THE NAME of the CHURCH

Some years ago a professor of church history at a denominational university wrote of some of his impressions of the churches of Christ and some of the things which distinguish us from the denominations. He entitled his remarks with these words: “Why the Churches of Christ were right after all.”

 

One of the interesting comments concerned the name “Church of Christ.” Here is what he said: “They’ve sure got the name right. If you think about it from the perspective of a friendly outsider, ‘Methodist and Presbyterian and Baptist’ are not really ace names for Christian groups…‘Church of Christ’ sounds pretty straightforward by contrast…Like the New Testament they just name their congregations for the place where they meet.”

 

The name “Church of Christ” is certainly pretty straightforward for several reasons: The church belongs to Christ. He is its builder, its foundation, its chief corner stone, and the head of the church. (Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 1:22-23)  Furthermore, the church is built upon the confession that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. (Matthew 16:16-18) And the clincher is the church of Christ is one of the names found in the Bible itself: “The churches of Christ salute.” (Romans 16:16) Whoever read in the Bible of the church called: Methodist or Presbyterian or Baptist, etc.?

Claude