Marengo Christian Church
  • Home
  • Where We Stand
  • When & Where
  • Listen to Jeffs Sermons
  • Supported Ministries
  • Events
  • Photos
What is the Christian Church and What do they Believe?
By Emory Jones, Deacon 
 
What is the distinctive plea of the church of Christ?
Historical background of the Restoration  Movement 
How many churches of Christ are there? 
How are the churches  organizationally connected? 
How are the churches of Christ governed? 
What does the church of  Christ believe about the Bible? 
Do members of the church of Christ believe in virgin birth? 
Does the church of  Christ believe in predestination? 
Why does the church of  Christ baptize only by immersion? 
Is infant baptism practiced? 
Do ministers of the  church hear confession? 
Are prayers addressed to the saints? 
How often is the Lord's supper eaten? 
What kind of music is used in the worship? 
Does the church of  Christ believe in heaven and hell? 
Does the Christian Church believe in purgatory? 
By what means does the church secure financial support? 
Does the church of Christ have a creed? 
How does one become a member of the Christian Church?

What is the  distinctive plea of the church of Christ?

It is primarily a plea for religious unity based upon the Bible. In a divided  religious world it is believed that the Bible is the only possible common denominator upon which most, if not all, of the God-fearing people of the land can unite. This is an appeal to go back to the Bible. It is a plea to speak where the Bible speak and to remain silent where the Bible is silent in all matters that pertain to religion. It further emphasizes that in everything religious there must be a "Thus saith the Lord" for all that is done. The 
objective is religious unity of all believers in Christ. The basis is the New Testament. The method is the restoration of New Testament Christianity. 

The  Historical  background of the Restoration Movement
 One of the earliest advocates of the return to New Testament Christianity, as a means of achieving unity of all believers in Christ, 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 taking the Bible as the only creed.  His influence was largely felt in Virginia and North Carolina where history  records that some seven thousand communicants followed his leadership toward a  return to primitive New Testament Christianity. In 1802 a similar movement among the Baptists in New England was led by Abner Jones and Elias Smith. They were concerned about "denominational names and creeds" and
  decided to wear only the name Christian, taking Bible as their only guide. In
  1804, in the western frontier state of Kentucky, Barton W. Stone and several
  other Presbyterian preachers took similar action declaring that they would take
  the Bible as the "only sure guide to heaven." Thomas Campbell, and his illustrious son, Alexander Campbell, took similar steps in the year 1809 in what  is now the state of West Virginia. They contended that nothing should be
bound  upon Christians as a matter of doctrine which is not as old as the New
  Testament. Although these four movements were completely independent in their
  beginnings eventually they became one strong restoration movement because of
  their common purpose and plea. These men did not advocate the starting of a new
  church, but rather a return to Christ's church as described in the
Bible.


Members of
  the church of Christ do not conceive of themselves as a new church started near
  the beginning of the 19th century. Rather, the whole movement is designed to
  reproduce in contemporary times the church originally established on Pentecost,
  A.D. 30. The strength of the appeal lies in the restoration of Christ's
original  church.


How
many churches of  Christ are there?



The most
  recent dependable estimate lists more than 42,000 congregations worldwide with
  over
5 million members.  Membership of the church is heaviest in the
  southern states of the United States, particularly Tennessee and Texas, though
  congregations exist in each of the fifty states and in over 100 foreign
  countries. Missionary expansion has been most extensive since the second World
  War in Europe, Asia and Africa. The churches of Christ now have five times as
  many members as were reported in the U.S. Religious Census of
1936.


How
are the churches  organizationally connected?



Following
  the plan of organization found in the New Testament, churches of Christ are
  autonomous. Their common faith in the Bible and adherence to its teachings are
  the chief ties which bind them together. There is no central headquarters of
the  church, and no organization superior to the elders of each local
congregation.  Congregations do cooperate voluntarily in supporting the orphans
and the aged,  in preaching the gospel in new fields, and in other similar
works.


There are
  no conventions, annual meetings, or official publications. The "tie that binds"
  is a common loyalty to the principles of the restoration of New Testament
  Christianity.


How
are the churches  of Christ governed?



In each
  congregation, which has existed long enough to become fully organized, there is
  a plurality of elders or presbyters who serve as the governing body. These men
  are selected by the local congregations on the basis of qualifications set down
  in the scriptures (1 Timothy 3:1-8). Serving under the elders are deacons,
  teachers, and evangelists or ministers. The latter do not have the authority
  equal to or superior to the elders. The elders are shepherds or overseers who
  serve under the headship of Christ according to the New Testament, which is a
  kind of constitution. There is no earthly authority superior to the elders of
  the local church.


What
does the church  of Christ believe about the Bible?



The
  original autographs of the sixty six books which make up the Bible are
  considered to have been divinely inspired, by which it is meant that they are
  infallible and authoritative. Reference to the scriptures is made in settling
  every religious question. A pronouncement from the scripture is considered the
  final word. The basic textbook of the church and the basis for all preaching is
  the Bible.


Do
members of the  churches of Christ believe in the virgin
birth?



Yes. The
  statement in Isaiah 7:14 is taken as a prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ.
  New Testament passages such as Matthew 1:20, 25, are accepted at face value as
  declarations of the virgin birth. Christ is accepted as the only begotten Son
of  God, uniting in his person perfect divinity and perfect
manhood.


Does
the church of  Christ believe in predestination?



Only in
the  sense that God predestines the righteous to be eternally saved and the
  unrighteous to be eternally lost. The statement of the apostle Peter, "Of a
  truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he
  that fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable unto him" (Acts 10:34-35.)
  is taken as an evidence that God did not predestine individuals to be eternally
  saved or lost, but that each man determines his own destiny. The Gospel message
  is for ALL: "For God is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). 
"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
  Who will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth"
  (1 Timothy 2:3-4).   



