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Distinctive Features of the Church of Christ
By admin | September 24, 2011
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
The church that Christ built (Matthew 16:18) and purchased with his blood (Acts 20:28) is neither a denomination nor interdenominational. Christ’s church can be easily distinguished from those man made institutions by a number of its own distinctive features, some of which include:
Its Name and Organization
It claims Jesus Christ as its only head — Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23
It wears his name and repudiates all human names – 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Romans 16:16; Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4:16
It is governed by New Testament teaching and follows no man-made creed or discipline — 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 4:11; Hebrews 9:15-17
Each congregation is self-governed, independent of any other congregation. It is not under the ruling of any humanly designed governing body, but each congregation of the Lord’s church is overseen by elders who are selected from among the local members – Acts 20:17, 28; I Peter 5:1-4; Titus 1:5
Elders in Christ’s church are men who meet scriptural qualifications as outlined in the New Testament — 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9
Elders are assisted by deacons, who are men meeting specific qualifications and having been chosen from the local membership – 1 Timothy 3:8-12
The Worship of Christ’s Church
The church of which Christ is the head follows a pattern of worship as set forth in the New Testament: 1) Prayer — Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 2:8; 2) Preaching the gospel — Acts 20:7; 3) Singing without the use of any mechanical instruments — Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; 4) Partaking of the Lord’s Supper each Sunday, the “first day of the week.” The Lord’s Supper, or communion, consists of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, which to Christians represent the body and blood of Christ, respectively. The Lord himself instituted this memorial — Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16; Matthew 26:26-28; 5) Giving as we have been prospered, every first day of the week — 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
All areas of congregational worship are led by the male members of the congregation — 1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:11-12.
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