A brother in the Churches of Christ (who does not see his own fellowship as a "denomination") comments, "I don't know of any major denomination that appeals for the restoration of New Testament Christianity and urges people to drop all human creeds." * * * In addition to Churches of Christ and Christian Churches, the Seventh-day Adventists, Nazarenes, many different "Church of God" groups, plus the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, all claim to have recovered, regained, or even "restored" first-century ground. One Church of God group points with pride to the fact that it was established "in … [Read more...]
THE ONE TRUE CHURCH (POEM)
Many years ago someone sent me an anonymous poem titled "The One True Church." Although considerably longer than most gracEmails, I think its point is worth sharing here. ______________________ THE ONE TRUE CHURCH One Sabbath morn I roamed astray, and asked a Pilgrim for the way: "O tell me, whither shall I search, That I may find the one true Church?" He answered, "Search the world around; The one true Church is never found. Yon ivy on the abbey wall, Makes fair the falsest Church of all." But, fearing he had told me wrong, I cried, "Behold the entering throng!" He answered, "If a … [Read more...]
THE ONE TRUE CHURCH
Someone recently wrote me an email arguing that only those who belong to his particular denomination are any part of the body of Christ and the universal church of God. How should we respond to such claims, which are made across the "Christian" spectrum? * * * For more than a millennium now, different people have equated the true church of Christ with some particular group found in the Yellow Pages (an anachronism, I know, but you get the point). All such attempts will ultimately fail because they are trying to shrink Christ's spiritual body, God's true church, to a tiny segment of the whole … [Read more...]
ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH
A few Sundays ago while my wife Sara Faye was on a women's retreat, I missed Bible class at our Church of Christ to attend a service at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Houston. This is an evangelical congregation whose long-time rector (pastor), gracEmail subscriber Larry Hall, has been a dear friend since 1982 and has occasionally invited me to serve as a guest teacher. I reflected afterward about what part of the service I found most to be a blessing, and concluded that it was the incarnational involvement of the whole person and all of one's senses. One bows upon entering the … [Read more...]
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
A gracEmail subscriber writes, "I keep hearing from fellow ministers that we need to become a first-century or New Testament church. Does not the New Testament show the first-century churches to be just as fraught with problems as churches today?" * * * Throughout church history, various Christian groups have sought to "restore" New Testament Christianity. Insofar as that means proclaiming the original good news of God's mighty, saving deeds, giving Jesus the place of preeminence the New Testament accords him, relying on the same divine power and leading of the Holy Spirit that characterized … [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...]
EMBARRASSED BY HER CHURCH
A gracEmail subscriber asks, "What advice can you give someone in a small, one-church town, who wishes to reach out to unchurched friends, but who is embarrassed by his or her own congregation? It's difficult to invite another person to visit a church you don't enjoy attending yourself." * * * Have you spoken with others in your own congregation about this problem -- including the leaders? Who knows, they might even share your distress and want to join in making your church a more inviting place! And if they are not, perhaps other brothers or sisters in your church share your feelings and … [Read more...]
DESIRABLE CHANGES
A prominent Bible teacher and preacher in the Churches of Christ writes: "You said, 'It is time for change in doctrines created by our deductions and not by the Word of God; . . . for change in the passing over, ignoring, and sometimes explaining away of biblical teachings, doctrines and experiences which others found before we did . . .' Would you give some examples of each?" * * * Doctrines created by our deductions would include the teaching that the Bible not only approves taking the Lord's Supper each Sunday but that it also requires taking it every Sunday and forbids doing so on any … [Read more...]
CHURCHES AND CHANGE (2)
A concerned writer warns, "If some among us don't believe that the church is essentially distinctive, but believe that we're just another denomination, then the call for change will be loud and clear. We should rather hear God say, 'Ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls' (Jer. 6:16)." [The same concern about change occurs in many other fellowships as well, to which the following remarks may be adapted.] * * * It is time for those who do not study the Bible to get busy doing it. It is time for those who have studied, but who have … [Read more...]
CHURCHES AND CHANGE (1)
A concerned writer warns, "If some among us don't believe that the church is essentially distinctive, but believe that we're just another denomination, then the call for change will be loud and clear. We should rather hear God say, 'Ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls' (Jer. 6:16)." [The same concern about change occurs in many other fellowships as well, to which the following remarks may be adapted.] * * * When he speaks of "the church," this brother refers to the non-instrumental fellowship of Churches of Christ, a subgroup … [Read more...]
