Reflections on Cooperation and Religious Divisions

Attendance at a recent Missions Resource Network benefit dinner, sparked thoughts of the religious divisions and lack of coorperation that long characterised congregtions of the churches of Christ.  I was born and raised in the 40's, 50's, and 60's--more than 50 years distance from our present culture.  During those times,  many good practices were prevalent, chief among them a study and knowledge of scripture.  Alas, knowledge does not in itself mean understanding and practice.

Congregational autonomy was taken to a fault. Other than area "Sunday singings," little real cooperative efforts were the norm.   Sometimes a local city campaign with a prominent speaker in the church induced a "Billy Graham" effort of cooperation.   The 60's in particular were marked by the "anti" movement.  When my wife and I moved to Phoenix right out of the university, we sought the nearest congregation to our little one bedroom furnished apartment.  It was an "anti" congregation where the entire sermon was condemning other Christians who "cooperated" in any way with Christian based groups--Christian universities, orphan homes, other congregations and Christians who supported them, and those who did not conduct their services in the right way.  It was so bad we did not feel comfortable taking communion there.  Fortunately, we found a loving and accepting congregation nearby.  Though the "anti" movement within the churches of Christ has almost dissipated over the last half century,  in my view it damaged the message of Christ for decades.

The Restoration heritage of "back to the bible" unfortunately evolved in some circles into an insistence on "doctrinal purity" before one congregation could "be in fellowship" with another congregation.  This usually focused on insisting on using some "accepted" form of worship for being "in fellowship."   However, what was "doctrine" for one group was "liberty" for another group.  The emphasis was on  what what perceived to be the accepted "pattern" and not on relationships--whether relationship with God, with one another, or with other Christians.  The admonition in Ephesians 4 to use our God given spiritual gifts for service to others was little heard.  "Home Bible Studies"  consisted primarily of how the church was established in Act 2,  on baptism, and on the organization of the church.  Christ was not at the center of these lessons.  We know,  as my wife and I created a separate chart on the life of Christ.  The charts we were using had little about Christ. This insistence  on "pattern" or particular "forms" of worship lead to multiple  splits or divisions within the church.

Concurrent with the divisions within the church itself was an insistence that a congregation could not cooperate in any overt way with others in the community.   Those who  were providing a service to others--other faith based groups or  community service groups-- could not be associated with.   The thinking was "the church" would not get the credit for the service provided.  Doing so would lend tacit consent to the doctrine of denominations that we did not agree with.  Note here the insistence that the church of Christ was not a "denomination" but was "The Church"--never mind that the churches of Christ fit precisely the normal English language dictionary definition of a denomination.  ( Of course, Christ's church universal is one and not a denomination.  The forms it takes certainaly are different even within the churches of Christ).

The above attitudes contributed to the common perception that the members of the Churches of Christ believed they were the only ones going to heaven.  When pressed most members would deny this, but then insist only those believed or practiced as they did would would be acceptable to God.  The presupposition not stated was the Churches of Christ had completely restored the New Testament church found in the bible.    Never mind the fact there were significant differences in the understanding of the workings of the Holy Spirit,  and continual squabbles on forms of worship and other doctrinal matters.   The "worship wars" that came to other faith based groups came to the churches of Christ also--just later in time.

We are thankful that many of these attitudes are fading in our fellowship.  Para-church groups like MIssion Resource Network, Let's Start Talking, Eastern European Missions, Great Cities Missions, Kairos, Mission Alive, etc. are doing much for the Lord and are supported by both members  and congreagations alike.  Christian universities and colleges are supported as well.   Local congregations support groups such as Habitat for Humanity, Samaritan Inn, Local Food Banks, and Children's Relief Fund.  Members are emphasizing real relationships with God, each other, and developing relationships with their neighbors and the unchurched.   All of this does not mean we have abandoned baptism for the remission of sins, or even a cappella music.  But, it does mean the restoration of doctrine is balanced with the restoration of relationships.  It also recogizes that using the bible as a "rule book", "constitution", or a using "pattern" hermenutic may not be the best way or even a good way of determining  what God wishes us to do as individual Christians or congregations.

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