The Church of Christ

By Lee Carter Maynard

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     In the Saturday religious supplement of our paper there are about two hundred churches advertised. I am sure there are others which do not pay the cost of advertising. This is a gloomy picture since the Bible speaks of one church. There are several Churches of Christ listed. One drew my attention since it evidenced a claim to first place. I called the resident evangelist and made some enquiry. He was anxious to answer my questions. He thought I was looking for the true church and was certain he had found it.

     I asked, "Brother, with which Church of Christ are you affiliated?"

      He replied, "We are the true and original Church of Christ which you see advertised at the approach of nearly every city in the United States."

     "Are you folk what we northerners used to call 'the college brethren?'"

     He said, "No. Our church does not take money from the church treasury to support colleges, though some of our folks

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have attended church colleges. Individuals contribute to certain schools, but we think it is wrong to take church money for that purpose."

     I asked, "Are you connected with the premillennial faction of the church?"

     This seemed to irritate him a little. He hastened to inform me they had absolutely nothing to do with such heretics.

     Then I asked, "Do you support orphan homes or homes for the aged?" He was polite, but let me know definitely they did help orphans and the needy. But they did it only by individuals through the local church and did not believe it was right to use church money for manmade institutions.

     I then asked, "Are you what some of the brethren call "one-cuppers"?

     He replied, "We believe the Lord meant what he said, when he said, 'This cup is the new testament in my blood.' He did not say cups." I asked, "Does one deacon serve the whole congregation with just one cup?"

     He answered, "No, we have two tiers of seats and a man serves each tier, but the people all drink from one cup in their section of the house."

     He began to act a bit frustrated but was cordial and there was no word of argument. I let him know I was serious and did want to know a congregation that seemed to be what it claimed. I was never more sincere. I want to know the truth, the whole truth, about the church our Lord brought into being on Pentecost.

     He said, "We use the name Christ (Romans 16:16) for the Bible says there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."

     I answered, "That is true, brother, but that was not spoken of a congregation, but of the Lord Jesus himself." (Acts 4:12).

     "Don't you think we should honor him by wearing his name as a wife wears the name of her husband?"

     I replied, "But the church is not yet his wife. The bridegroom has not come. The wedding supper for the Lamb and his wife is yet to be celebrated in God's tomorrow." I said, "The Bible says that the family is named after the Father (Ephesians 3:14, 15). The family is not yet named after the elder son. Perhaps that is why the church is called the church of God so many times in the Bible.

     He said, "But the Bible says Jesus purchased the church with his own blood." I replied, "Brother, I do not believe it says just that. If you will read closely you will see it was God who purchased the church with his own Son's blood. One version says, 'Be shepherds of the church of God which he made his own through the death of his own Son.'" (Acts 20:28).

     I said, "I am not satisfied with our conversation. You have been polite and courteous, but you have not told me which one of the twenty factions, schisms, denominations, or parties, it is with which you have fellowship. I suppose you do not have instrumental music in your assemblies."

     He was a little indignant at this, and said, "We certainly do not. We only have those things which the Bible plainly teaches by word or precept. We consider instrumental music sinful. It is adding to God's word. We even teach it is sinful to sing with the instrument in our homes if it is considered worship."

     "That's a great claim, but I wonder if you good folks wash feet, speak in tongues, anoint with oil, practice the holy kiss, lift up holy hands when you pray, and have all things common?"

     He replied, "I think you are trying to put me on. I believe you know these things were all done away with when the Bible was completed."

     "I am not sure I did know this. Who has the power and insight to tell us which things we must accept and which have been done away? A few minutes ago you said you had restored the original church. It is well to remember that church was Jewish and Gentiles were admitted to it only if they were circumcised. They were sabbath-keepers and ate only certain kinds of meat." His explanation of this was not entirely satisfactory.

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     I thought the conversation had been drawn out enough, so as a parting word I asked, "Do you subscribe for the MISSION MESSENGER?"

     He said, "I should say I do not. Ketcherside is a smart man but he has done the cause of Christ great harm. He is dangerous."

     He never once asked my name but he did invite me to look them up and worship with them. I suppose I had better let well enough alone. I am sure that a personal visit would lead into a heated argument, and God's Word is too sacred to be debated where each is trying only to convince himself and others that he is right. Debaters do not often seek the real truth.

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