What is the church of Christ?

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Odell

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And what are some of bigest differences as well as what do we have similar?

My wife met a friend at school who is a member of this church. Her and husband are very nice people. We have the same morals and will probably start doing something with them and I know questions are going to arise so I want to be prepared.

I already know that they believe batism to be the same as Catholics as it is how we are born again…

any help would be nice thanks.
 
Odell said:
And what are some of bigest differences as well as what do we have similar?

My wife met a friend at school who is a member of this church. Her and husband are very nice people. We have the same morals and will probably start doing something with them and I know questions are going to arise so I want to be prepared.

I already know that they believe batism to be the same as Catholics as it is how we are born again…

any help would be nice thanks.
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Odell,

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=3262947#post3262947

This is an old post of mine. Just click on the links. These links should get you pointed in the right direction.

Tomster
 
Not sure but I think this is the church that Obama belongs to.

I know they don’t believe in infant baptism, they don’t do confessions and actually I’m not sure they believe in the Holy Trinity, I found below a section from one of their churches website that is confusing to me.

"Are prayers addressed to the saints?

No. God the Father is considered the only one to whom the prayers may be addressed. It is further understood that Christ stands in a mediatorial position between God and man (Hebrews 7:25). All prayers are therefore offered through Christ, or in the name of Christ (John 16:23-26). "
 
I already know that they believe batism to be the same as Catholics as it is how we are born again…
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However, they don’t believe in infant baptism. They believe in adult believers baptism. If you were to join their church and were infant baptized they would rebaptize you. They only believe in baptism by immersion, no sprinkling.

They believe communion is important and should be a part of every Sunday observance. At the church I was at they offered both wine and grape juice for communion. They believe it is symbolic and not the actual body and blood.

They don’t believe in once saved always saved theology like other fundamental or Baptist churches. They do believe that a Christian can fall away from the faith.

They are interesting in that they have no instrumental music in their worship service. They sing acapello (sp?) They do this because there are no examples of instrumental music in the new testament worship. (However there is plenty mention of instrumental music in the old testament.)

They claim to follow only the new testament example.
They claim to speak where the Bible Speaks and keep silent on matters that are silent in scripture.

OK Those are the big differences as I remember them. I had a short stint with them back in college.
 
I think this is the church Obama attends.

I think there are big differences between the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Christ. The statement below is from one of their church’s website. I think it is confusing, I’m don’t think they believe in the Trinity and I’m not sure who they believe Jesus to be.

"Are prayers addressed to the saints?

No. God the Father is considered the only one to whom the prayers may be addressed. It is further understood that Christ stands in a mediatorial position between God and man (Hebrews 7:25). All prayers are therefore offered through Christ, or in the name of Christ (John 16:23-26). "
 
Odell said:
And what are some of bigest differences as well as what do we have similar?

My wife met a friend at school who is a member of this church. Her and husband are very nice people. We have the same morals and will probably start doing something with them and I know questions are going to arise so I want to be prepared.

I already know that they believe batism to be the same as Catholics as it is how we are born again…

any help would be nice thanks.
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Am I reading this right? You are Catholic, but your new friends belong to the Church of Christ? And you want to know the differences and similarities between the Church of Christ and the Catholic Church?

If you mean Church of Christ, a lot depends on “which one?”

There are four different Churches of Christ in a neighboring community. Unlike Catholics, who can attend Mass in any Catholic Church in a given town, they do not normally attend services or assemblies somewhere other than their “home” church.

I can only give you information on one particular one, to which some good friends of ours belong, and it will be eye-opening. Go to www.bible.ca. This may not necessarily cover the Church of Christ to which your friends belong, but I know it’s the one our friends belong to (I did the search to find where “true Christians are assembling” in our community… and their church was listed.)

I hope this helps and good luck with your friendship.
 
I think the biggest difference is that this church was founded by Warren Stone & Alexander Campbell in Kentucky in 1836 and the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ in 33 AD.
 
Bluerose I clicked on your link. I will pray for these people.
 
Just a note:-- the mainstream Church of Christ denomination is diferrent from the United Church of Christ Obama belongs to,
The mainstream church of Christ is like i said in my earlier post and they do believe in the trinity.

However Obama belongs to the United Church of Christ which is different. it is very new age and kinda any theology goes there. It is extremely liberal. My husband’s Aunt got married in an United Church of Christ. Very different from the mainstream more fundamentalist Churches of Christ.
 
I figured I needed to jump in here. I was raised Church of Christ and went to Church of Christ schools through college. The problem with the Church of Christ is that they vary from church to church. I go to a church that has a fellowship hall and Sunday school. There are some Church of Christ that would say that members of my church are lost because we have a fellowship hall.

