What is the Church of Christ all about? My brother in law just joined, should I be worried?

Question

He is acting really weird, and is 18 years old, really impressionable age.He was never religious his whole life, is this like a cult?
He just joined and is now telling his family they are all going to hell if they don't join and really weird stuff.

nice jedi mind trick ngerkday, just proved a point...

Answer 1

Yes. Be worried. The are a cult.

Do a search on the web for "Boston Movement" or "Church of Christ".

When my wife and I were first married we were looking for a church in L.A. when we ran into a Church of Christ member who invited us to play volleyball. Soon we were going to a weekly Bible study. Before long we began having suspicions that there was something strange about these people and their church. But we hung on because the couple whose house the bible study was at seemed like the first "normal" couple we'd met.

Ultimately our suspisions were confirmed. They're church believes that only they are saved. The church itself is very authoritarian. Once in it they run your life. All kinds of pressure are used to put you into their service. Church every wednesday night. Home bible study every Thursday night. Witnessing other nights. church on Sunday. Additionally you are "discipled" by someone in the church and are ultimately expected to do whatever they say and tell them whatever they ask, including how often you have sex with your wife, etc!!

Obviously, you are required to give a certain per cent of your income, and decisions like job changes, what city to live in, whether to move, etc. are to be made in conjunction with those in the church who oversee you. Also, since they believe everyone else is going to hell, if they can't convert you they eventually want nothing to do with you.

Beware. Looks good at first, but ultimately sad, authoritarian and abusive. But it's like any other cult, once you're "in" you are part of a family and a group and you have a sense of belonging. And as long as you don't make waves and do what they tell you you have that security. So it's hard for someone to leave.

Answer 2

I've belonged to the Church of Christ my whole life, and yes, while we do follow strict rules, we don't go around telling others they are going to hell. That's the fastest way to lose a potential convert. Instead we try to teach them, using the Bible of course, there are certain things we should and shouldn't do if we want to go to Heaven. I'm sure there are some churches that are "way out there" but we live our lives straight from the New Testament, nothing more nothing less. We each may have our own convictions that fellow Church of Christ members don't have, for example some don't believe in celebrating Christmas simply because the tree is a symbol that was brought in years ago to be worshiped, and we do not worship idols. I myself don't have this conviction, i enjoy setting up a tree every year, and I don't fall down on my knees and worship it lol. But we are taught to not use our convictions or non-convictions as a stumbling block for others. Some in our church don't believe in wearing makeup or jewelry, I believe you can be modest and still wear makeup and jewelry, just don't be flashy about it. The whole idea is modesty.


To add to this in reply to one of the answers above - there are some non-instrumental Church of Christ's, I belong to an instrumental one - we feel that the use or non-use of instruments is totally not relevant to whether or not you are going to Heaven. So if I'm traveling and all I can find to attend is a non-instrumental church then I will go to it. As far as baptism, the passage reads, believe AND be baptized. We are commanded, straight from the Bible to do BOTH. Not one or the other, whichever we choose. Jesus himself was baptized to show the significance and the importance of baptism (full immersion). I myself will follow what God commanded me to do.


And I am NOT talking about the Mormon Church of Christ, which I am not a member of - Just plain Church of Christ here.

Adding again to a reply above: If you accept Jesus and are on your way to be baptized, God is all powerful, He will take care of you and make sure you get to your baptism. He isn't a cruel God to kill you off before you get baptized!!!! Think about it!!!! Use your common sense!!!!! If the unthinkable does happen and you die, God knows all about it and knows what kind of life you were going to live anyways.

Answer 3

Im a member of Church of Christ. I know it kind of weird for those who are not yet member of the Church of Christ, before you think it is really weird try to ask him why is he acting weird, and i believe that there is a reason why he is acting so, and i know he has a basis for that. If you'll have some time you can ask him to accompany you to observe our bible study and have a knowledge about our doctrines(there are also some misconsception about listening to our bible study, they thought that once they listen to our bible study they'll become a member, but the truth is it will take almost 8 months before you become a member of our church). Just remember to have an open heart and mind. and if you want to know our basic doctrines here is our unofficial website to answer some of your questions.

Answer 4

I think it's like a cult. I've been being a Protestant for like, forever and I do a few researches of newly-born Christian churches such as so-called Christian cult Scientology (dude, it's a rubbish after all), Jehovah's Witnesses and I just find out this Church of Christ from this question.

I think it's like a devilish cult because they use Christianity to have a lot of members. I think the right religion based on Jesus Christ are just Catholic, Christian, Anglican, Orthodox and Advent Christian. That's all. But first of all you have to have a strong faith in Jesus and you have to believe in every word He says in the Bible. I believe you can decline all of those cults in His name.

