What is the Church of Christ?

When you see "Church of Christ" on a building, it is not announcing a denominational affiliation. If the congregation is scriptural, it is saying that the members who meet there follow the example of the church found in the New Testament. The church was founded on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) when Peter and the other apostles, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, began the work of the Great Commission given by Jesus (Matthew 28:16-20). Like the early disciples, we are called Christians (Acts 11:26); like a bride, we wear Christ's name because we belong to Him, and the authority for what we do must come from Him, the head of the church (Ephesians 5:22-32; 1:22-23).

What is the organization of the Church?

Jesus Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23); there is no outside governing body or conference. The various congregations of the Lord's church, though joined together in fellowship, are autonomous and locally lead by Elders. These Elders must be of good character to oversee and care for their congregation and lead it in scripturally sound decisions (1Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9). Deacons must also be righteous men and carry out the work appointed them by the Elders (1Timothy 3:8-10). The Elders are also responsible for hiring ministers and ensuring that what is taught from the pulpit and in Bible classes adheres to the truth in the Bible.

What does the Church believe?

Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). As such, the Bible is all-sufficient for our instruction, and we need no works or traditions of men to tell us what to believe and practice. We believe that God sent His son, Jesus, to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and to bring about a new covenant that supersedes the law of the Old Testament (John 3:16, Hebrews 8:3-16). We believe in the Gospel and that the New Testament shows us God's plan for our salvation.

God's Plan of Salvation

God's Part

  1. The Great Love of God for man (John 3:16)
  2. He gave Christ as the Savior (Luke 19:10)
  3. Sent the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles into all truth (John 16:13)
  4. Gave His Gospel, "the power unto salvation" (Romans 1:16)
  5. Provided atonement by the blood of Christ (Colossians 1:14)

Man's Part

  1. Hear the Gospel (John 6:44-45)
  2. Believe the Gospel (John 20:30-31)
  3. Repent of our past sins (Acts 17:30)
  4. Confess our faith in Christ as God's Son (Matthew 10:32)
  5. Be baptized for remission of sins (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16)
  6. Continue to "walk in the light" (1 John 1:7)

What is worship like?

Like the early Christians, we worship on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Worship in the churches of Christ is led by Christian men (1 Corinthians 14:34-35, 1 Timothy 2:12). There are five acts of worship authorized in the New Testament, all of which you will see when you visit. The sequence of these acts is not prescribed, so each local congregation may have slight differences in the order. But be assured that if the congregation is scriptural, all components will be there.

Prayer: We are exhorted to pray "without ceasing" in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18. It is our avenue of communication with the Father, who has already begun the conversation by giving us His Word. Prayer allows Christians to give thanks to God, to ask his blessings, mercy, and forgiveness of our sins, and to ask for guidance as we try to follow His will (1 Timothy 2:1-8).

Singing: Early Christians constantly sang praise to God (Acts 16:25, Colossians 3:19, James 5:13). Because instrumental music is not mentioned in the New Testament as a part of early Christians' worship, we do not assume that it is authorized, and thus sing a cappella in a congregational setting (Ephesians 5:19).

Preaching: Jesus commanded the apostles to spread the Gospel to all people (Matthew 28: 16-20), and Paul urged Timothy to "preach the Word" to keep his congregation believing in sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:1-5). Clear precedence exists for its inclusion in worship (Acts 20:7).

Lord's Supper: As the early Christians came together on the first day of the week to break bread, so we remember Christ's sacrifice, His death, burial and resurrection, when we take the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26).

Giving: The churches of Christ do not tithe; rather, we are directed to give cheerfully to the work of the church as we have been prospered (1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:7).