Church of Christ History

Churches of Christ are located throughout the world, but are concentrated in the Southern and Southwestern sections of the United States. Because this is a brotherhood of churches and not a denomination, centralized activities such as record keeping are opposed. Recent more scientific efforts show the membership to be about 1,250,000 in nearly 13,000 churches in the United States alone.

The Churches of Christ seek unity among churches that is Bible-based. They believe that the Bible is the guide by which God-fearing people can achieve spiritual oneness-to "Speak where the Bible speaks and to be silent where the Bible is silent" in all matters pertaining to faith and morals. Members of the church recognize no other written creed or confession of faith. In all religious matters, they look in the Bible for guidance and or instruction.

In modem times the churches of Christ are related to the “Restoration Movement,” a religious movement of the eighteenth century in the United States based on the work and thinking of James O'Kelly in Virginia, Abner Jones and Elias Smith in New England, Barton Stone in Kentucky and Thomas and Alexander Campbell in West Virginia . They all said that “nothing should be bound upon Christians as a matter of doctrine which is not as old as the New Testament,” and although they started at different times and in different areas of the country, they eventually became one strong religious stream because of their common purpose and plea.

This same religious thinking can be seen in other countries and times. For instance, in nineteenth century Russia, colonel Vasili Paskov and Count Modest Korff invited hundreds of Russian evangelicals to St. Petersburg, Russia in 1884. Although existence under the Soviet government was difficult for the movement, it did survive in some form. Spain also experienced a restoration movement which affected the lives of many.

The leaders among the Churches of Christ in the nineteenth century insisted on a strict adherence to the New Testament pattern of worship and church organization. Congregations refused to join any intercongregational organization, such as a missionary society. Their worship was simple, and they opposed the addition of instrumental music on the grounds that the New Testament did not authorize it and that the early church did not use it.

Because of their insistence on doing things according to the Bible, they claim to be nondenominational and have no denominational headquarters, no governing bodies, and no clergy. Congregations cooperate voluntarily in national and international programs sponsored by another congregation or group of congregations.