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"WHAT IS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST?"
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Occasionally I am asked questions like these...
 a. "Are you Church of Christ?"
 b. "Are you a Church of Christ preacher?"
 c. "Are you a member of the Church of Christ?"
 
2. Rarely do I reply without some hesitation...
 a. Not that I wish to be evasive
 b. But the inquiry comes from a mindset that precludes an easy answer
 c. If I offer a simple response
the inquirer will likely be left
 with the wrong impression
 
3. The difficulty revolves around this question
"What is the Church of
 Christ?"...
 a. The phrase "Church of Christ" means different things to different
 people
 b. The term "Church of Christ" must be understood alike to avoid
 misunderstanding
 
[To illustrate the challenge we face in talking to others about the
"Church of Christ"
let's review three different "views"...]
 
I. THE DENOMINATIONAL VIEW
 
 A. EXPLANATION OF THIS VIEW...
 1. The Church of Christ is made up of those churches with the name
  "Church of Christ"
 2. The "Church of Christ" (as such) is but one denomination among
 many
 3. Together with other denominations
they constitute the
 universal church
the Body of Christ
 
 B. THOSE WHO MAY HOLD THIS VIEW...
 1. Those in other denominations
 a. E.g.
Catholics
Baptists
Methodists
etc.
 b. Understandably so
because of their denominational mindset
 in which they view their own
 "church" (denomination) as but a part of the Body of Christ
 2. Many in the "mainstream" churches of Christ
 a. I.e.
the majority of congregations with the name "Church of
 Christ"
 b. Especially members who came from denominations
 1) Bringing their denominational mindset with them
 2) Perhaps thinking they simply left one denomination for a
 "better" one
 c. Including liberal preachers and elders in such congregations
 1) Perhaps reacting against a "sectarian" view (see below)
 held in the past
 2) Perhaps weary of trying to maintain an nondenominational
 view of the church
 
[In a religious environment where denominationalism is presumed to be
the only option
most people have a denominational view of the Church of
Christ which is reflected in their questions. There is another view
that some may have...]
 
II. THE SECTARIAN VIEW
 
 A. EXPLANATION OF THIS VIEW...
 1. The Church of Christ is made up only of those churches with the
 name "Church of Christ"
 2. Those churches constitute the one
true church
the Body of
 Christ
 3. People in any other congregations cannot possibly be members of
 the Body of Christ
 
 B. THOSE WHO MAY HOLD THIS VIEW...
 1. Many in "mainstream" churches of Christ
 a. Especially those viewing "Church of Christ" as the official
 name for the Lord's church
 b. Evidenced by their exclusive use of the expression "Church
 of Christ"
 2. Many in "non-mainstream" churches of Christ
 a. Including some who often identify themselves on the basis of
 one issue
 1) Who tend to judge a congregation's faithfulness on the
  basis of a particular issue
 2) E.g.
if it is "non-institutional" (opposing church
 support of human institutions)
then it must be a
 faithful congregation
 3) E.g.
if it is "mutual edification" (opposing located
 preachers)
then it must be faithful
 b. In particular those who identify themselves "International
 Church of Christ"
 1) Who demand allegiance to one head church
formerly
 located in Boston
 2) Who view any church that refuses allegiance to be
 "apostate"
 
[This view is often held by those trying to maintain a nondenominational
view of the Church of Christ
yet react to one extreme by going to the
opposite. Then there is what I will term...]
 
