The Churches of Christ, one of three current expressions of the Restoration Movement, has influenced my faith. I attended and received my doctoral degree in ministry from the Amridge University (formerly Southern Christian University), which is affiliated with this movement.
The Restoration Movement (Churches of Christ, Independent Christian Church, and Disciples of Christ) is comprised of those churches that seek to restore the New Testament church. Since the early church as pictured in the New Testament consisted of non-denominational congregations, the Churches of Christ remain committed to being a movement rather than developing into a denomination. The Churches of Christ and Independent Christian Church split over the issue of instruments in worship. The Churches of Christ sing a cappella since the use of musical instruments in worship is not mentioned in the New Testament. It is estimated that there are currently over one and a half million members of this tradition in the United States.
So What?
The greatest contribution the Churches of Christ tradition has made to my faith is an emphasis on the local congregation. Since there are no formal bodies or organizational structure beyond the local church, church governance and life is decided by and realized within the local community of faith.
- Does your congregation tend toward making all decisions on the local level or toward relying heavily upon the denominational structures for direction/guidance or is your present practice somewhere between these two extremes?
- How would a greater reliance upon the local congregation in all matters prove helpful for focusing and empowering a given church of Christ?
- Is a church connected by informal alliances of her choosing rather than formal denominational ties more appropriate in a postmodern context? Why or why not?