|
Who are the Churches of Christ?
______________________________________________
The Movement’s most
conspicuous beliefs and practices are:
-
Adult baptism by dunking under the water to be saved
from one’s sins. Baptism is viewed as not only a symbol, but the moment of
salvation.
-
Taking the Lord’s Supper (usually unleavened bread and
grape juice) as a symbol, not a sacrament, every Sunday.
-
A capella singing (though there is a sizable
instrumental Church of Christ group in the Midwest, associated with
Central Christian College of the Bible who believe that it is
wrong for men and women to wear shorts above their knees). The more
conservative congregations use songbooks with shaped notes (doh through ti,
each having a different shape).
Shaped notes
date back to the 1700s as a help for people to learn to read music. The
conservative Churches of Christ and a small Presbyterian group are among the
last to still use
shaped notes, except for Sacred Harp singers who
have clubs all over the United States to sing 200 year old songs a capella in
four part harmony. Churches of Christ (south) split from the Christian
Church/Disciples of Christ (north) during the Civil War over instruments of
music used in worship and denominational organization.)
-
No denominational hierarchy, even anti-denominational.
Each congregation is independent. Communication with other congregations is
facilitated by journals/magazines, bookstores and colleges each associated with a
particular wing of the Churches of Christ. Campbell, a postmaster, spread his beliefs by means of magazines which he edited. Churches
of Christ are reputed to have the most religious magazines per person of any
religious group.
-
Each congregation is led by elders elected by the
congregation. The preacher is called a preacher, evangelist or minister (not a
pastor, a term used by the Churches of Christ to describe an elder).
-
Salvation is by works and grace,
not by faith alone, or
grace alone. It is Arminian in
doctrine.
Click here
for a brief history of the Churches of Christ.
Click
here for a list of what I believe are unbiblical doctrines in the more
conservative Churches of Christ.
To talk to other people in
similar situations, go to our
Bulletin Board.
______________________________________________
|
 |
|
|
|
