Beliefs

For the most part, churches in our brotherhood use either the name Christian Church or Church of Christ. There are a variety of tertiary names also in use. As one can expect, churches using Christian Church are often confused with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Churches of Christ are often confused with the non-instrumental churches of Christ which officially separated from the Disciples in 1906. In the recent past, some churches in our movement have participated in dialogue with the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana). While the two bodies have similarities, there are a number of doctrinal differences.

We desire the unity of Christ’s disciples (as Jesus prayed), but we do not seek unity for unity’s sake. We hold to the position that the New Testament, and the New Testament alone, needs to be our rallying point for union. We identified ourselves with the following:

• We speak where the Bible speaks, We are silent where the Bible is silent.
• In essentials unity; In opinions liberty; In all things love.
• We are not the only Christians; We are Christians only.
• No creed but Christ; No book but the Bible.

We believe:

The Bible is divinely inspired as the Word of God.

God is revealed in the Bible as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is all-sufficient and infallible as the revelation of God’s character, will, the gospel of grace by which, and as the rule for our faith and practice.

Jesus is:

Christ – The only Son of the Living God.

God in the flesh – wholly God and perfect as a human.

The possessor of all authority in Heaven and on earth.

A Prophet, Priest and King.

The Way, The Truth and The Life – the only means to eternal life in Heaven.

Lord, Savior, example, teacher, and redeemer from our sin.

Humanity is separated from God through sin and we are dependent upon His grace, mercy and pardon.

Necessary are faith in God through Jesus Christ and repentance from disobedience to His will.

We adhere to Baptism by immersion for the remission of sin.

We observe the Lord’s supper each Sunday.

Salvation as described in the gospel is full and free under the terms as described.

In the existance of Heaven as the eternal dwelling place of those in Jesus Christ and the existence of Hell as the location of the eternal punishment.

The privilege of God’s people to share, comfort, defend, exhort, correct, console and serve in the name of Jesus Christ.