III. THE BIBLICAL VIEW
 
 A. EXPLANATION OF THIS VIEW...
 1. There is the Church of Christ in the "universal" sense
 a. Composed of all Christians
 1) The church to which Jesus referred in Mt 16:18
 2) Made up all the saved
both living and dead - cf. He
 12:22-24
 b. There is just one
 1) The universal church is called the "body" of Christ - Ep
 1:22-23
 2) There is only one "body" (Ep 4:4); therefore
only one
 church!
 c. Began on the Day of Pentecost
 1) In Jerusalem
following the death
resurrection and
 ascension of Christ - Ac 2:1-47
 2) As Peter later referred to this day
it was the
 "beginning" - cf. Ac 11:15
 d. Enter only by being added by the Lord
 1) One cannot "join" the church by their own volition
 2) Rather
they are "added" by the Lord Himself when saved 
  - Ac 2:41
47
 e. The Lord keeps the books of membership
 1) There is no agency on earth that keeps the registry of
 true members
 2) Enrollment is in heaven; only the Lord knows those who
 are truly His - He 12:23; 2 Ti 2:19
 f. Consists of all the saved
 1) The Lord is presenting to Himself a church holy and
 without blemish - cf. Ep 5:25-27
 2) Those in the church who are sinning and refuse to repent
 are "cut off"
"cast out"
"spewed out" - cf. Jn 15:2
6;
 Ro 11:19-22; Re 3:16
 g. Must be in this to be saved
 1) For the Lord is the Savior of the "body" (which is His
 church) - Ep 5:23
  2) Since the Lord adds one to His church when they are
 saved
one cannot be saved and not be in the church
 universal!
 h. Has no earthly organization
 1) The church universal has organization - cf. Ep 2:19-22; 
 1 Pe 2:5
 a) What organization exists is spiritual in nature
 b) E.g.
Christ as the cornerstone
together with His
 apostles and prophets as the foundation
and all
  Christians as "living stones"
 2) There is no earthly headquarters for the church
 a) E.g.
no telephone number to call to speak with the
 "head" of the church
 b) For the Head and His headquarters are in heaven!
 i. Can't be divided
 1) For there is no earthly organization to divide!
 2) If division appears to exist...
 a) Some unscriptural organization of churches must have
 been created
 b) Such organizations can have division
but not the
 Lord's church universal!
 3) Those who would seek to divide the church through
 doctrine
conduct
etc.
are simply cut off by the Lord
  Himself!
 4) There is and always will be
"one body"! - Ep 4:4 (we
 need to make sure we are remaining faithful to be in it!)
 j. Death doesn't affect membership
 1) The church universal is made up of the saved
both living
 and dead - He 12:22-23
 2) When one dies
they are still with Christ! - Ph 1:21-23;
 1 Th 5:10
 k. Does not have one official name
 1) No one exclusive name or term is used to describe the
 universal church
 2) Various terms used include church of God
body
kingdom

 etc.- 1 Co 10:32; Ep 1:22-23; Co 1:13
 2. There are churches of Christ in the "local" sense
 a. Composed of Christians in one location
 1) A local church is made up of Christians in one
 geographical area
 2) E.g.
the church at Corinth
the church of the
 Thessalonians - 1 Co 1:2; 1 Th 1:1
 -- In contrast
the church universal is made up of
 Christians everywhere!
 b. There are many churches
 1) Paul had reference to local churches when he wrote Ro
 16:16
 2) And again when he wrote Ga 1:2 
  -- When it comes to the church universal
though
there is
 just one!
 c. Begins wherever people join together
 1) As the gospel spreads and people respond to it
those in
 a particular area start a local church when they agree to
 work together as one
 2) Just as the church in Antioch began later than the church
 in Jerusalem - Ac 11:19-26
 -- Whereas the church universal began in Jerusalem on
  Pentecost
local churches have begun at different places
 and different times!
 d. Enter by joining ourselves
 1) When one wishes to become an accepted member of the local
 church
they must "join themselves" to that church
 2) Such as Paul sought to do when he came to the church in
 Jerusalem - Ac 9:26-28
 -- Whereas one is "added" by the Lord Himself to the
 universal church
we can seek to "join" a local
  congregation (if its members are willing to accept us)
 e. Enrolled by human judgment
 1) Whether we are accepted into a local church is a decision
 made by the leaders or members of that church
 2) Sometimes people are rejected when they should be
 received - 3 Jn 5-9
 -- Evil men may succeed in kicking one out of a local
 church
but only the Lord determines who stays in the
 universal church!
  f. Consists of both saved and lost
 1) Since enrollment occurs through human judgment
fallible
 decisions can be made
 2) A local church may therefore have some who are nominal
 Christians - cf. Re 3:1-4
 -- Hypocrites may become members of a local church; but they
 don't sneak by the Lord to become members of the
 universal church!
 g. Do not have to be in this to be saved
 1) One can be saved
and not belong to any local church
 2) Such was the case of the Eunuch immediately following his
 conversion
and of Paul when he was in transit between
 Antioch and Jerusalem - cf. Ac 8:39; 9:26
 -- Of course
this should be temporary; in the universal
 church
it is impossible!
 h. Has earthly organization
 1) A local church when scripturally organized will have
 bishops and deacons - Ph 1:1
 2) These bishops were also called "elders" and "pastors"

