Is the “Church of Christ” a Denomination?
My entire life I have met in church buildings with signs out front that said something along the lines of, “The church of Christ meets here” or “First Street church of Christ.” There are thousands of these buildings spread throughout this country (and the world) and the groups of people meeting in them are collectively known as the “churches of Christ.” There is a lot of confusion about the identity of this group. Many outside and inside of this group wonder, “Is the church of Christ a denomination?”
Photograph from the website: traces-of-the-kingdom.org. This is a picture of the little chapel that sits on the bridge in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England where in the 1650s for a few months a 'church of Christ' met before moving to a house nearby.
What is a Denomination?
A denomination is a religious organization who considers themselves to be a “branch of the Christian Church” (source). In other words, and to be more specific, the Baptist Church considers itself to be a “branch” of the “Christian Church,” or the church of the Bible. No true denomination considers itself to be the church of the Bible, only to be one division or part of the true church. Equally, each denomination must acknowledge the fact that some (if not all) other denominations are also divisions of the true church.
Therefore, what makes a man a Methodist does not make him a Christian; and what makes a man a Christian does not make him a Methodist. This is not said to be derogatory. It is simply said to point out the fact that the Methodist Church, and all other denominations teach that becoming a member of their denomination is done separately from becoming a Christian, since they agree that one can be a Christian without being a member of their denomination.
Is the “Church of Christ” a Denomination?
This brings us back to the original question, “Is the ‘church of Christ’ a denomination?” And the answer is “no.” A man becomes a member of the church of Christ as soon as he becomes a Christian. He becomes a member of the church of Christ because the Lord adds Him to His church (Acts 2:47)! In other words, the church of Christ is not a group you decide to “join” after you become a Christian. You cannot join the church of Christ. If you are a Christian, you are already a member of the church of Christ!
The Only Ones Going to Heaven?
The accusation is frequently thrown about, “the church of Christ thinks they’re the only ones going to heaven.” So, is that true? Is it the position of those in the churches of Christ that they are the only ones who are heaven-bound? I would not presume to know what every member of the church believes on any matter, but I will tell you what I, and every member of the church that I have ever spoken to about this, believe.
Only those who are Christians are going to heaven (John 14:6).
When one becomes a Christian he is at that point added by the Lord to the church of Christ (Acts 2:47).
If Christians remain faithful, they will spend eternity in heaven (1 John 1:7; Revelation 2:10).
Certainly, the building in which Christians meet does not have to be labeled, “Church of Christ” for the group meeting in it to be Christians. Nor does the fact that the building says, “Church of Christ” guarantee that the group meeting there is actually following God’s word. Whether or not a believer (or a group of believers) is a member of the church of Christ is determined, not by the sign above the door, but by whether or not there is submission to Christ and His word.
Christians Only
I am not, nor is anyone I know, perfectly following Christ and His word. I am just thankful to be washed in His blood and receiving His grace and mercy. That is why I will not wear the name of a man or the name of a religious idea! I will simply wear the name of Christ. He is the one who died for me and purchased me with His blood. That is why I will simply be a Christian and simply belong to His church.
Most of those who proudly write upon their meeting house signs, “The church of Christ meets here” are simply proclaiming, “Those who are just Christians meet here!” We are not a cult. We are those who have met together, all over the world, for centuries. We are those who are refusing to wear the names, or adopt the doctrines, of men. We are those who just want to be, and plead with others to be, Christians–followers of Jesus Christ!
The church of Christ is “non-denominational” in the truest sense of the term. In fact, we were nondenominational before it was cool to be nondenominational. Denominationalism condones, and even celebrates, division. That is not Christ’s goal for His church (1 Corinthians 3). Christ has but ONE body (Ephesians 4:4) and it is to be unified (Ephesians 4:3). If we are to do away with the divisiveness of denominationalism, we must lay down our man-made traditions, titles, and creeds and be Christians only! That, no matter what you may have been told, is what the true church of Christ stands for.
I love you and God loves you!
Wes
P.S. You may want to also read the article, “What is the Church?“
The post Is the “Church of Christ” a Denomination? appeared first on Radically Christian.
I am largely, however, not entirely in agreement with virtually everything that is stated in this article. What is NOT addressed is the divisiveness and inflammatory remarks and statements by many of those who attend, yes, the "denomination" of the "Church of Christ". This article, well intentioned holds a great deal of truth, but does not address the core problem.
