Alternate meanings: see Church of Christ (disambiguation).
The Churches of Christ are a body of autonomous Protestant congregations that have their roots in the American Restoration Movement of Nineteenth Century. The Churches of Christ have as distinctive traits their refusal to hold to any creeds other than the Bible itself, their practice of baptism for the remission of sins, the weekly observance of communion, and their belief in a capella congregational singing in worship. Other churches that have their roots in the Restoration Movement include the Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ (Instrumental) and the Disciples of Christ.
Churches of Christ in the past would be characterized as a sect (holding that they are not another denomination) but many congregations today would consider themselves to be "only Christians but not the only Christians."
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2 Specific teachings and prohibitions 3 Other Restoration Movement Bodies 4 External links |
There is no headquarters for the Church of Christ and each congregation has its own structure consisting of Elders, Deacons, and a Preacher/Evangelist. Typically the churches participate in a loose informal network of other local Churches of Christ.
Elders are spiritually mature Christian men who work in some specialized capacity of a spiritual nature. They perform baptisms, establish moral guidelines, approve and establish bible study curriculum, select Sunday School teachers, and select the Preacher/Evangelist if the position becomes vacant. They also select the Deacons.
Deacons are recognized special servants of the church and most often take care of specialized needs of the congregation. Typically the physical building in which services are held will have a Deacon overseeing it.
The Preacher/Evangelist/Minister prepares and delivers sermons, performs weddings, and preaches or evangelizes the gospel. This position is typically paid. (Traditionally Churches of Christ do not use the title "pastor" to refer to their pulpit minister.)
Many urban congregations also employ other paid ministers besides the pulpit minister including ministers for youth, college students and women.
The Church of Christ believes that the organization and structure of the church was laid down by Jesus Christ himself through his apostles in the form of the Bible. Since this Church has no headquarters and each church is independent, the teachings may vary but there is a remarkable degree of uniformity among Churches of Christ in each region. The common variances are over the institution of Bible classes, the method that the Lord's supper is served (whether the fruit of the vine is served in one cup or many), the role of women in public worship and whether ministers should be paid professionals or serve on a volunteer basis.
They specifically believe or prohibit;
The Churches of Christ have its roots in the American Restoration Movement of the 19th Century. Out of this movement sprang one body interchangeably called "The Churches of Christ" or "Christian Churches." After the American Civil War there began to be divions in this body over the issues of Mission Societies and Instrumental Music in worship which reached a head in 1906 when the two groups split. Those holding to the prohibition of instrumental music are the Churches of Christ today.
Of the instrumental congregations, they began to divide in the 20th century during the Fundamentalist response to modernism which solidified in the 1960's with two groups, the independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ and the Disciples of Christ.
Other groups have connections to the Restoration Movement include the International Church of Christ (sometimes called "The Boston Movement") and The Christian Connexion.Church Organization
Specific teachings and prohibitions
Other Restoration Movement Bodies
