Are we the only Christians?

[Splayd]

I suspect this belief is less commonly held than the critics would have us believe, but I thought I'd put it out there anyway.

[HeyHomie]

No, of course not.

[hugheschase9]

How could you guys think we're the only christians?:scratch:

[Martureo]

How could you guys think we're the only christians?:scratch:
Lol, well its an old restoration movement slogan. It comes from the movement that came before them, I forgot the name for it, but it was in Europe. "Not the only Christians, but Christians only" was the slogan.

[ConservativeChristian97]

Nope, we aren't. :)

[Splayd]

How could you guys think we're the only christians?:scratch:
:) The poll would suggest that we don't.

Truth is - I'm running these polls to address charges that are occassionaly made against the Restoration Movement - especially the Church of Christ. There are some out there that like to tell others that we believe that the RM has the only Christians etc... Looks like the accusers would be disappointed with these polls so far.

Peace

[AJB4]

I've struggled with this a lot over the past couple of years. Here in New Zealand the CoC has this viewpoint, and I'm sick to death of it. I was thinking of leaving, I'm so sick of it. It's inescapable, since the churches in New Zealand are so tightly woven. If the statement made by this site (http://www.churchesofchrist.org.au/) is true, then I SOOOOOOO WISH I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AN AUSTRALIAN CHURCH OF CHRIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2. Regarding the 'Baptist or Christian?' thing, that to me is like asking a 'Church of Christ' member from overseas who calls God 'Allah' because of their language. It's like asking them if they worship God or Allah :sigh:

It's funny - a lot of fundie churches don't like us for some reason. I couldn't imagine why. Maybe it's because we rival them in their fundieness - they feel threatened :D.

I've been considering leaving CoC and becoming Eastern Orthodox, and I still am, though those plans are majorly on hold at the moment.

[Splayd]

It's interesting that the NZ CofC and the Australian CofC would be so different, given our proximity to each other.

I'd never seen that website, but it seems to be a fair (if somewhat simplistic) representation of us :)

Peace

[AJB4]

It's interesting that the NZ CofC and the Australian CofC would be so different, given our proximity to each other.

I'd never seen that website, but it seems to be a fair (if somewhat simplistic) representation of us :)

Peace
They obviously have two different descendants. New Zealand CoC's are obviously descended from America (who are generally pretty hard-line CoC's over there from what I can gather; especially in the South). Maybe Australian CoC's came from missionaries not from America.

[Splayd]

In fairness - a lot of the "No" votes here came from the US. It's probably fairer to assume that the US covers a broader spectrum than NZ or Aus, which would hardly be surprising, given that their population is significantly larger than ours.

I suspect you'll find they have some congregations which would be more like yours and some more like mine... and some in between and some beyond our extremes and some off on completely different tangents altogether.

Part of the reason I've made these polls is to address broad statements which clearly don't apply to all of us. Let's be careful not to add to the generalisations :)

[AJB4]

In fairness - a lot of the "No" votes here came from the US. It's probably fairer to assume that the US covers a broader spectrum than NZ or Aus, which would hardly be surprising, given that their population is significantly larger than ours.

I suspect you'll find they have some congregations which would be more like yours and some more like mine... and some in between and some beyond our extremes and some off on completely different tangents altogether.

Part of the reason I've made these polls is to address broad statements which clearly don't apply to all of us. Let's be careful not to add to the generalisations :)
True. I never thought that CoC's were all like that - I just...er...am frustrated, I suppose.

[luv4HIM]

no, we are not the only ones

[fishon]

I am a pastor of a 'Instrumental' CofC in Oregon, and absolutely say, NO, we are not the only Christians. I do not know of one 'Instrumental' CofC in the States that believe we are the only Christians. The Campbells and Stone did not believe that either.
fishon

[Splayd]

Amen to that fishon.

It's interesting that this is a belief that is attributed to the Church of Christ often by critics and "heresy hunters"... and yet I've never encountered the belief personally. I have seen it expressed twice only, but both times were via forums, so while I accept that there must be some that believe it, it's clearly very much a minority view on the extremes and not at all a common belief within the RM.

[fishon]

Splayd,
It is true, there are some in the "Non-Instrumental" CofC that would consider anyone who uses instruments as lost. Now not all of them believe that, but some do, and that is where we run into "We are the only Christians" problem in the States.

Because we have CofC on the front of the Church, every once in a while a Non-Instrumentalist will stop by and want to worship with us. If we know they are Non's, we will put up the instruments. Now we don't have to, but because we have freedom in Christ we choose to do that.
fishon

[ParsonJefferson]

I suspect this belief is less commonly held than the critics would have us believe, but I thought I'd put it out there anyway.
Yes, Splayd, WE are the only Christians.

But I'm beginning to have my doubts about you! :D

[fishon]

Splayd,
Pay no attention to ParsonJefferson if you think he really means CofChristers are the ONLY Christians.

