General Description

The Church of Christ is a fellowship of autonomous congregations numbering approximately 2 million members. Its goal is a return to New Testament Christianity and the unity of all believers in Christ through:

-a renunciation of all creeds and confessions of faith
-accepting the New Testament alone as its rule of faith and practice.

The church accepts the Bible as the inspired Word of God without error and fully sufficient for man's spiritual welfare.

While congregations are independent entities, members cooperate as individuals and as congregations in carrying on missions and in maintaining educational institutions and homes for the aged and homeless children. Sometimes this is done under the oversight of some congregation while others also participate. At other times, it may be done through a board of trustees. Some congregations, however, refrain from cooperative efforts and maintain their "good works" programs within the framework of their own congregation.

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Organization

Each ecclesiastical unit is independently organized and recognizes no one as head but Jesus Christ. The congregation appoints elders, or bishops, as overseers in accordance with the directions given by the apostle Paul to Timothy and Titus. There is always a plurality of elders who are selected from among the men of the congregation. Deacons are also appointed to assist the elders. Each congregation chooses its own minister or ministers, usually done through the elders with the approval of the congregation. Under the elders, a church functions through the work of the deacons, teachers, ministers, and other workers.

When a church is too young or too small to have men who are considered able to qualify according to the biblical standard, congregations function by a consensus. Often a men's business meeting is granted the oversight. Or certain committees may be formed to care for the congregation. This, however, is considered a temporary measure to function only until qualified men have been recruited and trained.

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Beliefs and Doctrines

Churches of Christ believe that the New Testament is complete in revealing God's will to man and that all religious matters must emanate from its message. The Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is held as inspired revelation from God. The New Testament is God's special message to the Christian to determine his Christian walk.

They hold that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary and is the Son of God. They believe that he was crucified for the sins of the whole world, was buried, and arose on the third day. They believe that he ascended to the Father and now is at his right hand. At the end of the world, he will return again. Then will come the judgment, when each person will be judged according to his works. They believe that there are two destinies: heaven and hell. Salvation, they believe, is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, and baptism for the remission of sins, in keeping with the message at Pentecost. Baptism is the immersion of the penitent believer in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, upon which they believe that the Lord adds the individual to the church and that he receives the gift of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of eternal life.

Churches of Christ commonly make the following general affirmations:

Bind nothing on the church except what is specifically taught or commended, necessarily inferred, or approved by scriptural example.

No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible, no law but God's (as revealed in the Bible, his inspired Word).

In faith, unity; in opinion, liberty; in all things, charity.

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Forms of Worship

Following the New Testament example, the Church of Christ assembles on Sunday, the first day of each week. They take as their agenda that which occurred in New Testament assemblies. Their worship consists of teaching (preaching and reading Scripture), prayer, singing, communion (partaking of the Lord's Supper in memory of his death), and taking an offering. Their singing is without any instrument because they do not find it on the agenda of the New Testament church.

Another dimension to their worship is private, personal, and daily. The foundation for this is found in Paul's admonition in the Book of Romans to present one's body as a living sacrifice - or as an act of worship. This dimension includes one's daily responsibility to church work, constant commitment to Christian morality (exercising the fruit of the Spirit and refraining from the works of the flesh", and a continuing relationship of compassion and service to one's fellow man.

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