 
ARE NOT CHURCHES OF CHRIST ALSO DENOMINATIONAL?
Dear Bro. Waddey:
You write: "the surviving remnant, led by great men such as David Lipscomb, James A. Harding Austin McGary and J. D. Tant had to rebuild, almost from scratch."
The church I attend, of which I am a member and elder, was built by God through the sacrifice of his son. The church, which you refer to, is a construction of man; a group, which sets itself apart from others, i.e denominates itself. Doesn't this concern you? RW
Dear Bro. R W.:
Of course Jesus founded the church (Matt. 16:16-18). But Peter, James, John, Paul and other apostles took the message to the lost of that generation and planted congregations. Others came along and led some of them astray (I Tim. 4:1-4). Some Christian brother or sister started the congregation of which you are a member and elder. Had it not been for the work of Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Barton Stone, Walter Scott and a host of other godly men there would have been no Restoration Movement here in America. They were simply restoring the church, which Christ built, which others had corrupted.
When the majority of our brethren lost faith in the authority of Christ and his New Testament and decided they would introduce changes into the worship and organization of the church it was necessary for someone to stand up and say we will not follow them into error. That is what Bro. Lipscomb and others did. Had they not done so you would probably be worshiping in a Christian Church today rather than a congregation of the church of Christ (If that is what you are member of; you did not say).
You should go back and read some more of the site and you will have a better insight into what its purpose and message is. Remember it is designed for Christians of our generation who are faced with another strong movement away from the authority of God's Word. It sets forth the fundamentals we have always held and responds to the claims and ideas of those who would change us into a denomination. I have another site designed to teach the gospel to non-Christians. Check it out at www.firstcenturychristian.com.
May God bless you as you lead his people toward eternity. Stand fast in the faith and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel.
John Waddey |
