Church of Christ Campaign

  • Thread starter Thread starter TacyLou
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Exporter it was the Christian Church (disciple of Christ) that was founded by three former Presbyterians. The so called “church of
Christ” which is very different was founded in 1906 in the American Deep South by schismatic members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) over issues like the use of pipe organs, and the presence of missionary societies in the church.

There is/was a lot of confusion over church names in the begining of the “Restoration Movement”. Some congregations called themselves churches of Christ, others called themselves Christian Churches, and others yet called themselves Disciples of Christ. Later most of them merged into the Christian Church (DOC). Yet none of them were the present day “churches of Christ”, they came along much later.

The Christian Connexion you speak of was a seperate group, located mostly in the Midwest and North. Most of them merged with the Congregationalists to become the Congragational Christian Church. which later merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to become the United Church of Christ.

But this group though sharing some background and history with the so called “churches of Christ” is completely different from the “CsofC” most of us are discussing here.
 
Amontoya perhaps I was wrong about you, if so I appologise.

You are so liberal compared to all the other Campellites I know, that it is hard to beleive that you belong to the same denomination. Do you object to being called a member of a denomination, most Campbelites do?

You do sound as if you belong to a great church, had I been raised in such a church I might still be a Campbellite myself. But the church I was raised in (Eisenhower church of Christ) was very different form your description, as well as every other “cofC” I have experienced.

Do you mind if I ask what general part of the country you live in? If you live in California or other liberal areas, your experience with the “church of Christ” could indeed be very different from mine. My experience with the “churches of Christ” could be best be described as extremely nit-picking legalism. Churches splitting over such issues as whether to have sunday school classes, whether to use a common chalice or individual shot glasses for communion, over whether or not it was “scriptural” or not to have kitchen and hall facilities on church property. All those things led to congregations splitting and labeling those they dissagreed with as “non Christians”.
 
Turn the tables on them. Ask them where it says in the Bible that dancing is a sin. Ask them where it says in the Bible that people are touched by angels and “speak angelic tongues” and a mediator is needed (because their reference to the Tower of Bable does not say that 😉 ). When in doubt, question them…they have some real radical rules, most of which are not present in the Bible. When in doubt, ask them where it says in the Bible that missionaries are supposed to harass people and have a form of hatred for fellow Christians. Oh yeah, then ask them…“If the COC is the “right way” then where has it been for the last 2,000 years?”

That should handle em 😉
Good Luck and God Bless.
 
I grew up CoC and converted to Catholicism after 3 yrs RCIA, i then stayed in RCIA for about 4 more years helping with inquiry, loving the questions about standard CoC issues like; Why do Catholics worship Mary? How can you pray to dead people? Faith only is required to be saved (John 3:16). Sing and make melody in your hearts, meaning instruments should not be used to worship. Women should be submissive to men because of Paul’s teachings in the New Testament. Why don’t Catholics realize they are idolaters(sp) by believing in the Eucharist? Bow/reverence no man. Why do Caths think it necessary to confess sins to a man, instead of going straight to Christ? Also all the idolatry in the statues, icons, Stations, etc. These are just a few of the common arguements I was brought up with not even mentioning the Wednesday evening sessions “proving” the Pope is the antichrist.My mom cried when I told her I had converted, she still came to my wedding, my best man was even a Priest. I gave her a pamphlet HOW THE BIBLE CAME TO BE, she asked for more to share with others. Just wanted to share. With love.
 
40.png
OhioBob:
You could try something like this when they come to your door, but it probably wouldn’t work as well with COC folk… 😉

http://www.olemiss.edu/courses/engl205/CRUCIFIX.JPG
Click to expand...
It would only work if you used a crusafix, and not a plain cross like the one pictured. Even better if you had a rosary attached to it.
 
40.png
Apologia100:
It would only work if you used a crusafix, and not a plain cross like the one pictured. Even better if you had a rosary attached to it.
Click to expand...
It’s supposed to be a crucifix, but it doesn’t look that way from the photo. It must have been a protestant artist who painted it. 😉

It was the only pic I could find on short notice… :cool:
 
Boppysbud, that’s funny! I’ve never been called liberal before! 😃 In answer to your questions, I live in Texas, and I belong to a church, not a denomination.

