What is the “Church of Christ”?
We are a body of Christians that try to worship God and live our lives in accordance with the teachings of Jesus the Christ and His apostles as we find them in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. We do not bring into our worship any teachings, practices or objects of worship not found in the first century church as described in the Bible.
Why use the name “Church of Christ”?
The word “Church” is the English translation of the word Greek word “ekklesia” which means “assembly” or “congregation” and is a derivative of “kalleo”, which means “a calling out”. Christ is the head of the church He built and that was established on the Day of Pentecost following His death, burial and resurrection. This name is also referenced in the New Testament by Paul.
Matthew 16:18 (NKJV)
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Ephesians 5:23-24 (NKJV)
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
Romans 16:16 (NKJV)
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.
Based on these, and other, scriptures we choose to have no one other than Christ be our “head” and to carry no other name than to be known as the “assembly/congregation/called out of Christ”.
We have no local, state, national nor international organization but each congregation of the Church of Christ is independent of all others. The only earthly organization we have is local to a congregation and consists only of elders/bishops and deacons, both of which were established by the apostles in the first century church. Both of these positions have qualifications associated with them.
Acts 14:23 (NKJV)
23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and
prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
1 Timothy 3:1-13 (NKJV)
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the
position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but
gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 one who rules his own house well, having his children
in submission with all reverence
5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how
will he take care of the church of God?);
6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into
the same condemnation as the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are
outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not
double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as
deacons, being found blameless.
11 Likewise their wives must be reverent, not
slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their
children and their own houses well.
13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for
themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ
Jesus.
