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The worldwide Membership of His True Church Welcomes every member of the human race to this site and implores every person to accept the greatest gift of all, which is God's gift of everlasting life in His Son. (John 3:16) God would preferred that all men be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:4) Each and every belief and practice presented is supported by one or more passages from the Word of God. His One True Church There is only ONE TRUE CHURCH of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:4-6) This information is provided freely to ALL in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.With or Without Jesus Eternity is Forever. Introduction The Mission of this web page is to provide precise information, in regard to His One True Church, in a clear, simple to understand format, based exclusively on the inspired Holy Bible. This page was designed for the individual who wishes to study using their personal Bible. This is strongly encouraged, as it is the best method of determining the Truth, without taking the word of any man. Each component of our Worship and Faith are clearly supported by referenced passages from the Bible. This method is takes longer, but offers the advantage of knowing for certain that the Doctrine is based solely upon the Word. If you need a Bible, numerous free versions and related resources are available for download at http://www.e-sword.net/ or http://www.eveningdew.com/ If you would prefer a faster method of learning the Truth it is suggested that you review “Narrow Way to Heaven”, which covers in-depth God’s Plan of Salvation, the plain facts of eternity, remaining faithful and a description of our Worship services, all of which are supported with Biblical passages or “Truth will make you FREE”, which, is designed to guide the user to the Truth with a series of questions to be considered, the steps required to become a child of God with extensive scriptural support. An overview of His True Church that He built, with His own hands - followed with an examination of the pure and simple facts of eternal life. The Minister and the Elders of your local Church stand ready to assist you in learning the TRUTH, in any way possible. You are invited to make a complete investigation of the doctrine of Christ or any part thereof, they will be delighted to personally discuss any point or answer any question. In the event you live in an area not served by His One True Church or would prefer have your questions answered via e-mail, please feel free to forward your question(s) along with your name and e-mail address to answers@seekingthelost.org and we will address your questions and provide answers as soon as humanly possible. The Fundamentals His One True Church proclaims the gospel message of the Christ crucified who was buried and arose from the dead on the third day. (Ephesians 4:11-12) His One True Church is nondenominational and its predominance objective is to carefully follow His teachings. In thousands of Churches, millions of souls from all races and walks of life, all over the world are sincerely endeavoring to worship God using the exact methods as defined in the New Testament, by their Lord Jesus. All who are in fellowship with Christ are members of His Body or His One True Church. The Church is a Spiritual Body, with Jesus Christ as its Head and the faithful throughout the world as members of His Body. (Ephesians 1:22-23) God revealed to the world thru his Son, in the first century, precisely how Christians are to worship Him every Lord's Day (Revelation 1:10) in the Church that Jesus built with His own hands (Matthew 16:18), which include: Understanding that “God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) That Prayer is a central component of all worship services. (I Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 14:15) That Singing and making melody in their hearts, without instrumental accompaniment, is an important part of the worship. (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16) The Lord's Supper is observed each Sunday. (Acts 20:7) Each member supports the work of the church by returning to the Lord a portion of what they have prospered. (I Corinthians 16:1-2) Each time we gather for worship, only the Bible is taught in our classes and from the pulpit, which may contain overviews of the Truth, inspiration, suggestions for walking closer to God, solutions to the problems and tribulations of today and many other topics based solely on the Word of God. (Romans 10:15; Galatians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:2) Throughout our services, three principles govern all that we do:
1) Worship the Father
in spirit and in truth (John