Answer 5

They are extreamly strict but no real reason lies to worry. I have debated with a few of them for hours reaching no conclusion. A summary of beliefs are as follows.

1) They belive that worshipping God with musical instuments is a SIN based on a passage taken out of context in AMOS 5:23. So they worship vocally--again nothing wrong but they have theology to defend this and great arguments.

2) They belive that you HAVE TO be baptized in order to be "saved" based on taking Mark 16:16 out of context (ignoring the comma and compleatly nullifying John3:16). I have literature on this and the point was brought up that if if I am not baptized but have accepted Jesus I AM NOT FORGIVEN. Funny, if I ask " What happens if I belive in Jesus and die on the way to get baptized, will I go to heaven?" most say they dont have an answer for that.

3) Dont believe in the Old Testement.

In summary they take a few things out of context but are going to be surprized when they see a lot more people in heaven than just them. You can look it up but contrary to what they belive, there religion was actually formed by 2 men in Pennsylvania in the late 1800's. Nothing to worry about thought.

hope this helped

Answer 6

Asking a query in this somewhat disorderly and evangelical place is in all probability no longer the thank you to get friendly suggestion. 0.5 the all and sundry is atheists, and a few of the Christians refuse to have confidence that Catholics are Christian, per each and every sort of propaganda. in the U. S., there unquestionably isn't lots reason to be alarmed, somewhat if what you're disturbing approximately is being abused. the U. S. Church has taken very strict measures to ascertain that the Church is definitely one of the main secure locations to deliver your infants, jointly with history tests and fingerprinting for persons who watch infants, as properly as a path on what adults would desire to observe out for in stranger behaviour, and what behaviors to stay away from to stop any suspicion. in some way, i think of it would desire to have made the Church a chillier place for infants, yet protection seems particularly stable. very almost each and every case pronounced in the information regards a many years previous cost, maximum of them gay intercourse with older consenting minors, in spite of everything. Reception of those regulations in different international locations is spotty, as they are many times seen as overly harsh. on occasion, as a results of fact they are, and others as a results of fact some aspects the clergy would desire to nevertheless be in denial.

Answer 7

I think there are more than one Churches of Christ, but here's what I found about the International Church of Christ.

http://www.reveal.org/library/activism/srausch-warning.html

Psychology
Furthermore, they're cultish in something even worse and they would hide this until well after initiations. It first seeps in unconsciously during the intermediate stages of membership. They demand absolute submission without question to someone higher ranked in the church. They have a pyramid power structure headed by their church evangelist. Not only that, but they believe their sins are "covered" by their leader if their leader should order them to do anything sinful. To them, it's not sin as long as they were submissive.

Anyone inside who questions them is branded as weak spiritually and threatened with eternal damnation. After getting the person to confess their sins during initiations, they would use whatever personal information to brainwash and manipulate the person into obedience. They also make heavy use of scare tactics to ensure obedience. They will often give orders that have nothing to do with spiritual matters. They tell them what classes to take, what to major in, what career to enter, whom to date, and whom to marry.

What to Do about the ICC
Our job is to inform Christians about this dangerous cult and stop their campus movement. People in this cult are not afraid to tell you the name of their "church." So if you ever encounter someone, make sure you memorize who he/she is. Then warn the one he/she is trying to disciple, later when that person is away from the discipler.

Whenever you see the ICofC member and often with an accomplice talking to someone, you should be able to discern the one they're talking to. Especially if you know that person is a student. Even if it's just a casual conversation or a simple greeting. Inform that person and warn him/her about it. (It would be wise to ask how involved that person is before you inform.) This cult goes after Christians! Most phone numbers on that evangelist's list are Christians. Don't give your number and don't study with them unless you're prepared. Spread this news to everyone in your Christian college group to be spread everywhere.

Also, if your campus group has a mailing list or a phone list, it's recommended that you give or show it only to reliable people.

Answer 8

The original Church of Christ is really good.
(I'm not talking, Later Day saint. Mormon)

The COC has split 22 times. There are 23 different versions now.

Some of them are reallyyyyyyyyyyyyy out there.

Answer 9

my friend you brother might have bit off more than he knows read the links i am typing below as well . thank you . www. exmormonnomore.com www. packmanteleport.com www. nomanknowsmyhistory.com www. ldsbloodatonement.com www.the_tanners.com teaching of the church as well doctorines aas well based on fact. ?

Answer 10

my friend cult is not the answer they think if they join and live a good life they can be a god in a other world