Uniqueness of Churches of Christ
Obviously many of these beliefs are commonly shared with other churches. So why are Churches of Christ a distinct group from other religious traditions? Certain commitments set us apart from other groups professing faith in Christ:
- Central to all churches of Christ is a determination to live the faith and practice of the earliest Christian communities as discerned in the New Testament.
- Baptism of believers by immersion is the moment that God forgives our sins, unites us with Jesus Christ, and gives us the presence of his Holy Spirit to help us live our new existence and keep our new commitments (Acts 2:38-39; Romans 6:1-7).
- Each Sunday we assemble to recall the story of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. Worship is simple and unpretentious as we read from the Scriptures, pray, sing songs praising God, listen to Christian preaching, and eat the Lord's Supper together. This weekly communal celebration of Jesus' death, resurrection, and continuing life among us is a vivid reminder that the story of Jesus' cross is where we find our meaning, our identity, and our most important commitments (Hebrews 10:19-25).
- Our worship assemblies attempt to follow biblical directives and images of the earliest Christian churches. Unaccompanied singing is used in our praise of God.
- Leadership in churches of Christ is provided by shepherds (or elders), men who serve as spiritual leaders and are selected from among the members (1 Peter 5:1-3).
- Churches of Christ are independent groups with no central board or governing institution. Each church is committed to holding up Jesus Christ as its Lord, and to understanding the scriptures together as his disciples.