CHURCH OF CHRIST NUMBER III

In the 1920s A. T. DeGroot wrote an interesting little book entitled Church of Christ Number Two. DeGroot was a liberal scholar and spokesman for the progressive wing of the Disciples of Christ.  His book was a sarcastic criticism of the conservative wing of his church which was in the process of breaking ranks with the liberal leadership.  They eventually separated themselves and became known as the Independent Christian Churches.  Unhappy that anyone would dare reject the progressive leadership of himself and his liberal comrades, DeGroot wrote his book to heap scorn upon them.  Since all in the Disciples of Christ/Christian Church body had elected to  repudiate the conservative, bible based stand of our forefathers in the Churches of Christ, he sought to embarrass them by suggesting they really were just as old fashioned, narrow  and out of date as were they.  To those unfamiliar with our past, the issues that separated us from those folks were:  human organizations such as missionary societies to do the work of the church, the use of instrumental music in worship, allowing women in leadership  positions of the church, fellowship with denomination bodies and theological liberalism.  To call his Independent Christian Church brethren a "Church of Christ Number Two" was a pointed insult.

Today we truly do have a new religious body, emerging on the religious scene that wears the name Church of Christ.  These disciples and their preachers have ties to the that body of people known for more than a hundred years as churches of Christ.  Most of their leaders grew up in congregations of that brotherhood, and attending schools operated by them.  Somewhere along the way their faith was subverted and they turned away from the faith of their fathers.  They are known today as "agents of change" who have devoted themselves to imposing significant changes in the faith, worship and practice of the church.
                          
They hold their predecessors in the faith to be old fashioned traditionalists who are hopelessly out of touch with the Postmodern world. Among the changes they have embraced are a willingness to accept instrumental music in worship, the creation of numerous "extra-church" organizations to do the work of the church, allowing women roles in the public leadership in the church, embracing a Pentecostal type of worship environment with an entertainment format and a physical expressions such as hand clapping, etc.  They believe that salvation is by grace and thus they no long believe that baptism is essential to salvation. Having concluded that they are a denomination, they are quite ready to embrace other denominational bodies in their fellowship.  They have repudiated the idea of restoring the faith and practice of the New first century church and the New Testament as a standard of authority which must be conformed to by all who would be pleasing to God. Other points could be cited but these are sufficient to demonstrate that regardless  what these folks call themselves they are not members of the Church of Christ that most of us know and love.  They are a new variety or genre of church using the same name as the church they once were part of. It seems to me entirely appropriate that they should take a new name lest they be confused with us whom they feel are hopelessly mire in Biblical tradition. In the spirt of A. T. DeGroot, I would like to suggest that they henceforth be known as Church of Christ Number Three. 

If that does not please them, perhaps they could be part of the Church of Christ Number Two that DeGroot had in mind.  Since nearly all of these are eager to embrace the Independent Christian Churches in their fellowship, they could share that cognomen with them.