Don't let him pull your chain! It isn't worth the effort.

I may have missed some hidden meaning in his post, but I don't know what it would be.
fishon

[Mary of Bethany]

I didn't vote since of course I'm not CofC, but I'm weighing in on behalf of my son and his wife. ;)

My son would certainly not think that CofC are the only Christians. He didn't convert to the CofC until college, and before that was baptized in a Baptist church, then attended the Anglican Catholic church with us when we left the Baptist church.

His wife is a life-long CofC'er, and she also does not believe that only CofC are Christians. (They belong to a non-instrumental CofC, btw.) From what she's told me, her father is very hard-line CofC. I wouldn't be surprised if he might think that - but I could also be way off base.

Mary

[InServicetoGod]

I am a pastor of a 'Instrumental' CofC in Oregon, and absolutely say, NO, we are not the only Christians. I do not know of one 'Instrumental' CofC in the States that believe we are the only Christians. The Campbells and Stone did not believe that either.
fishon


You want names and locations?

Because I have encountered people who were members of a non instrumental coc that told me specifically that they were the only church and that IF I joined their congregation, then I was not to be affiliated with or associate with any other congregations or churches at all.

No it was not an International CoC

And it was more than 10 years ago......so maybe things have changed, but I knew enough to say no and get out !!!

[InServicetoGod]

ON another note, I met some really nice people from a non instrumental coc back in december, he flat out said "The CofC is not by any means the only faith, but I like best the way they teach the gospel"

COULD IT BE that there are individuals (ZEALOTS) who are more vocal about their personal belief that the non instrumental CoC IS the ONLY true church? Not they are truly speaking under any authority of the CoC but they are representing themselves as such authority? Could that explain some of this activity?
I have never had any dealings with the International CoC/Boston Movement. Ever since the aforementioned incident (and a few others) I have avoided the whole show like the plaque.
It is nice to occasionally meet a nice person comeing out of it though.
Maybe it is not as bad as a few people have made it to be?

[AJB4]

In New Zealand, it's a nationwide belief.

[Splayd]

Splayd,
Pay no attention to ParsonJefferson if you think he really means CofChristers are the ONLY Christians.Nah - he was just joshin' :)

In New Zealand, it's a nationwide belief.Even if that's an innocent exaggeration, I certainly understand why you've been questioning the church so much lately.

[AJB4]

Actually, that might be an exaggeration. I can't speak for the South Island at all, though it's at the very least a majority belief in the North.

[ParsonJefferson]

Splayd,
Pay no attention to ParsonJefferson if you think he really means CofChristers are the ONLY Christians.

Don't let him pull your chain! It isn't worth the effort.

I may have missed some hidden meaning in his post, but I don't know what it would be.
fishon

You missed something. Obviously.

[fishon]

You want names and locations?

Because I have encountered people who were members of a non instrumental coc that told me specifically that they were the only church and that IF I joined their congregation, then I was not to be affiliated with or associate with any other congregations or churches at all.

No it was not an International CoC

And it was more than 10 years ago......so maybe things have changed, but I knew enough to say no and get out !!!

InServicetoGod,
Go back and re-read my comments. I was talking about "Instrumental" Churches, not Non-instrumental. Again, I know of NO "Instrumental" CofC that say we are the only Christians. Sorry if I caused confusion.
fishon

[fishon]

ParsonJefferson,
Apparently, I misunderstood completly.

I sincerly apologize.
fishon

[InServicetoGod]

InServicetoGod,
Go back and re-read my comments. I was talking about "Instrumental" Churches, not Non-instrumental. Again, I know of NO "Instrumental" CofC that say we are the only Christians. Sorry if I caused confusion.
fishon
SORRY

My Mistake

I DID have a non-instrumental coc state in no certain terms to me that they and they alone were the only "real church" , at elast in that area, Which made no sense, as there was no evidence of Christ at work there that I could see.......

[Auntie]

FWIW, I was raised in a CoC back in the 1950's-60's. I was taught that the CoC was the ONLY true church. Part of the reasoning was because of the name "Church of Christ". Because, if a church was truely Christ's church, then it would be named The Church of Christ. Any other name would immediately render that church as *not* a Church of Christ, and therefore, not of Christ.

Later, in the 1970's, I joined the Baptist church, and felt like I had doomed my soul to Hell. :(

[Splayd]

I suspect that somewhere along the way this was all just a misunderstanding that some ran with. Truth is - there really is just one church and it is the Church of Christ.

NOW - that doesn't mean the RM CofC is it though. The TRUE Church of Christ is made of all Christians, whether they attend a Baptist church, an Anglican church, a Presbyterian church, a CofC church etc...

I can see how it might have developed through a culture of ulta-fundamentalism and religious zeal. Sad that they could miss the mark SO seriously though.

Peace