Our Background
Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ trace their modern origins to the early 19th-century American frontier, a period of militancy among denominations, when America’s pioneers brought their deeply rooted religious convictions to the new land and perpetuated their old animosities.
Reaction to this animosity came as people from various parts of our young country spontaneously began to break out of denominationalism and announce their intention to follow the Bible only. Under the leadership of minister Barton W. Stone, some Presbyterian leaders in Kentucky published “The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery”, putting to death their denominational connections. They said, “We will that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large; for there is but One Body, and One Spirit.”
Here is a summary of what kind of church we are:
A CHRISTIAN CHURCH – Our message is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.
A CHURCH OF CHRIST – The church belongs to Him. We have no authority to change or add to its teachings. We require no other creed. He alone is Lord and Savior.
A CHURCH SEEKING UNITY – We seek to be one in Christ with all others that He calls His own.
A CHURCH SEEKING TO RESTORE – As much as possible, we seek to follow the precedents set forth for the church in the New Testament. That is why our baptism is by immersion, our Communion is every Lord’s Day, our leaders are called elders, our preaching is about Christ, and our prayers are in Christ’s name.
AN APOSTOLIC CHURCH – Ephesians 2:20 states that the church is ‘built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.’
A slogan which has characterized our movement is “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, love.”