WHO
STARTED THE CHURCH OF CHRIST?
The answer may surprise those who think of the church
of the Lord in terms of a denomination, or as a conglomerate of
disparate groups claiming to be parts of “the universal church of
the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Most denominations trace their origin to the work of some
notable person – sometimes they are even named to honor their
founder. Some think of the church of Christ as a predominantly
American “denomination” with its origin and roots in the works of
Thomas and Alexander Campbell, men who came to the United States
from Britain in the early 1800's. Of course we know, or should know
that the Campbells and many others of that time were intent on
simply returning to the New Testament pattern, initiated by Christ
and implemented by his apostles. They wanted to become part of the
historic people called together by the Lord and added to each time
any person obeyed the commands of Christ and met his requirements
for inclusion in his spiritual family (see Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38,
1 Cor. 12:13, Col. 2:11-12 and 1:13-18). They never intended to
start something new, but only to become proper parts of something
that had existed since the day of Pentecost after the death and
resurrection of Jesus. Others had announced the same desire and
intention before them and many have espoused the same principle
since their time.
Documentary research done by a Dr. Robinson of Birmingham, England
revealed the following: “In the Furness District of Lancashire, in
England, there existed in 1669, during the reign of King Charles II,
a group of eight churches of Christ, most of them not now in
existence. An old minute-book has been found for the year 1669, and
it shows that they called themselves by the name Church of Christ,
practiced baptism by immersion, celebrated the Lord’s supper each
Sunday, and had elders and deacons in each congregation. There was
also a church of Christ in Dungannon, Ireland in 1804, and one in
Allington, Deighshire. In 1735 John Davis, a young preacher from the
Fife District in Scotland, was preaching simple New Testament
Christianity some twenty five years from Thomas Campbell
(Alexander’s father) was born.” We do not include this information
here to show that the church of Christ started earlier than the
1800's in America – we repudiate the whole idea that the church
acknowledged and validated by Christ could have been started by
anyone other than Christ himself, as warranted in the New Testament
writings.
The church of the Lord existed long before 17th century England
or 19th century America. It was predicted some five hundred years
before Christ (Dan. 2:44), was promised by Jesus (Mt. 16:18), began
and was announced as existing on the day of Pentecost, with the
saved being added into it (Acts 2:41, 47). It has continued to exist
without change since that day, with the only variable being those
being saved by obedience to Christ and his gospel and assembling in
various places as his people (Rom. 16:16, Gal. 1:1-2, etc). Whenever
and wherever people obey the simple gospel message of the New
Testament, the plan of salvation validated by Christ and implemented
by his apostles, those people become part of the one true church of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Even if for some period of time – even
centuries – there were no living members of the Lord’s spiritual
body, the body itself would continue. It would become a visible
presence on earth again whenever the gospel was returned to and
obeyed, in any place and at any time.
It is difficult to verify the existence of true Christians and
congregations of true Christians in some periods of history. Much of
church history is dominated by corrupt and unscriptural institutions
claiming to be the church or parts of it. They suppress the truth of
the Lord as given in his word, and promote themselves by denying the
validity of anything other than themselves. They are believed by
misguided people who believe that somehow the number of adherents
proves the validity of the group. But multiplied millions of members
of an unscriptural group will not make it valid, nor will they win
for themselves the approval and acceptance of God (Mt. 7:21-28).
Of one thing we are certain: the church of Christ was not
started in the United States by the Campbells, or by anybody else.
The movement in which the Campbells and many others took the lead in
America was simply one of many historical efforts to reform existing
churches and restore the New Testament pattern for the church. To be
sure that we are in the church of the Lord we must verify our own
salvation, as set forth in the scripture (remember only those He
saves are added by Him to His church). We must verify it by the
scripture, not by the teachings of any reformer or restorer, not by
the words of any modern day preacher, and not by any denominated
group large or small that is not identified in the New Testament of
God’s Word.
– Gerald Cowan
(Minister of the church of Christ at Dongola, IL)