As far as what we believe: Trinity, one Church, believer’s baptism by immersion is essential to salvation, acappella music, communion every Sunday with grape juice that is symbolic. Alcohol and gambling are considered evil. Bible alone is taught, and it is the elders and not a pastor that has the authority. Church of Christ preachers may be called minister or brother, but not pastor. There is no governing body other than an eldership of each church, even though Church of Christ colleges seem teach the doctrine. Once saved always saved is considered wrong.
(cont.)
 
BMCD so they believe in the Trinity, (Father, Son & Holy Spirit)?
Also, some don’t believe in miracles or such things as Saints or Angels, is that correct?
 
BMCD said:
Alcohol and gambling are considered evil.
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Do you know how the church of Christ gets around the fact that Jesus drank alcohol? In fact, Jesus apparently drank enough wine that he was accused of drinking to excess. In His own words, “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, Behold, a glutton and a drunkard.” (Luke 7:34) He was accused of being a drunk. If He was only drinking grape juice, why accuse Him of being a drunkard?
 
I attended a few services at a church of Christ (small “c” in “church”). Btw, they believed in Trinity also. I found them through this site, which is a good representation of what they believe.

gospelway.com

As already mentioned, there are several churches titled “Church of Christ” - I think that is one of the reasons this particular one used a small “c” - that and also b/c they believe Christ’s church is not a particular denomination. They consider themselves non-denominational.
 
Bible.ca.com can tell you a little of what the Churches of Christ believe, but the guy that runs that site takes it to the extreme. I once read something written by him and he said he had no theological training(anyone can start a website). The churches listed on his website are churches that would make me, as a lifelong Church of Christ member, feel uncomfortable.

In the Church of Christ, The Catholic Church is considered wrong because of the pope, prayers to the saints, Marian doctrines, purgatory, and infant baptism. However the belief structure is not too far off. If a Church of Christ person reads some history, then that person starts to get nervous.

Personally, I do not believe everything the Churches of Christ believes because I am thinking of converting to Catholicism.
 
Lampo said:
How do you all get around the fact that Jesus drank alcohol? In fact, Jesus apparently drank enough wine that he was accused of drinking to excess. In His own words, “The Son of Man has come eating and drinking; and you say, Behold, a glutton and a drunkard.” (Luke 7:34) He was accused of being a drunk. If He was only drinking grape juice, why accuse Him of being a drunkard?
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Jesus was falsely accused of many things, was He not? Is that proof? Also, SOME fundamentalists may think drinking is evil, but many do not. They choose to abstain b/c they believe it is a better way to steer away from temptation - whether or not Jesus drank - and to avoid “every appearance of evil”. Also, in this culture drinking is more often than not depicted in an unfavorable light. The media is mostly responsible for that.
 
Church of Christ members almost always reject miracles and Saints, however they do believe in angels and spiritual warfare, though it is not talked about.

As far as alcohol, I think the Church of Christ stance on alcohol is wrong too. However most Church of Christ members will try to tell you that wine back then was actually grape juice. It goes back to revisionist history.
 
JoyToBeCatholic said:
Jesus was falsely accused of many things, was He not? Is that proof? Also, SOME fundamentalists may think drinking is evil, but many do not. They choose to abstain b/c they believe it is a better way to steer away from temptation - whether or not Jesus drank - and to avoid “every appearance of evil”. Also, in this culture drinking is more often than not depicted in an unfavorable light. The media is mostly responsible for that.
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It might not be proof that it was or wasn’t grape juice. It seems consistent with the entire Bible that is was probably wine. I know some fundamentalists think alcohol is evil in itself and some do not. BMCD said in his church alcohol is considered evil so I was addressing that. I am just curious to how the church of Christ gets around the fact that Jesus drank wine. I’m not talking about intoxication. I agree with most of your post by the way.
 
BMCD said:
As far as alcohol, I think the Church of Christ stance on alcohol is wrong too. However most Church of Christ members will try to tell you that wine back then was actually grape juice. It goes back to revisionist history.
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Okay. Just wondering. Thanks. 😉
 
Lampo said:
It might not be proof that it was or wasn’t grape juice.
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Right.
It seems consistent with the entire Bible that is was probably wine. I know some fundamentalists think alcohol is evil in itself and some do not. BMCD said in his church alcohol is considered evil so I was addressing that.
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Ok. I read quickly…
I am just curious to how the church of Christ gets around the fact that Jesus drank wine. I’m not talking about intoxication.
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I’m glad. For a moment, from your comment that Jesus drank “enough wine” to be accused, I kind of wondered if you thought He may have lived up to the accusation. Glad I misunderstood you! 👍
 
Hey JTBC…After reading your signature, I was wondering what is your biggest obstacle with the Church?
 
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