A Methodist Preachers Reflections on the Churches of Christ by Travis L Quertermous From The Reminder, May 22, 2011 For years, self-proclaimed “change-agents” within the Lord’s church like Lynn Anderson, Rubel Shelley, Max Lucado, Rick Atchley, and Jeff Walling have been telling us we must change or die. So it is not surprising they are urging us to accept female leadership, instrumental music, praise teams, open fellowship with the denominational world, faith only salvation, “the pious unimmersed,” and hundreds of other innovations unauthorized by, and contrary to, the New Testament. So it was refreshing indeed to read a most interesting article in the June 2011 issue of The Christian Chronicle, which is a brotherhood newspaper. The article in question was written by a Methodist preacher and professor named Ted Campbell and was entitled “Why the Churches of Christ were right after all.” The article is a condensed version of Dr. Campbell’s blog and was reprinted by The Christian Chronicle with his permission. You may read his entire post at heartcoremethodist.org. Dr. Campbell recently visited the Sunday morning worship service of the Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas, TX and offered his observations. You may be interested in what he thinks we are doing right. Of the churches of Christ, he wrote: • “First, they have a profound insight into Christian music and its place in worship… There’s something utterly wonderful about the sound of human voices blending together in harmony. I wonder if we’ve gone too far with our instrumental fetish in worship.” • “Second, they’ve sure got the right name…Like the New Testament, they just name their congregations for the places where they meet.” • “Third, the Churches of Christ celebrate the Lord’s Supper every Sunday. Church of Christ folk haven’t fallen for the Protestants’ quirky idea that words can suffice in place of bread and wine.” • “Fourth, there really is only one Church of Christ.” • “Fifth, and perhaps most important, the simplicity of the Churches of Christ allows them to focus on what is most important, namely, the Gospel of Christ.” Dr. Campbell was very complimentary of the Biblical nature of brother Scott Sager’s sermon and also appreciated the absence of a congregational creed. He closed his article by saying, “There is a primitive simplicity to their communities that really stands out among other church bodies trying to be the church of Christ. We’d do well to learn from them and thank God for their witness.” Change agents in the church, are you listening? I hope brethren Anderson, Shelley, Lucado, Atchley, Walling, and the rest of their like, paid close attention and will repent of the false doctrines they have been urging on the brotherhood. As for the rest of us, Dr. Campbell’s observations are just another proof that the Restoration Plea is right and that we must never compromise it!
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:05:34 +0000
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