God bless you!
 
40.png
amontoya:
Boppysbud, that’s funny! I’ve never been called liberal before! 😃 In answer to your questions, I live in Texas, and I belong to a church, not a denomination.

God bless you!
Click to expand...
Hey, me too!!! I belong to the First Universal Evangelican Church of the Nazarene.
 
Amontoya… of course you belong to a denomination, a Protestant fundamentalist denomination.

Your so called “churches of Christ” split away in 1906 from the Christian Church (disciples of Christ) which fully accepts the fact that they are a denomination. The founders of the CC (doc) were all members of the Presbyterian Church, (anti burgher, non seceder) a denomination. The human founders of the Christian Church Thomas and Alexander Campbell, and Barton Stone were all originally Presbyterians.

The Presbyterian denomination (anti burgher, non seceder) split away from the Church of Scotland Presbyterian denomination, which in turn split away from the Church of England Anglican denomination.

The history of your denomination is a history of one schism after another, all in the name of Christian Unity. See the irony?

The only way your so-called “churches of Christ” can claim to not be a denomination is by living in a fantasy world and ignoring historic fact.

If there is only one true “cofC” which “cofC” is it? The International/Boston “cofC”, the grace based *relatively *liberal “CofC”. The mainstream “cofC” which rejects musical instruments, the “anti” “cofC” which rejects the use of church funding of “institutions” like Universities, the “cofC” which uses a common cup for communion instead of shot glasses?

That makes six “csofC” all of whom deny fellowship and the name Christian to each other. All in the name of Christian unity.
 
Actually there are seven, not six different “churches of Christ”. I forgot (there are so many) the “church of Christ” that refuses to hold sunday school bible classes for their members. considering them “unscriptural”.
 
40.png
geezerbob:
COC bible appears to be standard KJV. The explanatory footnotes make it “their” bible.
Click to expand...
Actually, most COC churches…at least the ones I kow of…use the NIV. Baptists are the ones who tend to cling to the KJV for dear life.
 
40.png
TacyLou:
Exporter,

Thanks for the advice! My friend who is a COC doesn’t pull any punches, either. It is hard to sway them, so I’m not looking forward to the night they show up over here!!!

The best thing to do is to politely tell them you are a Roman Catholic and are very happy with your church. When they start trying to “talk”…just say again…that you are quite happy with your Catholic Church, and are not interested in the Church of Christ.

As most of the posters here know, I attend a COC (more evangelical than anything) with my husband on occasion. They all know I am a Cathoilc, and to date, no one has approached me with any kind of evangelization. There is a man in our group who is also a Catholic (he dates one of the women), and he is not hassled, either. We are both welocmed at all activities and made to feel right at home. Both of us are quite comfortable with our own faith, and are not afraid we will lose it!
Click to expand...
 
40.png
boppysbud:
Despite Amontoya’s seemingly ecumenical post. The fact remains that the “CofCs” do consider themselves to be the world’s only Christians in the only church to exist.

They think that calling themselves “THE churches of Christ” And “Christians” automatically MAKES them the church of Christ going back to the year 33 A.D., and the world’s only Christians.

If others call themselves Catholics, or Methodists according to “church of Christ” estimation, that is all that they are and not Christians. According to “cofC” theory history and the facts count for nothing, the only thing that matters is what one calls him/her self.

An analogy I like to make with the “cofCers” is if I pick up a biography of G.W. Bush and start calling myself G.W. Bush will I be president? Will others recognise me a President, or a fit occupant for a nutty bin somewhere?

And Amontoya if you are still around I can assure you that “disfellowshiping” and shunning are standard practices in the denomination that calls itself the so called “church of Christ”. I never heard of one “cofC” that does not practice this, and I have definately been around the “cofC” world.
Click to expand...

Is there anything about them on-line, that is both informative and fair-minded ? I’ve heard of them - or of bodies with the same name - but know nothing about them 🙂​

Thanks in advance ##
 
WOW, you guys are hitting the CoC pretty hard. What are they doing wrong? Going door to door spreading the Word of God? I’m firm set in my Catholic Beliefs but when was the last time you was a Catholic going door to door evangalizing?
 