Why
does the church  of Christ baptize only by immersion?



The word
  baptize comes from the Greek word "baptizo" and literally means, "to dip, to
  immerse, to plunge." In addition to the literal meaning of the word, immersion
  is practiced because it was the practice of the church in apostolic times.
Still  further, only immersion conforms to the description of baptisms as given
by the  apostle Paul in Romans 6:3-5 where he speaks of it as a burial and
  resurrection.


Is
infant baptism  practiced?



No. Only
  those who have reached the "age of accountability" are accepted for baptisms.
It  is pointed out that the examples given in the New Testament are always of
those  who have heard the gospel preached and have believed it. Faith must
always  precede baptism, so only those old enough to understand and believe the
gospel  are considered fit subjects for baptism.


Do
ministers of the  church hear confession?



No.
  Ministers or evangelists of the church have no special prerogatives. They do
not  wear the title of Reverend or Father, but are addressed simply by the term
  Brother as are all other men of the church. Along with elders and others they
do  counsel and advise those seeking help.


Are
prayers  addressed to the saints?



No. God
the  Father is considered the only one to whom the prayers may be addressed. It
is  further understood that Christ stands in a mediatorial position between God
and  man (Hebrews 7:25). All prayers are therefore offered through Christ, or in
the  name of Christ (John 16:23-26).



How  often is the Lord's supper eaten?


It is
  expected that every member of the church will assemble for worship on each
  Lord's day. A central part of the worship is the eating of the Lord's supper
  (Acts 20:7). Unless providentially hindered, each member considers this weekly
  appointment as binding (Hebrews 10:25-26). In many instances, as in the case of
  illness, the Lord's supper is carried to those who are hindered from attending
  the worship.


What
kind of music  is used in the worship?



As a
result  of the distinctive plea of the church - a return to New Testament Faith
and  practice - acappella singing is the only music used in the worship. This
  singing, unaccompanied by mechanical instruments of music, conforms to the
music  used in the apostolic church and for several centuries thereafter
(Ephesians  5:19). It is felt that there is no 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 similar
  elements.


Does
the church of  Christ believe in heaven and hell?



Yes. After
  death each man must come before God in judgment and that he will be judged
  according to the deeds done while he lived (Hebrews 9:27). After judgment is
  pronounced those who are not found in Christ will be cast into the lake of fire
  which is the second death (Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 10:28), and the
redeemed  in Christ will inherit eternal life (Matthew 25:46; 1 John 5:13-14;
John  3:16).


Does
the church of  Christ believe in purgatory?



No. The
  absence of any reference in the scriptures to the temporary place of punishment
  from which the soul will eventually be released into heaven prevents the
  acceptance of the doctrine of purgatory.


By
what means does  the church secure financial support?



Each first
  day of the week the members of the church "lay by in store as they have been
  prospered"
(1 Corinthians 16:2). The amount of any individual gift is
  generally known only to the one who gave it and to the Lord. This free-will
  offering is the only call which the church makes. NO assessments or other
levies  are made. No money-making activities, such as bazaars or suppers, are
engaged  in.


Does
the church of  Christ have a creed?



No. At
  least, there is no creed in the usual sense of the word. The belief of the
  church is stated fully and completely in the Bible. There is no other manual or
  discipline to which the members of the church of Christ give their allegiance.
  The Bible is considered as the only infallible guide to
heaven.


How
does one become  a member of the church of Christ?



In the
  salvation of man's soul there are 2 necessary parts: God's part and man's part.
  God's part is the big part, "For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH,
and  that not of yourselves, it is the gift if God; not of works, that no man
should  glory" (Ephesians 2:8-9). The love which God felt for man led him to
send Christ  into the world to redeem man. The life and teaching of Jesus, the
sacrifice on  the cross, and the proclaiming of the gospel to men constitute
God's part in  salvation.


Though
  God's part is the big part, man's part is also necessary if man is to reach
  heaven. Man must comply with the conditions of pardon which the Lord has
  announced. Man's part can clearly set forth in the following steps:


·Hear the  Gospel. "How
shall they call on him whom they have not believed? and how  shall they believe
him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without  a preacher?"
(Romans 10:14).


·Believe. "And without  faith it is
impossible to be well pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God  must believe
that he is, and that He is a rewarder of them that seek after Him"  (Hebrews
11:6).


·Repent of Past Sins. "The times of
  ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now He commands men that they should
all  everywhere repent" (Acts 17:30).


·Confess Jesus as Lord. "Behold here
  is water; What doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if thou
believeth  with all thy heart you may. And he answered and said, I believe that
Jesus  Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:36-37).


·Be Baptized for the Remission of Sins.
"And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized everyone of you in
  the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins and ye shall receive
  the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38).


·Live a Faithful Christian life. "You
  are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own
  possession, that you may show forth the praises of him who called you out of
  darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).



OPEN
INVITATION



Now that
  you are aware of a church in the 21st century which is built according to the
  blue prints of Christ's original church, why not become a member of it? In
  becoming a member of it, you will be called upon to do nothing which you cannot
  read in the New Testament. You will then live and worship just as the
  apostle-guided Christians of the first century did.


Not only
is  this return to New Testament Christianity a wonderful basis upon which all
  believers in Christ can unite, it is absolutely solid ground. If we do just
what  our Lord commanded we know that our salvation is certain. Come with us as
we go  back to the Bible, back to Christ and his
church!