4:23-24) His One True Church exists to give honor, glory and praise to God through Benevolence, Evangelism, Edification, Spiritual Growth, Fellowship, Worship, and Glorification of God. We accomplish this through study, prayer and personal involvement, using only the Bible as our authority and guide. The Members of His One True Church earnestly recognize that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (II Timothy 3:16) We esteem Jesus Christ as Lord and have the highest regard for His Authority. Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”. (Matthew 28:18) Adding to, or subtracting from, the simple instructions of Jesus is forbidden (Revelation 22:18-19) and is failing to respect Him as Lord. Therefore, we have no conferences, synods, councils, earthly headquarters or denominational governmental associations, as Christ did not authorize any of these. Such organizations, which have been created by men, serve only to compete with the Authority of Christ. Such organizations bind human traditions and commandments upon others, which was condemned by Jesus. (Matthew 15:9) The members His One True Church are followers of Christ and wear the name Christians only, in His Honor. (Acts 11:26) These followers do not carry worldly labels such as Catholics, Mormons, Lutherans, Baptists or the thousands of other names individuals call themselves to identify their religious affiliation, as these are not mentioned in the Word of God. These true followers Jesus after carefully searching the Holy Scriptures find no support for the wide assortment of denominational names, practices, creeds or formalities, therefore, having not been authorized by Christ, are not used in the services of His One True Church. We believe that the purpose of each person’s existence here on earth, is to live a full and complete Christian Life. Earning the Hope of Heaven, by expressing his or her Love for the Lord by praising and worshipping Him in spirit and in truth - Remaining faithful unto death, following the Commandments of Jesus written in the inspired Word of God In Matthew 7:15, Jesus stated the following in regards to false teaching (teachers, ministers, evangelists etc.) “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” In Matthew 7:16, Jesus furthers explains “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” In this context “Fruits” includes the physical worship and practices of the church, which must be compared directly with the Bible and no other source of information. This is a call is for the religious accord of all believers in Christ, based solely on the Word of God. Members of His True Church plead is for a worldwide restoration of New Testament Christianity and to unite all God-fearing populace, using only the pure, plain and simple instructions of Jesus and His Apostles. After a carefully in-depth examination of the Holy Scriptures, it must be concluded, based upon all available Biblical information that only the Members of His One True Church have any Hope or Possibility of being saved from everlasting punishment. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus warned that narrow is the way, which leads to eternal life and that few will find it. Jesus made it crystal clear that his teachings were to be precisely followed, which is not all that difficult, and that His Words will judge every man and woman. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:48) Several descriptive expressions for His True Church appear upon the pages of the New Testament including, but not limited to; "church of God" (1 Corinthians 1:2), "house of God" (1 Timothy 3:15), "the church" or "kingdom" (Matthew 16:18-19; Acts 2:47; Colossians 1:13), "temple of God" (1 Corinthians 3:16) and others. The use of any name, which is mentioned in the Word of God, would be scriptural. All other names are not in accord with the scriptures. All who are in fellowship with Christ are members of His Body or His One True Church. The Church is a Spiritual Body, with Jesus Christ as its head and the faithful throughout the world as members of His Body. (Ephesians 1:22-23) THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE CHURCH, the Church built by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18) In the Biblical times there were churches established in Jerusalem, Ephesus, Rome, Smyrna, and other places. These were not different types of churches, as is so prevalent today, but congregations of Christians in various locations. Governing each Church was a group of ordained Elders, who oversaw and tended to the spiritual needs of it members. (Acts 14:23) The early church used the congregational type of church government. The Elders ordained at that location independently governed each church. Today, following the pattern set by the churches of the first century, wherever Christians join together to extend fellowship to each other in worship, we find a congregation or local church. His One True Church stills make use of the congregational type church government. Therefore, each church is independent and is bound to other congregations only through Jesus Christ as the Head and a shared faith. Following the example of Christ “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18) and the Great Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans “Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you” (Romans 16:16) The members of His One True church have chosen further Honor Christ by calling the His One True Church, the same name as it was called, by Christian in the first century, the Church of Christ. It is important to note the Jesus said church (singular) and not churches. What you can expect, when you attend services of His True Church, the Church of Christ. Jesus taught love and that is exactly what may expect to receive. Members of His One True Church are taught from the beginning to have abundant love and concern for their fellow human being, regardless of the economic status, race, religious background or any other factors, created by man, to divide us. You will be treated with respect, as an honored guest. You will not be asked to stand, to give witness or be embarrassed in any way. Please feel free to ask questions or for an explanation of any part of our worship service, beliefs or