please tell me about the denomination '' churches of christ''?

alexsonofmatthew said:

I am looking into different denominations and am wanting to know about the ''churches of christ''.
Any information would be helpful.

God bless you

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First off, if you talk to anyone from the "churches of Christ", NEVER call it a "denomination". To them, that's fighting talk!

The Church of Christ is somewhat like Baptists in that they are very informal. What separates them from Baptists (and pretty much everyone else) are two things:
1. Their belief that they alone constitute the "New Testament church", following the pattern set by the NT for how the church is supposed to operate. This includes weekly communion and no instrumental music in worship.
2. Their belief that baptism is essential to salvation (and in general, baptism by THEM only). This does not include infant baptism, but that done upon a confession of faith and done with a view toward the remission of sins. (IOW, if you think you're already saved before getting baptized, you are in error.)

That said, there are churches of Christ who are very strict and exclusive on these points and some who are more progressive and lenient. For example, author Max Lucado's congregation has even gone as far as to have one of its weekly services have instrumental music!

alexsonofmatthew said:

I am looking into different denominations and am wanting to know about the ''churches of christ''.
Any information would be helpful.

God bless you

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Probably a trip to the library would help in this case, but in addition to what "actionsub" has said, the Churches of Christ are very much a collection of autonomous, local congregations (never say "Church of Christ," therefore, if you mean the whole group) which de-emphasize some of the knotty doctrines other have fought over for centuries (like the Trinity, for example) while emphasizing water Baptism (believer's/adult baptism, that is) and weekly Holy Communion.

Some critics have called the Churches of Christ "cultic," but not on account of any funny doctrines. It's because there is such emphasis upon church attendance that people have said you're likely to be hounded if you aren't observant and committed.

Incidentally, the Disciples of Christ are the cousins of the Churches of Christ but are less demanding in doctrine while being more centralized in organization.

I would avoid them I don't think they are a very solid group.

actionsub said:

First off, if you talk to anyone from the "churches of Christ", NEVER call it a "denomination". To them, that's fighting talk!

The Church of Christ is somewhat like Baptists in that they are very informal. What separates them from Baptists (and pretty much everyone else) are two things:
1. Their belief that they alone constitute the "New Testament church", following the pattern set by the NT for how the church is supposed to operate. This includes weekly communion and no instrumental music in worship.
2. Their belief that baptism is essential to salvation (and in general, baptism by THEM only). This does not include infant baptism, but that done upon a confession of faith and done with a view toward the remission of sins. (IOW, if you think you're already saved before getting baptized, you are in error.)

That said, there are churches of Christ who are very strict and exclusive on these points and some who are more progressive and lenient. For example, author Max Lucado's congregation has even gone as far as to have one of its weekly services have instrumental music!

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There are three branches of the CoC. The "original" CoC practices weekly communion and no instrumental music. They are rather conservative. I was a member of a CoC congregation for a couple of years. They had no trouble accepting my adult baptism from a Baptist church. Baptism is not quite what you describe...it is considered the outward sign of the inward heart turned towards Christ.

The Independent Christian Churches is more moderate. Music at all services. The community we now belong to has a traditional service in the chapel, with traditional hymns, and contemporary music in the bigger Sanctuary. Once again, my baptism was considered valid.

The Disciples of Christ is more liberal. Many of them are LBGT affirming congregations.

All three practice open communion...if you are a believer, you are welcome to partake.

I know Max Lucado's pastor. Randy Frazee is his name. They've had contemporary music for ages in ALL their services.

Two of the three largest churches where I live are ICC churches. There is a solid belief in social justice, being active in the community, being the hands, feet, eyes, ears and mouth of Christ in the world.

To the OP, don't discount us...we're pretty cool people. However, like our pastor said...if you find a perfect church, don't join it.

RedPonyDriver said:

There are three branches of the CoC. The "original" CoC practices weekly communion and no instrumental music. They are rather conservative. I was a member of a CoC congregation for a couple of years. They had no trouble accepting my adult baptism from a Baptist church. Baptism is not quite what you describe...it is considered the outward sign of the inward heart turned towards Christ.

The Independent Christian Churches is more moderate. Music at all services. The community we now belong to has a traditional service in the chapel, with traditional hymns, and contemporary music in the bigger Sanctuary. Once again, my baptism was considered valid.

The Disciples of Christ is more liberal. Many of them are LBGT affirming congregations.

All three practice open communion...if you are a believer, you are welcome to partake.

I know Max Lucado's pastor. Randy Frazee is his name. They've had contemporary music for ages in ALL their services.

