teaching] contrary to that found in God’s word). 16,  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Throughout the Bible it is clear that the name by which God’s people are called is important to Him.  Should it not also be equally important to us?  Colossians 3:17 Paul writes, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him.”

The church of the Bible, appears first in promise and shadow in the Old Testament, and is established and revealed in the New Testament. Galatians 3:24-29, “Wherefore the law, [law of Moses], was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Organization and Work:
The organization of the Church of Christ is unique and distinctive - following as closely as possible the pattern revealed in the New Testament.  There is no central headquarters, no dioceses, no synods or conferences.  There is no organization superior to the elders of each local congregation.  There are more than 15,000 congregations of the Church of Christ in the United States, with membership well in excess of 2 million.  Mainstream congregations of the Lord’s church cooperate voluntarily in supporting various works.  There are more than 40 colleges and secondary schools supported by Churches of Christ; seventy-five orphanages and homes for the aged; and world wide broadcasting networks on more than a thousand radio and TV stations.
It is both important and significant to note that all this is accomplished entirely by Biblical means.  I Cor 16:2 establishes the only scriptural method of fund raising, a free-will offering on the first day of the week.  The combined annual budget of Churches of Christ is more than 2 BILLION DOLLARS, and is met entirely in this manner.  No other moneymaking activities are employed.

Acapella singing  is the only music authorized for use in worship.  This singing, unaccompanied by mechanical instruments of music, conforms to the music used in the apostolic church for several centuries, according to both Biblical and secular history.  Eph 5:19 sets forth the pattern.  There is no scriptural 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 elements introduced by men.  The worship of God is not meant to entertain men, but to glorify God.

 Acts 20:7 indicates that the early Christians observed The Lord’s Supper “on the first day of the week”.  It is a sacred and holy part of worship, which is to be observed with exactly the same frequency as giving.  The language translated “first day of the week” in I Cor. 16:2 which relates to giving, is identical to that in Acts 20:7.  There is no room for misunderstanding.

The Bible nowhere teaches that Christians should observe any holidays, or holy days other than the first day of every week.  It is clear from the scripture that our Lord wants our emphasis to be on the observance of His death, burial and resurrection on the first day of the every week.

Another unique identifier of the church that Jesus built is the practice of Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.  The form is immersion, true to the meaning of the original Greek word baptizo, which means to dip, immerse or plunge.  Immersion conforms to every account of baptism given in the Bible.  In Romans 6:3-5 Paul speaks of it as a burial and resurrection.   Jesus said in Mark 16:16 “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned.”

In every Bible example of baptism it was performed immediately.  The Philippian jailer --- Acts 16:33 - “same hour of the night”; The Ethiopian Eunuch --- Acts 8:38 - “he commanded the chariot to stand still” (right now); Saul, asked by Anninas “why tarriest thou, arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins…” Acts 22:16.

You will notice that Churches of Christ give a “thus saith the Lord”, book, chapter and verse for EVERY thing we do and teach.

A few other identifying characteristics you may readily observe about the Church of Christ are these:
        The minister of each local congregation is called a preacher, minister or evangelist.  It is not unusual for a minister in
        theLord’s church to be appointed as one of the elders of the congregation, but unless that is the case, he is not a
        pastor - that term describes the Biblical office of an elder.  The words elder, bishop and pastor are used
        interchangeably in the bible, all referring to the same office.

        No one is ever referred to as “reverend”.  The word reverend is used only one time in the entire Bible,
        Psalms 111:9, “…holy and reverend is his name…”; and that usage refers to God Almighty.

        No reference is ever made to any man as “father”. Ephesians 4:6  “There is one God and Father of all…”
        Matthew 23:9  “And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your father which is in heaven.”

        Things you will not see in the worship service include: Candles, flags, choirs, soloists or musical instruments.
        There is no command, example, authority, nor inference in the Scripture for any of these things.

         You will not hear any references to an event some call rapture.  There is no such term in the entire Bible.  The
        concept of a rapture event and Christ reigning on the earth for a thousand years is not taught in the Bible.
        Revelation 20:4 is too clear to be misunderstood in telling us exactly what this thousand year reign is all about - it
        refers to those who have been beheaded, died as martyrs, specifically - had their heads cut off for the cause of
        Christ.  The ONLY other references to a thousand years in the entire Bible occur in Psalms 90:4 and II Peter 3:8,
        both times referring to the passage of time in God’s eyes, a thousand years is as but a day.  There is one
        other, in Ecclesiastes 6:6 in reference to the hypothetical life of a man who attempts to live without God.

        All promises made by God to the Children of Israel were completely fulfilled when they took possession of the
        Promised land.  Joshua23:14“And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your
        hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake
        concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.”  Two other promises
        remained, the coming of Jesus, (to include His death, burial and resurrection), and the judgment.

You will never find anything practiced in a faithful congregation of the Church that Christ built that you cannot read about in the Bible.  Under the old law there was provision for sin committed in ignorance, Leviticus 4:2 for individuals 4:13 for the congregation, also in Numbers 15.  Under the New Testament, Acts 17:30 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at [overlooked]; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained [Jesus]; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

We are warned in the scriptures:  II Peter 2:1-2  “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the truth shall be evil spoken of.”

If we accept the authority of the Bible, then surely Ephesians 4:4-6 must cause us to do some serious thinking about our souls.  “There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all who is above all, through all and in you all.”  Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed to the Father in John 17:21 that all believers might be one in Him.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians in I Corinthians 1:10, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”  Psalms 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

You will not find any doctrine or teaching within a faithful congregation of the Church of Christ that you cannot find for yourself in the Holy Scriptures.  If that statement cannot be made about the church you now attend then we invite you to visit a Church of Christ near you.

If you have questions about anything contained in this text, you are encouraged to contact us.  We will be happy to study the Bible with you, or to answer any Bible question you may have.