Change Movement Sermons Series

GENERIC CHURCHES

Our local paper carried an interesting piece about "generic churches."  Amanda Myers, the reporter, noted that what is called a Community Church might really be a Nazarene, Baptist, Assembly of God or any one of dozens of denominational bodies.  She could have added church of Christ to her list for this is one popular aspect of the change movement.

Interviewing representatives of some of those Community Churches, Ms. Myers noted the following:

"They are just using a marketing ploy to avoid what can sometimes be a negative stereotype attached to all denominations and fill the pews with people of all faiths."

Baptist Pastor Mike Gilbert said he "hopes the B-word doesn't scare anyone away."    Apologetically he said, "Unfortunately, Baptists are known more for what they're against than what they're for."  "There's been a huge reaction in our country against tight-knit labels."
 

Pastor Dan Beyer comments" "What I love about it is, "it's really broad.  A lot of churches with denominational names adhere to rigid traditions." 

The reporter likens the practice to a game visitors must play:  "Guess That Denomination."
 

"Pastor Weeks "wants to avoid the sometimes not-so-pleasant stereotypes people have with (his) denomination."  "We are not trying to hide the fact that we're Baptist..." Weeks said.
 

The reporter could have been writing her piece about a number of congregations of our churches of Christ who prefer to take their cues form their denominational neighbors. The arguments and justification used are the same.  The motivation is the same.

When questioned about the purpose for omitting the name "Church of Christ, they insist, "It is not a matter of deceit."  They fact is,  it is hiding who and what you are so folks will think you are something else!

The use of a generic name could be driven by embarrassment of their association with the churches of Christ.  Perhaps they view a  Bible-believing church that submits to the authority of Christ's Word in all matters as old-fashioned and obsolete for this Postmodern age.  They blush at being different from their Protestant and Catholic neighbors.  As one change agent recently said, "There is just so much baggage associated with the name church of Christ."

To those who have taken the Community Church name or are considering doing so, I pose the following simple questions:

* Who founded the church? (Matthew 16:18).
* Who purchased the church by his suffering and death on the cross? (Acts 20:28).
* Who has God appointed head over all things to the church? (Ephesians 1:22).
* Who is the spiritual husband of the church (Ephesians 5:23-25)
* Who is the savior of the church? (Eph. 5:23).
 

(Scripture citations are provided for those eager for change but unfamiliar with the Bible).

Since the answer to all the above questions is the same, "Christ," is it unreasonable to refer to the church as the church of Christ?  Paul did so when writing the Romans. "All the churches of Christ salute you" (Romans 16:16).  All of the churches the apostle was familiar with were in his mind "churches of Christ."  Can you imagine Paul or any other of those saintly souls, preferring to hide behind a mask, an anonymity because there was just too much baggage associated with the sacred name of Christ?  "Can you imagine the parents of today's change agents being ashamed to be known as members of the church of Christ?  The real shame is upon those who are ashamed of that holy name by which we are called (I Peter 4:16).

While we do not argue that "church of Christ" is the exclusive name for the church, we do affirm that it is Biblical, apostolic and one we may use without hesitation or embarrassment.