WHO ARE THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST? THE ONLY IDENTITY WE DESIRE IS TO BE THE CHURCH THAT YOU READ ABOUT IN THE BIBLE, NOTHING MORE AND NOTHING LESS! WE ARE NOT A DENOMINATION. OUR LORD CAME TO THIS EARTH TO ESTABLISH HIS CHURCH (MATTHEW 16:18), NOT A DENOMINATION DEVISED AND ORGANIZED BY MAN. WE DILIGENTLY STRIVE TO FILL OUR ROLE AS “THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH” (1 TIMOTHY 3:15).
WE HAVE NO HEADQUARTERS ANYWHERE IN THIS WORLD. THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND HE IS ITS ONLY HEAD (MATTHEW 28:18; EPHESIANS 1:22-23). WE HAVE NO GOVERNING BODY THAT DETERMINES DOCTRINE OR POLICY FOR OUR CONGREGATIONS. RATHER, FOLLOWING THE PATTERN LAID OUT IN THE BIBLE, EACH CONGREGATION IS AUTONOMOUS, SELF-GOVERNING. WE HAVE NO CREED BOOK, MANUAL OR OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF CHURCH DOCTRINE. THE BIBLE IS OUR ONLY AUTHORITY AS TO WHAT SHOULD BE BELIEVED, TAUGHT AND PRACTICED DOCTRINALLY (2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17).
OUR WORSHIP IS SIMPLE, FOCUSED ON EXPRESSING OUR ADORATION FOR GOD, AND CONFORMS TO HIS WILL AS COMMUNICATED IN SCRIPTURE. WE MEET EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK TO COMMEMORATE, THROUGH THE LORD’S SUPPER, THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS (ACTS 20:7). WE SING PRAISES TO GOD A CAPPELLA (EPHESIANS 5:19; COLOSSIANS 3:16). WE OPENLY STUDY AND TEACH GOD’S WORD (2 TIMOTHY 4:2). WE PRAY FOR GOD’S GUIDANCE, WISDOM, PROTECTION, FORGIVENESS AND BLESSINGS (1 TIMOTHY 2:1; JAMES 1:5; 5:13, 16). WE GIVE BACK TO GOD FROM THE FINANCIAL BLESSINGS WITH WHICH HE HAS BLESSED US (1 CORINTHIANS 16:2; 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-7).
OUR MISSION IS TO TEACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST THROUGHOUT THE WORLD (MARK 16:15-16). JESUS CHRIST IS OUR ONLY SAVIOR, AND THERE IS NO WAY TO GOD EXCEPT THROUGH HIM (JOHN 14:6). ALL ARE GUILTY OF SIN (ROMANS 3:23). THE CONSEQUENCE OF SIN IS SPIRITUAL DEATH (ROMANS 6:23). FORGIVENESS AND SALVATION AWAIT ALL “IN CHRIST” (ROMANS 8:1). THE GOSPEL IS GOD’S MESSAGE OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST (ROMANS 1:16).
GOD’S PLAN FOR MAN’S SALVATION IS SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD. IT IS ONLY BY GOD’S GRACE THROUGH FAITH THAT WE CAN BE SAVED (EPHESIANS 2:8-9). AS A PERSON RESPONDS TO GOD’S OFFER OF GRACE BY REPENTING OF HIS SIN (ACTS 3:19), CONFESSING HIS FAITH IN CHRIST (MATTHEW 10:32-33) AND SUBMITTING TO BAPTISM “INTO CHRIST” (ROMANS 6:3), HIS SINS WILL BE CLEANSED BY THE BLOOD SHED BY THE LORD ON THE CROSS (ACTS 22:16; HEBREWS 9:27-28). HE THEN BEGINS A NEW LIFE OF FAITHFULNESS TO GOD (REVELATION 2:10).
OUR INTENT IS TO SPEAK WHERE THE BIBLE SPEAKS AND REMAIN SILENT WHERE THE BIBLE IS SILENT, TO SUBMIT TO GOD’S WILL, AS COMMUNICATED IN HIS WORD, IN ALL MATTERS OF FAITH. “THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST GREET YOU” (ROMANS 16:16).