HAVE YOU EVER ATTENDED THE CHURCH OF CHRIST? 

The latest statistics that I have heard indicate that there are over 2,000 registered denominations in the United States that claim to worship Jesus Christ. By its very definition, a denomination is a part of the whole, a party among parties, so to speak. 

The theory of denominationalism is that a person can be a member of the universal and "invisible" church, but by choice may also be a member of a particular segment of Christianity. That segment will have certain features that distinguish it from other so-called "Christian segments." These distinguishing features are what denominate that segment, making it a denomination. 

That very theory stands in direct opposition to Paul's statement found in I Corinthians 1:10 in which he wrote, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye speak the same things, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 

What I would like to ask you today is, "Have you ever attended the services of a truly undenominational church?" Now I am not talking about an inter-denominational church, nor am I talking about an all-denominational church, for it has nothing to do with denominations and denominationalism at all. It is not "part of the whole," it is the whole. It is not one among many; it is the ONE! In Ephesians 1:20-23 Paul wrote, "Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. " 

In language hard to misunderstand, Paul said that the church is the body. In Eph. 4:4-6 Paul wrote, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. " If there is but one body, and that body is the church, then there is but one church. 

That's the one I am asking you about today - not another denomination, but the one church designed by God, built by the Lord, and written about in the scriptures. Have you ever attended the services of the  Church of Christ ? We would like to invite you to do so and to give you an idea of what to expect when you do come. 

First of all, let me tell you some of the things that you will not see or hear when you come to the services of the  Church of Christ . 

As you enter the building, you may notice that there are no pictures, no statues, no icons of any kind representing Jesus, the apostles, or anyone else. You will not find crosses adorning the walls or behind the pulpit, and you might ask yourself why that is so. Paul expressed the reason best in his discourse to the men of  Athens from Mars Hill.  In Acts 17:29-30 Paul said, "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." 

When you come, it may strike you as odd, as you look about, that you will see no massive organ, piano, or mechanical instruments of music of any kind. Again, you may ask yourself, Why? While we will have more to say about this later, let it suffice to say that the church that Jesus built and about which we read in the New Testament did not use mechanical instruments of music in worship. You may search the New Testament from the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the day upon which the church was established, to its conclusion, and you will search in vain for a mechanical musical instrument being used by Christians in their worship in the church. 

When you come to the services of the  Church of Christ , the one truly undenominational church, you will not see the preacher dressed in robes or any other garment that serves to set him apart from the others present. Nor will you hear him, or any other man, called Reverend or Father. This is very different from what you see and hear in denominations, and you may ask yourself, Why? 

In Matthew 23, while discussing those who sought to elevate themselves above their fellowman by dress and titles, Jesus said in verses 2-12, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one o their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ: and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. " 

When you come to the services of the  Church of Christ , you will hear no mention of church athletic teams, no mention of church-sponsored recreation. It may strike you as odd, and you may again wonder, Why?     The answer is simple.  While athletics are good, and there is certainly a place for wholesome recreation, it is not the work of the church for which Jesus died - the only truly undenominational church. The work of the Lord's church is threefold as set forth in the New Testament. It is to be involved in evangelism, in teaching those who are members of the body, and it is to be involved in benevolence to needy saints. Denominations engage in athletics, recreation, and all sorts of other worldly things. In fact, those types of things are what draw people in: but not in the One Body. We appeal to people in the same way that Paul did as he said in I Cor. 2:1-2, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified " We truly believe Jesus when He said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me " (John 12:32). That is why the church that Jesus built uses nothing else to entice men. 

You may be asking yourself now, "Well, what is it that I am going to see and hear when I do attend the services of the undenominational Church of Christ?"' 

When you come, my friends, you will see and meet a group of people who love each other and who love the Lord. You will meet a group of people who am determined to walk according to God's ordinances, to "speak where the Bible speaks, and to be silent where the Bible is silent." That means that you will find us engaged only in those acts of worship for which we can find authority in the New Testament. Paul wrote in Colossians 3:17, "Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. " To do something "in the name" of a person means to do it by that person's authority. Therefore, we do only those things for which we have the authority of Christ through His Word in the New Testament. If the Lord has not authorized something in His Word, we cannot do it "in the name of the Lord Jesus." 

So, when you come to the services of the Church of Christ , you will find us singing. The New Testament contains many commands and examples teaching the Church of Christ, the One Body, to sing praises to God and to teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. For instance, in Eph. 5: 1 9, Paul wrote, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. " We have mentioned Col. 3:17; what about verse 16? Paul wrote, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. " 

But try as you might, you will not find authority for playing on a musical instrument in worship to God in the church that Jesus built. In the Old Testament, instrumental music abounds, and obviously with God's authorization; but not in the New Testament, which is what we are under today. Although there is no specific prohibition of musical instruments in the New Testament, no "thou shalt not," the fact that singing is the only kind of music authorized in the New Testament is all we need to know that other kinds of music are not authorized. This is simple-authority is given on the basis of what is said, not on the basis of what is not said. To worship God in song in the "name of Jesus, " we have no choice but to sing, and to sing only. That is what you will find us doing. 

When you come to the services, you will find us partaking of the Lord's Supper each first day of the week, or Sunday. Why do we do this? Because the Lord's Supper was given by Christ to be observed by Christians in the church that He built. Look with me at I Cor. 11:23-26 where we find, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread.- And when he hath given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 

In Acts 20:7, there is the example of the church at Troas meeting upon the first day of the week, Sunday, to eat the Lord's Supper. That is the only example we have as to when it was done. There is not one shred of authority for eating it on any other day of the week, or for eating it once a month, once a quarter, or once a year. Each week has a first day, and on that day you will find faithful Christians cheerfully, reverently, and obediently partaking of the Lord's Supper. 

    When you visit the services of the undenominational One Body of the New Testament, you will find us giving of our means, taking a collection, on the first day of the week. I Cor. 16:1-2 tells us, "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia , even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. " This being the case, Churches of Christ give an opportunity for the members of the church to give upon the first day of the week, every first day of the week. It is a free-will offering, as each has been prospered and as each determines to give. There are no collections taken on any other day, and only Christians are asked to give.

When you come, you will find us praying. There are so many examples of the first-century Christians engaging in prayer when they came together! One such example is found in Acts 2:42, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. " 

And, my friends, you will find us teaching and studying the Word of God. You won't find faithful gospel preachers talking about politics and calling it the gospel, nor will you find them avoiding unpopular subjects for fear of making someone mad. Paul told the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:27 , "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. " We find him telling Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." That is what you will find being done when you visit our services. 

The worship of the Church of Christ is determined by what God has authorized in His Word for the New Testament church - the church that Jesus built. We invite you to attend where God is honored by obedience.    You will find a friendly welcome when you come.