WHO WE ARE

WE ARE NOT A DENOMINATION

Neither are we inter-denominational. It is our sincere desire to be non-denominational, to wear no other name than Christ's, and to be known simply as Christians, members of the body of Christ, (Acts 11:26; Ephesians 1:22-23). Collectively we refer to ourselves as the church of Christ, the Lord's church, or some other scriptural description to identify ourselves as the saved people belonging to Christ (Ephesians 5:23).

WE STRIVE TO BE THE SAME CHURCH DESCRIBED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

It is our purpose to be identified with the Christians of the first century. We believe this to be possible to all who will learn, believe, and be guided by the plain teaching of God's word. When Jesus declared such to be "the seed of the kingdom" (Luke 8:11), He was emphasizing a known fact of nature that specific kinds of seed, when planted, will always produce after their kind. For example, wheat will produce wheat. In like manner the word of God, when planted in the hearts of honest people, and obeyed, will produce Christians just as it did in the first century - nothing more and nothing less.

WE HAVE NO HUMAN HEAD

There is no man, or group of men, who legislate for the church. We have no one to answer to except Christ our Lord. He is the head of the church (Colossians 1:18). There is no human head. As was true in the first century, there is no inter-congregational organization. Congregations in different locations, with Christ as Lord, function independently of each other. According to the authority of Christ, when a church matures to the point where two or more men meet the qualifications, overseers (also called bishops, elders, and pastors) are appointed to look after all the affairs of the local church. Such men are appointed when they meet all the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Then they have the responsibility to "feed the flock" with spiritual food found in the scriptures, and to be examples for others (1 Peter 5:1-3). In churches of Christ, preachers are not "pastors" (unless they meet the qualifications cited above and are appointed as such), but are simply teachers of the gospel.

THE BIBLE IS OUR ONLY GUIDE

Therefore we have no man-made creeds to follow. We are governed in faith and conduct by the Bible alone. While recognizing the guiding principles of the Old Testament, we seek to conform to the pattern of the New Testament (Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Peter 4:11). We accept the Bible as being both verbally inspired and infallible in content (2 Peter 1:20-21; 1 Corinthians 2:11-13). Consequently, when the Bible speaks upon any given subject, its pronouncement is accepted as final. By its own testimony, no one may alter a single word with impunity (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19).

These words were borrowed from a tract by the Southside church of Christ in Silsbee, Texas

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