the sermon delivered by the Minister. The following is an overview of the Church and OUR DISTINCTIVE PLEA FOR RELIGIOUS UNITY. Our Distinctive Plea An Overview of the Church of Christ What is the distinctive plea of the church of Christ? It is primarily a plea for religious unity based upon the Bible. In a divided religious world it is believed that the Bible is the only possible common denominator upon which most, if not all, of the God-fearing people of the land can unite. This is an appeal to go back to the Bible. It is a plea to speak where the Bible speaks, and to remain silent where the Bible is silent in all matters that pertain to religion. It further emphasizes that in everything religious there must be a "Thus saith the Lord" for all that is done. The objective is religious unity of all believers in Christ. The basis is the New Testament. The method is the restoration of New Testament Christianity. The Historical background of the Restoration Movement
One of the earliest advocates of the return to New Testament
Christianity, as a means of achieving unity of all believers in Christ, was
James O'Kelly of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1793 he withdrew from
the
Baltimore conference of his church and called upon others to join him in
taking the Bible as the only creed. His influence was largely felt in
Virginia and North Carolina where history records that some seven thousand
communicants followed his leadership toward a return to primitive New
Testament Christianity. How many churches of Christ are there? The most recent dependable estimate lists more than 15,000 individual churches of Christ. The "Christian Herald," a general religious publication, which presents statistics concerning all the churches, estimates that the total membership of the churches of Christ is now 2,000,000. There are more than 7000 men who preach publicly. Membership of the church is heaviest in the southern states of the United States, particularly Tennessee and Texas, though congregations exist in each of the fifty states and in more than eighty foreign countries. Missionary expansion has been most extensive since the Second World War in Europe, Asia and Africa. More than 450 full time workers are supported in foreign countries. The churches of Christ now have five times as many members as were reported in the U.S. Religious Census of 1936. How are the churches organizationally connected?
Following the plan of organization found in the New Testament, churches of
Christ are autonomous. Their common faith in the Bible and adherence to its
teachings are the chief ties that bind them together. There is no central
headquarters of the church and no organization superior to the elders of
each local congregation. Congregations do cooperate voluntarily in
supporting the orphans and the aged, in preaching the gospel in new fields,
and in other similar works. How are the churches of Christ governed? In each congregation, which has existed long enough, to become fully organized, there is a plurality of elders or presbyters who serve as the governing body. Members of their local congregation select these men. The basis of qualifications is set down in the scriptures (1 Timothy 3:1-8). Serving under the elders are deacons, teachers, and evangelists or ministers. The latter do not have the authority equal to or superior to the elders. The elders are shepherds or overseers who serve under the headship of Christ according to the New Testament, which is a kind of constitution. There is no earthly authority superior to the elders of the local church. What does the church of Christ believe about the Bible? The original autographs of the sixty-six books, which make up the Bible, are considered to have been divinely inspired. This means they are infallible and authoritative. Reference to the scriptures is made in settling every religious question. A pronouncement from the scripture is considered the final word. The basic textbook of the church and the basis for all preaching is the Bible. Do members of the churches of Christ believe in the virgin birth? Yes. The statement in Isaiah 7:14 is taken as a prophecy of the virgin birth of Christ. New Testament passages such as Matthew 1:20, 25, are accepted at face value as declarations of the virgin birth. Christ is accepted as the only begotten Son of God, uniting in his person perfect divinity and perfect manhood. Does the church of Christ believe in predestination? Only in the sense that God predestines the righteous to be eternally saved and the unrighteous to be eternally lost The statement of the apostle Peter, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is acceptable unto him"(Acts 10:34-35.) is taken as evidence that God did not predestine individuals to be eternally saved or lost, but that each man determines his own destiny. Why does the church of Christ baptize only by immersion? The word baptize comes from the Greek word "baptizo" and literally means, "to dip, to immerse, to plunge." In addition to the literal meaning of the word, immersion is practiced because it was the practice of the Church in apostolic times. Immersion conforms to the description of baptisms as given by the apostle Paul in Romans 6:3-5 where he speaks of it as a burial and resurrection. Is infant baptism practiced? No. Only those who have reached the "age of accountability" are accepted for baptisms. It is pointed out that the examples given in the New Testament are always of those who have heard the gospel preached and