Accurately stated in the article that the sign that hangs above the door, even if it states "Church of Christ", will not get you into heaven, and does not constitute the body or His church. It is the confession of sin and the repentance thereof, the turning away from, and being baptized as Jesus commanded, in the name of the father, son, and holy ghost, that makes you part of the "Body/Church of Christ." There are those that attend the denomination of the "church of Christ" that will make it through the pearly gates, and some like all denominations, will not make it through, and will hear "depart from me, I never knew you."
My wife's grandfather passed away many years ago and he and his wife attended a local Baptist church for many years, serving and being a part of the body of Christ. Her grandmother surviving her very recently deceased grandfather, had to endure her "Church of Christ" son-in-law tell her that her now deceased husband was in hell and she would be too, if she did not join the "Church of Christ". To say that because they did not attend a house of worship that had hung above the door of the church, "Church of Christ", they were going to hell, was in and of itself sinful. No one knows the heart of another person. If you have acknowledged that Jesus is the Christ, and you believe him to be born a virgin birth. Lived a sinless life. Crucified. Buried in a tomb, and rose again on the third day according to scripture. Baptized according to scripture, IS A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH KING JESUS.
My father was a minister of the gospel, the good news, of Jesus the Christ. He pastored churches for over a quarter century, would periodically go to interdenominational pastoral fellowship meetings with other like minded obedient pastors in the area. Who was always missing? A representative from the denomination of the "Church of Christ".
The fact that an article has to written and conversations had is because of the ungodly, divisive, and arrogant stand, that many have taken, that because you do not gather in a building that has "Church of Christ" on it you will not make it into heaven. To errantly state that because other people saved by the same Jesus, are not saved/born again, is so very sadly divisive and it is damaging to the body and Christ's church. My parents were married for 53 years and I assure you they had disagreements. But, they were as the Word states "One flesh". We have different denominations within the body of Christ. We have different functions within the SAME body.
There are those who attend the "Church of Christ" that internally disagree on some topics. Are we to say one of those individuals are not saved simply because they disagree on some topic? What makes the difference? They are both attending under the same roof.. It is what is in the heart of the individual and as closely adhering to Biblical scriptural mandate in obedience that makes the Church. Not as what was stated accurately in this article that makes the Church. Conversations and statement otherwise are unnecessary and harmful to the Church.
The fact that every building where people of this persuasion meets has a sign that says ______church of Christ outside of it- by definition- makes the idea that the church of Christ is a denomination so obvious on its face that it would difficult to try to argue against it. The fact that most members of the church of Christ try their best to take up the argument is sad. The general agreement amongst attendees at meetings held in buildings with signs that say church of Christ outside of it on matters like what we do when we meet to "worship" and what we say to people who come and want to be saved is remarkable- given there does not appear to be any central governing body. I only hedge my statement because I may be wrong....I've been wrong many times. I live in Texas and can assure you that a good portion of the folks in Texas do not agree with what the central governing body in the state tries to lay out as the way we should be, eg speed limit. I am a person who has spent many years in Texas and in buildings with signs that say church of Christ outside. I believe God is bigger than our governor, state legislature.and state law enforcement agencies. I pray for people who hang out in buildings with signs that say church of Christ outside of the building that all will see that God is big and all of us are very little.There is some similarity between governments and churches. It mostly revolves around a word and concept near and dear to preachers in the denomination known as the church of Christ. That word/idea is authority. We want to believe that our government derives it's authority from the people but I believes guns play a large part in law enforcement- maybe I'm wrong. Enforcing church of Christ tradition usually falls to the preacher and elders- if the local church has them. Thankfully, leaders in the church of Christ dont use guns to enforce their ideas. In fact- these days- church of Christ leaders are so afraid of guns in church meetings that they generally have a plan to address someone who shows up with a gun- intending to cause trouble with their gun(s), that they have a plan to fight fire with fire and have men on the property....most often in the building, with guns on their person to stop the bad guy with the gun(s) from doing harm. I am not sure what Jesus thinks about this but I am pretty sure that the leaders who have a policy and plan in place dont know or even care too much about what Jesus thinks about this situation and it is this very attitude found in leaders that provides secondary evidence that the grouds that meet in buildings with a church of Christ sign outside are just as denominational as a 5 dollar bill. I like 5 dollar bills- I can usually get a soda(in Texas we call the cokes) and bag of chips for $5 and maybe have some change left to put in the collection plate and church. Have a nice day.