Two of the three largest churches where I live are ICC churches. There is a solid belief in social justice, being active in the community, being the hands, feet, eyes, ears and mouth of Christ in the world.

To the OP, don't discount us...we're pretty cool people. However, like our pastor said...if you find a perfect church, don't join it.

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Pretty close. They all started out as the Disciples of Christ. Collectively, the three groups now refer to themselves as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement or some variation on that.

The Churches of Christ (non-instrumental) officially split off in 1906 when David Lipscomb basically told the US Census Bureau, "Don't lump the Churches of Christ in with those organ-playing heretics."

The Independent Christian Churches more or less became their own group after the World War II as instrumental churches who had individually left the Disciples over issues of theological liberalism finally decided to create more of a federation for fellowship and communication. Rather than an official split, it was more of a recognition that it had already occurred.

As for CoC's accepting or not accepting others' immersion, it depends on the congregation. I had one CoC pastor tell me I was unsaved until THEY did the baptizing; another simply said, "Long as it's immersion, you're OK with us."

I was raised in a pretty progressive Church of Christ in Midland Texas named Golf Course Road Church of Christ. Wonderful church. I was a member from age 14 to about 45. My Mom was a founding member. Weekly communion. No instruments (as far as I know, have not been there in about 10 years)
Salt of the earth people. Those who call this particular church a cult would be very wrong.

It always depends on the individual congregation. They are not all the same. If I lived there, I would not hesitate to rejoin. Max Lucado would fit right in there. God bless them.

zippy2 said:

No instruments.....Those who call this particular church a cult would be very wrong.

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A church that does not allow instruments is a cult in my book.

GracetotheHumble said:

A church that does not allow instruments is a cult in my book.

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okie dokie

zippy2 said:

okie dokie

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I do not recall Jesus, in Scripture, strumming on a guitar or Peter pounding on an organ.
Their reasoning is they want to worship as closely as first Christians did as they can.
And there was no band.

zippy2 said:

I was raised in a pretty progressive Church of Christ in Midland Texas named Golf Course Road Church of Christ. Wonderful church. I was a member from age 14 to about 45. My Mom was a founding member. Weekly communion. No instruments (as far as I know, have not been there in about 10 years)
Salt of the earth people. Those who call this particular church a cult would be very wrong.

It always depends on the individual congregation. They are not all the same. If I lived there, I would not hesitate to rejoin. Max Lucado would fit right in there. God bless them.

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I really don't have a problem with the Church of Christ doctrinally. If there was a progressive congregation in my neck of the woods, I would be right at home. My divorced and remarried status would be an issue, especially as it impacts a call to preach.

actionsub said:

I really don't have a problem with the Church of Christ doctrinally. If there was a progressive congregation in my neck of the woods, I would be right at home. My divorced and remarried status would be an issue, especially as it impacts a call to preach.

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Yes, that might be an issue. But I wish you all the best anyway!

zippy2 said:

I do not recall Jesus, in Scripture, strumming on a guitar or Peter pounding on an organ.
Their reasoning is they want to worship as closely as first Christians did as they can.
And there was no band.

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I'm sure Jesus would not have prohibited instruments in singing praises to God, are you absolutely sure the early church did not use them?

Psalms 98:5
Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

GracetotheHumble said:

I'm sure Jesus would not have prohibited instruments in singing praises to God, are you absolutely sure the early church did not use them?

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It's likely. The Eastern Orthodox churches, which defer to no one on being ancient, don't use them.

Albion said:

It's likely. The Eastern Orthodox churches, which defer to no one on being ancient, don't use them.

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I'm sure out of all of the disciples Jesus had some of them used musical instruments to worship God.

GracetotheHumble said:

I'm sure out of all of the disciples Jesus had some of them used musical instruments to worship God.

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What is it that makes you 'sure' they did--or that the early churches did?

Albion said:

What is it that makes you 'sure' they did--or that the early churches did?

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The bible speaks of using instruments to worship God. Jesus had thousands of disciples so there is no doubt that some of them used instruments.

GracetotheHumble said:

The bible speaks of using instruments to worship God. Jesus had thousands of disciples so there is no doubt that some of them used instruments.

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There certainly is doubt. There's no reason to consider instruments obligatory, even though the Old Testament makes reference to them. Think of all the other Jewish practices that the early Christian church did not perpetuate. In addition, there's no reason to think that praising the Lord on a harp, etc. had to be done during corporate worship as opposed to one's private worship life. That's the issue here--use of instruments during worship services.

Albion said:

There's no reason to consider instruments obligatory

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And neither is there reason to consider prohibiting instruments biblical.