have believed it. Faith must always precede baptism, so only those old enough to understand and believe the gospel are considered fit subjects for baptism. Do ministers of the church hear confession? No. Ministers or evangelists of the church have no special prerogatives. They do not wear the title of Reverend or Father, but are addressed simply by the term Brother as are all other men of the church. Along with elders and others they do counsel and advise those seeking help. Are prayers addressed to the saints? No. God the Father is considered the only one to whom the prayers may be addressed. It is further understood that Christ stands in a mediatory position between God and man (Hebrews 7:25). All prayers are therefore offered through Christ, or in the name of Christ (John 16:23-26). How often is the Lord's Supper eaten? It is expected that every member of the church will assemble for worship on each Lord's Day. A central part of the worship is the eating of the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7). Unless providentially hindered, each member considers this weekly appointment as binding. In many instances, as in the case of illness, the Lord's Supper is carried to those who are hindered from attending the worship. What kind of music is used in the worship? As a result of the distinctive plea of the church - a return to New Testament Faith and practice - acappella singing is the only music used in the worship. This singing, unaccompanied by mechanical instruments of music, conforms to the music used in the apostolic church and for several centuries thereafter (Ephesians 5:19). It is felt that there is no authority for engaging in acts of worship not found in the New Testament. This principle eliminates the use of instrumental music, along with the use of candles, incense, and other similar elements. Does the church of Christ believe in heaven and hell? Yes. The statement of Christ in Matthew 25, and elsewhere, are taken at face value. It is believed that after death each man must come before God in judgment and that he will be judged according to the deeds done while he lived (Hebrews 9:27). After judgment is pronounced he will spend eternity either in heaven or hell. Does the church of Christ believe in purgatory? No. The absence of any reference in the scriptures to the temporary place of punishment from which the soul will eventually be released into heaven prevents the acceptance of the doctrine of purgatory. By what means does the church secure financial support? Each first day of the week the members of the church "lay by in store as they have been prospered". (1 Corinthians 16:2) The amount of any individual gift is generally known only to the one who gave it and to the Lord. This free-will offering is the only call, which the church makes. NO assessments or other levies are made. No moneymaking activities, such as bazaars or suppers, are engaged in. A total of approximately $200,000,000 is given on this basis each year. Does the church of Christ have a creed? No. At least, there is no creed in the usual sense of the word. The belief of the church is stated fully and completely in the Bible. There is no other manual or discipline to which the members of the church of Christ give their allegiance. The Bible is considered as the only infallible guide to heaven. AN OPEN INVITATION Now that you are aware of a church in the 20th century, which is built according to the blue prints of Christ's original church, why not becomes a member of it? In becoming a member of it, you will be called upon to do nothing, which you cannot read in the New Testament. You will then live and worship just as the apostle-guided Christians of the first century did.
Not only is this return to New Testament Christianity a wonderful basis upon which all believers in Christ can unite, it is absolutely solid ground. If we do just what our Lord commanded we know that our salvation is certain. Come with us as we go back to the Bible, back to Christ and his church! [Batsell Barrett Baxter (1916-1982) excerpt from an article entitled “What is the Church of Christ”] Now is the time to search the Scriptures for the path that will lead you to a Crown of Life
How to be
Born Again
|
|
You are
cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
You are
cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
|
You are
cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
You are cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
|
You are
cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
You are
cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
|
You are
cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
You are
cordially invited to visit
www.SeekingtheLost.org
Learn
the six simple steps to be
Saved &
avoid the flames of Hell
And ye
shall know the TRUTH, and the
TRUTH
shall make you FREE (John 8:32)
|
JOHN 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth
This web site is sponsored by
Diplomats for
Christ
James W. Goddard, Ph.D.
A Diplomat at large for Christ and an active Member of the
Eufaula Church of Christ
220 West Grand, Eufaula, Oklahoma 74432
e-mail
jwgoddard@seekingthelost.org
Author’s Home Congregation, please visit Eufaula Church of Christ
http://www.histruechurch.org/eufaulaokcfc.html
Psalms 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his
handywork.
Copyrighted, all rights reserved 2005-2006
This web site was written and designed by James W. Goddard, Ph.D., an active member of the Eufaula Church of Christ