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What the "Church of Christ" Teaches?

By Whit Sasser

Recently on a radio talk show a caller was asked by the host, what the "Church of Christ" teaches on an issue that had been raised. The caller was a little unsure, so the host asked an assistant to call a local "Church of Christ" to find out. While I listened to hear what the response would be, I knew that whatever answer was given, it might not hold true for me, for you see, though I understand it coming from a person with no true appreciation of the nature of the Lord's church, this kind of thinking is denominational to the core! Let me illustrate.

Imagine if you will, two very influential non-Christians in first century Asia talking about the Nicolaitan philosophy and one asking, "What does the 'Church of Christ' believe about it?" The other says, "Let's find out." So they contact a leader of the church in Pergamos and he says, "Yes, we believe that doctrine." (See Revelation 2:15). They then begin to spread the word that this is what the "Church of Christ" believes about the Nicolaitan doctrine. But, imagine you are a member of the Ephesus church of Christ and you hear that? You hate the Nicolaitan doctrine (see Rev. 2:6). What the Pergamos church of Christ believed or practiced did not hold true for all churches of Christ.

In the first century, the independence of all churches of Christ made it such that, though there were many similarities, things done the same in all the churches, you could not make a broad sweeping statement that ALL churches of Christ believe this, or practice that, for they sometimes did not. The Lord's arrangement of congregational autonomy made such impossible and I might add, it was intended that way by God. Denomination "X" can make a broad statement of faith for all it's churches and likewise denominations "Y" and "Z", but churches of Christ following the original New Testament pattern are not denominational and are therefore unable, and should be unwilling to do so.

When someone says "the 'Church of Christ' believes this" what church are they thinking of? Because true churches of Jesus Christ are not a part of any organization bigger than itself, one that can speak for all, then each will have to be evaluated on its own merit. And that is the way the Lord wanted it to be. By the way, I did disagree with the answer given to the radio assistant by the "church of Christ" person that was called.