What is a 'Church of Christ"?

Question

Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Baptist....what denomination is the Church of Christ?

Answer 1

The “church of Christ” is neither Catholic, nor Protestant. The church of Christ is not a denomination. The church of Christ identifies itself by name as a church that is trying to follow the “doctrine of Christ” (2 John 9). The “church of Christ” identifies itself by name as a church that belongs to Christ. The name points to the owner and builder. The name points to the one who purchased the church. (Matthew 16:18, Acts 20: 28)

In contrast to this the name of many denominations point to the name of a man, a particular practice, or the way they are organized. A member of a denomination identifies himself by name as one who submits to the authority of that denomination and tries to follow the doctrine (teaching) of that denomination. Why not just follow the doctrine and authority of Christ?

The church of the Bible is compared to a bride, with Christ being the groom. A bride honors the groom when she agrees to wear his name. But many churches today wear man made names.

Suppose, for example, Mr. Smith asks his girlfriend to marry him. She agrees, but says, “Our friend Mr. Jones is a good man, so when we get married, instead of being called Mrs. Smith, I want to be called Mrs. Jones.” Would Mr. Smith have a reason to question her loyalty to him? Would he feel honored? Why would a bride wear another man’s name? Why would a church want to wear a man-made name? The “church of Christ” wears a name found in scripture (Romans 16: 16).


The church of Christ wishes to restore the church to the teaching that was established and authorized by Christ and his apostles. We wish to have Biblical authority for everything we practice and teach. (Col. 3:17)

The Bible teaches that Jesus is the head of the church and the church is his body. (Eph. 1:22-23) The church of Christ recognizes this, and therefore there is no “headquarters” on earth. Each congregation is independent and goes directly to the Bible to learn what should be taught and how we should worship. We believe the Bible is sufficient and we need no other authority or creed books. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3) Christ has “all authority” and we wish to follow this authority by following the things He taught. (Matt 28:18-20) We don’t want to add any man-made doctrine. (If we follow the authority or teaching of men, then Christ does not have “all authority” in our spiritual lives.) If we teach as doctrine the commandments of men, this makes our worship vain! (Matthew 15:9)

Please do not confuse the church of Christ with the “United Church of Christ”, the “International Church of Christ”, the “Church of Christ Scientists”, or the “Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints (Mormons)”. These groups are not the same and they teach drastically different things!

If you wish to know more about those who simply want to be New Testament Christians (nothing more, nothing less, nothing else), I invite you to investigate the church of Christ by comparison to the Scriptures! I have included a few web sites below that you might wish to visit, or you can e-mail me with any additional questions.

Thank you for your good question and interest in the church.

Answer 2

All Christians are part of the Church of Christ. It is not a place.

The true name of the Mormon's is Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints.

Jehovah's Witnesses have no other name.

The English have a cathedral called Christ Church.

There is a non-denominational albeit "unitarian" style of church called Church of Christ. But I don't think they're exactly Christian. Kind of like the Mormons aren't Christian.

Answer 3

They conveniently take the name "Church of Christ" and use that to mean that they are the only church of Christ. They believe that you must be a member of their church to go to Heaven. All members of all other churches are destined to go to Hell. They present the Gospel and believe baptism is essential to salvation. While some may differ as to whether baptism is necessary for salvation, all Christian churches believe that baptism is required in order to be in obedience to Jesus' command. There are a lot of good Christian people in the Church of Christ but it is easy to see how they could be considered a cult. Many do consider them a cult.

Answer 4

Having been a deacon in the church of Christ in the past; may I suggest one be careful!!!!
The term church of Christ is used by a few 'denominations'. It can be the Mormons, (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), it could be a group that limits music to 'vocal music only, independent congregations, baptism by immersion in water only', etc.
There are several others also.
ASk their views (or preferably get them in writing) before one commits to it.

Answer 5

If i don't attend church, i'm getting grounded. And as quickly as I say grounded, I advise no T.V., laptop, iPod-- a heck, something that incorporates relaxing in actuality. i'm purely left with homework and snoozing. for this reason i'd desire to bypass to church. My mum and dad are basic catholics via the way. meaning church each and every Sunday. fortuitously, they now permit me bypass at midday, quite than at 6:30 in the morning. you do not additionally understand ways it became like in the previous. those chilly mornings, loss of sleep, and dreadful singing... -brrrrrrrz-

Answer 6

"Church of Christ" is over-used as a name for a church or religious denomination. It could refer to any one of a dozen or more unaffiliated bodies, including Christian Scientists (their official name is "Church of Christ, Scientist"). Two other signficant groups using the name are "United Church of Christ" and "Church of Christ Emergent".

The term is also used generally as a synonym for Christianity and/or Christendom.


As an interesting note of trivia, in the early part of the last century the name "Church of Christ" was seriously considered as a replacement name for the religion formerly known as "International Bible Students". The elders leading the group at the time reportedly felt that the name was insufficiently unique, evoked a place for worship rather than worship itself, and did not itself glorify God. Perhaps at the direction of the Holy Spirit, that organization instead applied a Scriptural name to itself from Isaiah chapter 43:

(Isaiah 43:10) “YOU are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah
(Isaiah 43:12) "YOU are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah, “and I am God.

Providentially, the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" also aligns them Scripturally with the head of the Christian congregation:
(Revelation 1:5) Jesus Christ, “the Faithful Witness”


Jehovah's Witnesses teach that no salvation occurs without Christ, that accepting Christ's sacrifice is a requirement for true worship, that every prayer must acknowledge Christ, that Christ is the King of God's Kingdom, that Christ is the head of the Christian congregation, that Christ is immortal and above every creature, even that Christ was the 'master worker' in creating the universe!

Jehovah's Witnesses note that the bible most closely associates being "Christian" with witnessing or PREACHING about Christ and Christ's teachings. Review all three times the bible uses the term "Christian" and note that the context connects the term with:
"declaring the good news"
'teaching quite a crowd'
'open eyes, turn from dark to light'
"uttering sayings of truth"
"persuade"
"keep on glorifying"

(Acts 11:20-26) [The early disciples of Jesus] began talking to the Greek-speaking people, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus... and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.

(Acts 26:17-28) [Jesus said to Paul] I am sending you, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God... Paul said: “I am not going mad, Your Excellency Festus, but I am uttering sayings of truth and of soundness of mind. ...Do you, King Agrippa, believe the Prophets? I know you believe.” But Agrippa said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.”

(1 Peter 4:14-16) If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy... But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name


It is the preaching work that makes it clear that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are by far the most prominent followers of Christ:

(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded


Learn more!
http://watchtower.org
http://watchtower.org/library/ti/index.htm

Answer 7

MORMONS...stay away if you want to keep your sanity...better know as the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints

Answer 8

They are a denomination of their own.

They are fundamental in their beliefs, I usually see them in Furr's restaurants Sunday Afternoon. You can recognize them because the women have their hair in buns and are in dresses.

My dad's side of the family are Church of Christ.

Answer 9

It is a legitimate church of it's own denomination.