A Brief Introduction
Introducing the Church of Christ
This congregation is a group of people called out by a common faith in Jesus Christ. Because of this faith we follow the teachings of our Lord. Individually we are know only as "Christians" (Acts 11:26) and when spoken of as a group we seek to be only His church, or one of the "churches of Christ." (Romans 16:16).
The church of Christ dates back to the days when the New Testament was being written. It was founded by Christ on the Day of Pentecost, approximately 30 A.D, not long after His resurrection and His ascension back to heaven. In the years that followed, it rapidly grew to fill Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and eventually the whole Roman Empire. In America, the first churches of Christ were planted in the late 1700's as a result of a movement to go back to the Bible and use that as the only authority of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18). We do Bible things Bible ways and we call Bible things by Bible names (1 Peter 4:11).
We believe that Jesus Christ is deity and the Son of God (John 20:30-31). We affirm that the Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and that Christ will return on the last day to take His kingdom or the church, home to God (1 Corinthians 15:24).
We emphasize the sincere congregational worship of God (John 4:24) each first day of the week (Acts 20:7). We strive to live godly lives (Titus 2:11-12) and have a sincere love for each other (John 13:34-35). We help those who are in need as we have the means to help (James 1:27).
The Bible teaches us that sinners are those that are disobedient to the word of God, but can be saved through learning about Jesus, believing and having faith in Jesus with our whole heart along with the repentance of sins. One must confess that Jesus is the Son of God and be buried with Christ in baptism in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) for the remission of sins (John 6:44-45; 3:16; Luke 13:3; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:26-27).
Since baptism must be preceded by faith, repentance and confession, we do not practice infant baptism.
The baptism that was instituted by Jesus and practiced in the early church was immersion. In fact the original word for "baptize" is "immerse, dip or plunge." This immersion symbolizes the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At baptism, the penitent believer buries his old sinful self and is resurrected to a new life in Christ (Romans 6:1-7). This baptism is the point of salvation. Following baptism we must live righteously (1 Peter 2:24) and stay faithful until death (Revelation 2:10).
We believe the New Testament is the only rule for our faith and practice in all religious matters (2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Peter 1:3), and that God's word must authorize all that is done in Christian worship (Colossians; Revelation 22:18-19).
The Bible is the only authority for the organization of the church. The church consists of elders, deacons, preachers and all members are called saints, as in the New Testament times (Philippians 1:1; Romans 10:15; Colossians 1:1). Each person is an evangelist (Act 8:4) and our orders are to to go out and preach the good news to the whole world and make disciples of them (Matthew 28:19). Each congregation is independently governed with Christ as the head (Colossians 1:18). The scriptures do not teach of any governing body other than the local congregation.
We are not associated with any denominational organization and disapprove of any religious group that goes beyond that which is written for our example. The church of Christ is noted for its emphasis on returning to New Testament Christianity and for its desire that all people be united in one body as Christians (1 Corinthians 1:10). The only way to achieve unity is to have one standard and follow that. It is not unity at all costs, but unity in truth. We strictly adhere to the New Testament teachings and believe it is possibly to achieve unity in a world ripe with division simply by following the New Testament pattern and putting away human traditions.
Simply stated, the church of Christ is seeking to continue to be the same church one reads about in the pages of the New Testament. Our goal is to restore its doctrine, its practice, its lifestyle and its zeal.
This congregation is a group of people called out by a common faith in Jesus Christ. Because of this faith we follow the teachings of our Lord. Individually we are know only as "Christians" (Acts 11:26) and when spoken of as a group we seek to be only His church, or one of the "churches of Christ." (Romans 16:16).
The church of Christ dates back to the days when the New Testament was being written. It was founded by Christ on the Day of Pentecost, approximately 30 A.D, not long after His resurrection and His ascension back to heaven. In the years that followed, it rapidly grew to fill Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and eventually the whole Roman Empire. In America, the first churches of Christ were planted in the late 1700's as a result of a movement to go back to the Bible and use that as the only authority of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18). We do Bible things Bible ways and we call Bible things by Bible names (1 Peter 4:11).
We believe that Jesus Christ is deity and the Son of God (John 20:30-31). We affirm that the Bible is the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and that Christ will return on the last day to take His kingdom or the church, home to God (1 Corinthians 15:24).
We emphasize the sincere congregational worship of God (John 4:24) each first day of the week (Acts 20:7). We strive to live godly lives (Titus 2:11-12) and have a sincere love for each other (John 13:34-35). We help those who are in need as we have the means to help (James 1:27).
The Bible teaches us that sinners are those that are disobedient to the word of God, but can be saved through learning about Jesus, believing and having faith in Jesus with our whole heart along with the repentance of sins. One must confess that Jesus is the Son of God and be buried with Christ in baptism in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) for the remission of sins (John 6:44-45; 3:16; Luke 13:3; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:26-27).
Since baptism must be preceded by faith, repentance and confession, we do not practice infant baptism.
The baptism that was instituted by Jesus and practiced in the early church was immersion. In fact the original word for "baptize" is "immerse, dip or plunge." This immersion symbolizes the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At baptism, the penitent believer buries his old sinful self and is resurrected to a new life in Christ (Romans 6:1-7). This baptism is the point of salvation. Following baptism we must live righteously (1 Peter 2:24) and stay faithful until death (Revelation 2:10).
We believe the New Testament is the only rule for our faith and practice in all religious matters (2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Peter 1:3), and that God's word must authorize all that is done in Christian worship (Colossians; Revelation 22:18-19).
The Bible is the only authority for the organization of the church. The church consists of elders, deacons, preachers and all members are called saints, as in the New Testament times (Philippians 1:1; Romans 10:15; Colossians 1:1). Each person is an evangelist (Act 8:4) and our orders are to to go out and preach the good news to the whole world and make disciples of them (Matthew 28:19). Each congregation is independently governed with Christ as the head (Colossians 1:18). The scriptures do not teach of any governing body other than the local congregation.
We are not associated with any denominational organization and disapprove of any religious group that goes beyond that which is written for our example. The church of Christ is noted for its emphasis on returning to New Testament Christianity and for its desire that all people be united in one body as Christians (1 Corinthians 1:10). The only way to achieve unity is to have one standard and follow that. It is not unity at all costs, but unity in truth. We strictly adhere to the New Testament teachings and believe it is possibly to achieve unity in a world ripe with division simply by following the New Testament pattern and putting away human traditions.
Simply stated, the church of Christ is seeking to continue to be the same church one reads about in the pages of the New Testament. Our goal is to restore its doctrine, its practice, its lifestyle and its zeal.