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We call ourselves simply
"Christians." We are dedicated
to Christ and to a restoration of His church, as outlined in the New Testament.
The term "Church of Christ" simply designates ownership; “The
church”: those called out of sin into salvation in Christ, “of,” belonging to,
“Christ,” the One and Only Saviour and Son of God, the Way, the Truth, and the Life
(John 14:6). We are
non-denominational. Denominationalism is
condemned in the Bible (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).
We plead for religious unity based upon the teachings of Christ and the
apostles (John 17: 20, 21, Ephesians 2:20).
Rule of Faith and Life
The unity of teaching and
living we enjoy is due to our acceptance of Christ as "all authority"
(Matthew 28:18, Hebrews 1:1-2) and the Bible as God’s sole source of revelation
to humanity (Jude 3). Since faith comes by
hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and whatsoever is not of faith is sin
(Romans 14:23), we conclude that anything not authorized by the Word of God is
not approved of God. We understand that God spoke to humanity in the past
through the Patriarchs, the Law of Moses, the Old Testament, and the
Prophets. He has however spoken to us in
“these last days” through His Son, Jesus Christ and the New Testament. While the Old Testament is God’s word for our
learning (Romans 15:4), the New Testament is God’s word for life and living
today. We must therefore exclude any
teaching or practice not found in the Word and we must include any found
therein (Revelation 22: 18,19).
Organization
Christ is the head of the
church (Ephesians 1:22). Therefore there
are no earthly headquarters anywhere. Each
congregation is autonomous (self-governed) and independent of every other
congregation. Officers of each congregation
are chosen according to qualifications found in (1 Timothy 3:1-13) and (Titus
1: 5-9) and serve in capacities outlined in 1 Peter 5: 1-4. These officers are often called elders,
bishops, pastors, overseers, and shepherds.
Each congregation has special servants called deacons qualified and
appointed to serve in specific capacities to see that all thing are done
“decently and in order” in the church (1 Corinthians 14:15).
Worship
In Worship, we conform to the
pattern outlined by Christ (John 4:24) that God is Spirit and those who worship
him must worship him "in spirit and in truth.” We worship in spirit, meaning from the
heart. We worship in truth, meaning
according to what is authorized in the God’s word, the New Testament. The church written about in the New Testament
engaged in five items of worship: preaching (the apostles’ doctrine, Acts
2:42), remembering Christ’s death in the Lord's Supper each Sunday ("breaking
bread"), singing without the use of instruments (Ephesians 5:19,
Colossians 3:16), praying (Acts 12:5), and giving (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). We
have a specific example of the church coming together to break bread (Acts
20:7) and to take a collection from the members (1 Corinthians 16: 1, 2) on the
first day of the Week (Sunday).
Membership
Those we read about in the New
Testament, who obeyed the commands of the Lord which He had outlined to the
apostles (Mark 16: 15, 16), were added to the church by the Lord (Acts 2: 47).
Today Christians have no right to demand anything more or anything less of
those wishing to become a child of God than that which we can read in the New
Testament. Anyone who hears the gospel
of Jesus Christ, believes it (Mark 16:16, Romans 10:9-10), repents of their
sins (Acts 2:38, Luke 13:3), confesses that Jesus is the Son of God (Romans
10:9-10, Acts 8:37), and is baptized (immersed) into Christ in the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16,
Galatians 3:2-27) receives forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, a
new life, and membership in His church.
Mission
Jesus sent His disciples out
into all the world to share the Good News, the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). We recognize and accept our responsibility to
take the message of salvation in Jesus Christ to all the world today that all
might have the opportunity to receive the blessings which He made possible by
His death at Calvary. Our mission consists of three basic areas of
ministry: Evangelism, Edification, and
Benevolence.