The Church of Christ is a fellowship of Christians that seeks to base its beliefs and practices solely on the Bible. This commitment to “speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent” has led the Churches of Christ to pursue doctrine and worship according to how they understand the New Testament. While interpretations differ, here are some key beliefs and practices of the Churches of Christ:
Baptism
Churches of Christ teach that baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sins and to become a Christian. They point to verses like Acts 2:38 where Peter tells the crowd at Pentecost to “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” Baptism is thus seen as the biblical way that God grants forgiveness and admits people into Christ’s church (Galatians 3:26-27). Churches of Christ practice baptism by immersion of those old enough to make a confession of faith in Jesus.
Music in Worship
The Churches of Christ believe there is no biblical authorization for the use of musical instruments in worship. They hold to a cappella congregational singing during services, pointing out that the New Testament nowhere commands or implies that instruments are to be used in praise to God. The simplicity of vocal singing is seen as more in keeping with early church practice.
Church Organization
Congregations in the Churches of Christ have traditionally held to congregational church governance rather than having formal clergy. Each autonomous congregation is self-governed with elders and deacons serving according to the qualifications and duties described in the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9). The elders oversee the church while deacons serve the physical needs. Preachers and teachers function according to their spiritual gifts but have no governing authority in the congregations.
Communion
Churches of Christ partake of the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, seeing it as an important part of Christian worship commanded by Jesus (Luke 22:19-20; Acts 20:7). The communion emblems of unleavened bread and fruit of the vine (grape juice) are taken weekly to remember Christ’s death on the cross until He comes again.
Women’s Roles
Based on 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-12, the Churches of Christ believe that women are restricted from speaking roles in the public assembly. Thus, practices such as women preaching sermons, leading prayers or songs, or making announcements are not permitted during worship. However, women do actively participate in other ways including teaching children and new converts.
Structure
The Churches of Christ have traditionally avoided formal denominational affiliations and human creeds or catechisms to govern their doctrine and practice. Rather, the independent congregations are united by a shared commitment to the authority and sufficiency of the Bible for doctrine. There are no governing boards beyond the local congregation. Cooperation between congregations happens informally through lectureships, shared mission efforts, disaster relief, youth camps, and gospel meetings.
Salvation
Salvation in the Churches of Christ centers on God’s grace coupled with human’s obedient response. While they affirm that no one can earn salvation, faith in Christ should lead to obedience to God’s commands including repentance, confessing Christ, and baptism (immersion in water) for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38, Romans 10:9). Ongoing obedience is also seen as necessary to remain in a saving relationship with Jesus (Hebrews 5:9).
Acappella Singing
The Churches of Christ believe there is no New Testament command or precedent for using musical instruments in worship. Pointing to scriptures like Ephesians 5:19, they believe the early church engaged in singing praises without any instrumentation. As a result, a cappella congregational singing continues to be practiced in Churches of Christ today with musical instruments excluded as an addition unauthorized by the New Testament.
Weekly Observance of the Lord’s Supper
Based on passages like Acts 20:7, the Churches of Christ observe the Lord’s Supper (commonly called communion) each Sunday. This weekly sharing in the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine is seen as a remembrance of Jesus commanded by Scripture to keep the sacrifice of His body and blood central to regular Christian worship. Taking communion each Sunday provides a consistent reminder of Christ’s death for sins.
Names
Churches of Christ prefer to be known by biblical descriptions such as “church of God” (Acts 20:28), “church of the Lord” (Acts 20:28), “churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16), or other terms found in Scripture. The avoidance of denominational names comes from a desire to simply be identified as Christ’s church rather than any human origin or affiliation. They see names as important for avoiding misidentification with groups embracing non-biblical teachings.
Hierarchical Structure
Congregations in the Churches of Christ operate autonomously under the oversight of local elders. There are no authoritative boards, people, publications, or councils that govern beyond the local church level. This organizational structure results from the belief that the New Testament does not authorize intermediary bodies between the congregation and Christ. Eliminating hierarchical control is seen as maintaining the independence of each church under the headship of Christ.
Adherence to New Testament Examples
In matters of faith and practice, Churches of Christ look to the New Testament to ascertain God’s original intention and standard for Christian belief and behavior. They seek to avoid creedal statements, catechisms, and other documents that could be viewed as religious authority beyond the Bible itself. This principle of following biblical precedents means Churches of Christ have distinctive traits on matters like music, communion, and congregational leadership.
Evangelism
Churches of Christ encourage evangelism and mission work at home and abroad. Congregations may host gospel meetings featuring guest speakers. Members are encouraged to teach, invite people to services, distribute Bible study materials, and support missionaries. Radio and TV programs, magazines, websites, and Bible correspondence courses are also used to spread the gospel.
Emphasis on Baptism
Baptism by immersion is seen as essential for salvation in Churches of Christ based on passages such as Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, and 1 Peter 3:21. Baptism is for repentant believers and followed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Infant baptism is not practiced since baptism in Scripture always followed an individual’s decision to accept salvation in Christ.
No Centralized Formal Leadership
Unlike denominations with large administrative centers and leadership, the Churches of Christ operate independently at the congregational level. This decentralized approach means each local church governs itself according to biblical standards under Christ’s authority. There are no overarching control structures or officers dictating policy or doctrine to the congregations.
In summary, the Churches of Christ aim to reconstruct the nature and appearance of the New Testament church in doctrine, worship, and practice. By following biblical precedents and commands as closely as possible, they pursue unity and truth by conforming wholly to the scriptural pattern. Their goal is to glorify God and achieve oneness in Christ based entirely on the authority and instructions of the Bible.