The Restoration Movement of the early 1800s grew out of the desire by Christians to put aside denominational creeds and traditions of religious organizations and to simply restore the beliefs and practices of the first century church. One of the results of the Restoration Movement was the birth of the non-denominational churches of Christ.
Not to be confused with the United Church of Christ denomination, there are over 15,000 churches of Christ congregations in existence worldwide comprised of an estimated 3.5 million members. The highest concentration of these religious bodies can be found in the southeastern United States.
Five core beliefs help to connect members of these churches into a unique brotherhood: authority of the Bible, congregational autonomy, the relationship of baptism to salvation, church music, and frequency of communion.
Churches of Christ Recognize the Bible as Their Only Authority
Jesus criticized Jewish leaders during his ministry for burdening Jews with man-made traditions which created overwhelming obstacles to following the teachings of God’s law (Mark 7:1-13). The Restoration Movement involved a similar attempt to restore the simple biblical teachings of the first century church. The principle that the Bible should serve as a Christian's only creed is the basic foundation of the churches of Christ.
Alexander Campbell, an early Restoration Movement leader, had the motto "where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent." Batsell Barrett Baxter, a well-known twentieth century church of Christ preacher and Bible professor wrote that the Bible should serve as the basic textbook of the church and should be the basis of all preaching. Where there is a question regarding doctrine, these members believe that the Bible, as God's inspired Word, is the only and final authority.
Churches of Christ are Autonomous
Members of these Christian churches believe that the New Testament dictates the autonomy of individual congregations. Each congregation is usually led by a group of elders whose qualifications for service are outlined in II Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. The elders, also identified as pastors or presbyters, are responsible for the spiritual growth and welfare of their members and for their efforts in spreading God's message of salvation.
There is no reference in the New Testament of a group of elders overseeing more than one congregation. Based on what they believe the scriptures teach, churches of Christ do not have a local, national or international hierarchy greater than each individual congregation and they have no conventions or assemblies where church doctrine or practices are mandated or encouraged.
Churches of Christ Believe that Baptism is Essential to Salvation
Church members believe that salvation is the gift of God through faith for repentant sinners but that baptism by immersion is the point at which salvation is accepted. Batsell Barrett Baxter outlined what most congregations accept as the biblical path of salvation:
- Hear the gospel: Sinners have to hear the gospel of Christ before they can call on him (Romans 10:14).
- Believe: It is impossible to come to God without faith in Him and Jesus. (Hebrews 11:6).
- Repent of past sins: Nobody can be saved without repenting of their sins and resolving to live as holy of a life as possible (Acts 17:30).
- Confess Jesus as Lord: The New Testament teaches that salvation only comes through Jesus (Acts 8:36-37).
- Be baptized for remission of sins: Peter admonished his listeners to be baptized in the name of Jesus for "the remission of your sins." (Acts 2:38).
Church of Christ members also point to passages in Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:4, and 1 Peter 3:21 to support their view that baptism is an essential component in accepting God's gift of salvation.
Churches of Christ Use A Cappella Music
The Free Online Dictionary defines a cappella as "without instrumental accompaniment." Scriptures found in 1 Corinthians 14:26, Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 are interpreted as God's instructions to use only vocal singing in Christian gatherings.
According to Allen Webster, writing on the La Vista congregation’s web site, the early church fathers denounced the use of musical instruments in Christian gatherings. Church history shows that musical instruments were not introduced into church services for six centuries and, even into the late 1800s, many churches opposed the use of instrumental music.
The idea of singing and making melody in the heart indicates individual participation in church services with the intent to encourage and build others up. One objection to using instrumental music during services is that members, instead of being participants, may become spectators who view the music as entertainment instead of an opportunity to build each other up.
Churches of Christ Commemorate the Lord's Supper Weekly
The Lord's Supper was established by Jesus as a way for Christians to commemorate his sacrificial death for the sins of all mankind (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). The unleavened bread represents the body of Christ which was sacrificed and the grape juice represents His blood which atones for human sin.
In recounting part of Paul's third missionary journey, Acts 20:7 states that "on the first day of the week we came together to break bread." Members of the church infer from this passage that the New Testament church commemorated the Lord's Supper every Sunday which is a practice they have incorporated, too.
What Churches of Christ Believe
Members of this religious body believe that the Bible is their only creed, that congregations are autonomous, that baptism is an essential part of faith in accepting the gift of salvation, that a cappella singing is God's prescribed form of music and that the Lord's Supper should be commemorated every Sunday. While other religious organizations share some or even most of these same views, the churches of Christ appear to be distinct in their belief in all five components.
Related Reading
Readers may also be interested in reading about the religious debate on Christian baptism and celebrating the Lord's Supper.
Sources:
"A Cappella." The Free Online Dictionary. May 10, 2010.
" The Amazing History of Instrumental Music in Christian Worship." Allen Webster. La Vista Church of Christ. (February 22, 2010). May 10, 2010.
"What is the church of Christ?" Batsell Barrett Baxter. Purcellville church of Christ. May 10, 2010.
"Who are the Churches of Christ?" Thomas H. Olbricht. Memorial University Restoration Movement Pages. May 10, 2010.
Ronald G Falconberry - Ron Falconberry is an IT professional and freelance writer who enjoys researching and writing articles on Bible topics, history, and ...
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