40.png
dhgray:
WOW, you guys are hitting the CoC pretty hard. What are they doing wrong? Going door to door spreading the Word of God? I’m firm set in my Catholic Beliefs but when was the last time you was a Catholic going door to door evangalizing?
Click to expand...
As the original poster of this thread, I have absolutely nothing against the CoC. I’ve posted before that my CoC friend was the driving force behind my “revert” to Catholocism, and her faith in God is amazing.

She is unrelenting in her desire to convert me, but, while it is difficult for me to debate with her, I know that she is working from the heart. She has told me many times that she is worried about me and my family because we’re Catholic. Now, I know that she is misguided, but I’m touched by her sincerity.

I attended a Ladies meeting at her church, and was quite touched by the warmth shown there, and I was continuously impressed when my youngest was in a CoC preschool.

I do wish that I was educated enough to evangelize…I’m definitely working on it!😃
 
A poster asked why is the Church of Christ being hit hard in this thread by many? Well, many of us who have posted on this thread have grown up in the Church of Christ and have seen firsthand what they stand for and preach.

Did you know that the Church of Christ does not consider you a Christian unless you are a member of their Church? It is sincerely believed that non-members are unsaved. According to the CofC, I am no longer saved and destined for damnation. Also, churches who have instrumental music, choirs, infant baptism, pictures of Christ and the saints, crosses, women speaking (even if not in a preaching, elder, deacon role), celebrate Christmas or Easter, are considered adding to the Bible and not Christian. They are very, very anti-catholic.

Also, I often saw racism from our elders and deacons. These are supposed to be the leaders of the Church and love all of God’s children yet here they were demeaning fellow people. There is also a common thread of do good, and you will be rewarded. If something bad happens, you must have done something to caused God to repremand you. One of the preachers actually gave a sermon where he said a person with cancer was being reprimanded by God for some wrong. I was shocked. There is also a very limiting almost second class view of women. Women are never to be heard during worship period. Women are not even allowed to instruct Bible classes that included adult men. It is frowned upon for women to wear anything but dresses to worship services. I have heard sermons that working women are the reason for the destruction of the family and morality, and have had classes where the subject was the weakness and inferiority of women to men. Athough I do admire their devotion Bible study (they are a sola scriptura church), it has led to an approach devoid of history and numerous differing private interpretations. There is no set method for interpreting the Bible. As others have pointed out, the Church of Christ does split over one elder’s interpreation vs. another’s. I have seen this myself. This has been my experience with this church, the church I was raised in for 26 years and in 4 different congregations in Oklahoma. Although it is possible that some congregations, could differ, this theme and common teachings pervade this demonitation.

Yes, I personally find it admirable that peoplel do go out and evangalize to share their faith. However, no matter how much you may want to change one person’s religion to your own (even though you believe it to be true), you must respect their beliefs and let them make their own choices.
 
I too find it admitable for people to evangelise, but not to proselytize. Proselytization is what the majority of “cofCers” do, they do not evangelise.

Evangelisation is aimed at making non-Christians into Christians.
Proselytizing is aimed at fellow Christians, trying to get them to switch denominations. Which is mostly what the so called “church of Christ” does, not evangelising.

Since the “cofC” Campbellites do not recognise the existence of Christians outside of their own sect, they do not accept the difference between Evangelisation and Proselization.

There is big big difference between the two, which I am feeling that not even everyone here recognises.
 
40.png
amontoya:
I belong to a church, not a denomination.
Click to expand...
There is only one “Church” – the Catholic Church – the Mother Church of all Christendom. She is the original “nomination.” She was called Catholic meaning universal, in or before 107 A.D. in a letter from St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrneans. He may have learned this name (nomination) from St. John the Apostle, his teacher and mentor, who died c. A.D. 100. Jesus called it simply “His Church.”

All other Christian organizations ultimately derive from the Catholic Church and, by definition, are denominations. Denominate means “to give a name to.” As each new group split from its source and took a different name, it became yet another “denomination.”

Peace be to you and to all who post at Catholic Answers.

JMJ Jay
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top