 whose role was to oversee and feed the local congregation
 - Ac 14:23; 20:17
28
 -- The only role or position ever given men over the
 universal church on earth was the apostles and they were
 not replaced when they died - e.g.
James in Ac 12:2
 i. Can be divided
 1) Local churches can easily be divided over doctrine or
 personalities
 2) Such was the case with the church at Corinth - 1 Co 1:
 10-13; 3:3
4
 -- While we can't divide the universal church
we can be
 responsible for dividing local churches!
 j. Death does affect membership
  1) When we die
our membership in a local congregation ends
 2) When Stephen died
he was no longer a member of the
 Jerusalem church - Ac 8:1-2
 -- But our membership in the church universal continues on
  after death!
 k. May use different scriptural names
 a. Showing relationship to God or Christ - 1 Co 1:2; Ro
 16:16
 b. Identifying the location of the members - 1 Th 1:1; 2 Th
 1:2
 -- There is no one official name
but we should use
 scriptural names!
 
 B. THOSE WHO MAY HOLD THIS VIEW...
 1. Many in "mainstream" churches of Christ
 a. Though there is a definite trend toward denominationalism
 (cf. Reviving The Ancient Faith
The Story of Churches of
 Christ in America
Richard T. Hughes
p. 4)
 b. There are those who still call for nondenominational
 Christianity
 2. Many in "non-mainstream" churches of Christ
  a. Especially those who often identify themselves as
 "non-institutional"
 b. Who oppose that which leads to denominationalism
 1) Such as church support of human institutions
 2) Such as sponsoring church arrangements where one church
 oversees the work of others
 3. Many in churches unknown by others in churches of Christ
 a. Who may wear other scriptural names (e.g.
Church of God?)
 b. Yet hold true to the apostles' doctrine revealed in the New
 Testament
 c. But known and recognized by the Lord as belonging to Him 
 4. Many in churches that may not be true in other respects
 a. Who may have a correct view of church origin and
 organization
 b. But who may remain ignorant or in error regarding church
 worship
work
etc.
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. What is the Church of Christ? As I understand and use the phrase...
 a. It is not a denomination among other denominations
  b. It is not some sect identified by one exclusive name
 -- It is the Lord's church
as defined and revealed in the New
 Testament
 
2. The Lord's church is thus spoken of in the Bible primarily in two
 ways...
 
 The Church "Universal"  The Church "Local"
 
 Composed of all Christians Composed of Christians in one
 location
 There is just one There are many
 Began on the Day of Pentecost Begins when people join together
 Enter only by being added by the Enter by joining ourselves
 Lord
 The Lord keeps the books of Enrolled by human judgment
 membership
 Consists of all the saved Consists of both saved and lost
 Must be in this to be saved Do not have to be in this to be
 saved
 Has no earthly organization Has earthly organization
 Can't be divided Can be divided
 Death doesn't affect membership Death does affect membership
 Does not have one scriptural May use different scriptural
 name names
 
3. Properly understood
the Church of Christ is...
 a. The one Body of Christ
the church - Ep 4:4; cf. 1:22-23
 b. Made up of disciples
called Christians - Ac 11:26; 1 Co 12:27
 c. Who work and worship together in local churches - Ro 16:16
 d. Abiding in the apostles' doctrine - Ac 2:42; cf. 1 Co 4:17
 e. Honoring Jesus' prayer for unity - Jn 17:20-21
 f. Deploring religious division in all its forms
including
 denominationalism - 1 Co 1:10-13
 
4. So in response to our original questions...
 a. "Are you Church of Christ?"
 b. "Are you a Church of Christ preacher?"
 c. "Are you a member of the Church of Christ?"
 
5. I would likely respond...
 a. "I am not 'Church of Christ'
as that reflects a denominational
 concept."
 b. "I am a preacher of the gospel of Christ
an evangelist."
 c. "I am a Christian
a disciple of Jesus Christ
and member of His
 body
the church you read about in the New Testament."
 d. "I work and worship with a nondenominational congregation of
 Christians
known as the Fortune Road Church of Christ in
 Kissimmee
Florida."
 
I strive to serve and follow Jesus without denominationalism. In view
of His prayer for unity (Jn 17:20-21)
and Paul's condemnation of
religious division (1 Co 1:10-13)
I pray that you will too...

－－《Executable Outlines》