I beg the indulgence of readers who are not associated with Baptist churches or Churches of Christ, as we look in three gracEmails at those two groups of Christians, both particularly populous and highly competitive throughout the southern United States. * * * The Baptist flock provided many converts to Campbell's movement, particularly throughout the South. When Campbell preached in Nashville, Tennessee in the mid-1800's, a majority of the city's First Baptist Church membership was persuaded to join his reformation. Little wonder that the Southern Baptist Encyclopedia labels "Campbellism" … [Read more...]
BAPTISTS & CHURCHES OF CHRIST (1)
I beg the indulgence of readers who are not associated with Baptist churches or Churches of Christ, as we look in three gracEmails at those two groups of Christians, both particularly populous and highly competitive throughout the southern United States. * * * Baptists and Church of Christ folk have far more in common than either of them sometimes acknowledges. Right-thinking people in both places know that we must trust Christ's work on the cross for salvation. Neither group attaches any significance or value to baptism apart from faith-trust in Jesus Christ. Both groups baptize converts in … [Read more...]
THE CHURCH NAME
A gracEmaiI subscriber writes: "I am considering worshipping with a nearby Baptist congregation. However, I keep thinking about the Scriptures that refer to churches as Churches of Christ, Churches of God, Assemblies of God, etc. Where does that leave people who attend churches with other names such as Calvary Baptist Church?" * * * Ideally, we followers of Jesus would all be called simply "Christians," "believers" or "disciples of Christ." Unfortunately, we live in a world that is not ideal -- which, of course, applies also to each one of us. I am well aware of the arguments regarding a … [Read more...]
ORIGIN OF A BAPTISMAL TRADITION (1)
"Why," various readers have inquired, "do Churches of Christ emphasize baptism 'for the remission of sins,' as if that were its only biblical meaning?" * * * The New Testament does speak of baptism "for the remission (forgiveness) of sins," of course (Acts 2:38), and Christians of most denominations acknowledge the same each time they recite the Nicene Creed. But the Apostles, evangelists and earliest followers of Jesus spoke of baptism in many other ways as well. How this particular phrase, found in a single biblical passage, became a universal and almost-exclusive formula among Churches of … [Read more...]
