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Originally Posted by Lissa
United Church of Christ and Church of Christ, are two very different identities. Actually there isn't a central Church of Christ(like the Vatican is to the Catholic Church) so pretty much every church of Christ can be different, unfortunately many are liberal and some are conservative, so you can't judge one by another.
The basis behind the church of Christ is the Bible and nothing but, no human creeds or traditions. Musical insterments are a big debate and the easy way to identify a liberal one is their presence. As we have no examples of musical insterments being used in worship in the New Testament they are largely avoided, with congregational A Cappella singing being the form of musical worship. ("Eph 5:19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart." says to sing, not play insterments)
If you haven't guessed yet, I am a member of a church of Christ, but I'm not a church of Christer. Another way to tell a liberal vs a conservative member is their willingness to assume that title. I am not a member of any denomination, I am simply a member of the Lord's church as explained in the New Testament. I speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where it is silent. Thus I do not believe in musical insterments being used in worship, I do not believe women should be allowed to preach (our role is elsewhere), and I believe that God left the path to Salvation in it's perfect form in the written Word and there is nothing more needed, thus human creeds and traditions are a hinderance to our ability to attain salvation. 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." John 12:48 - "The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day." Mat 15:8-9 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" I'm not willing to risk my soul creeds and traditions, Mat 7:21-23 : "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' " So I put my faith in the Bible and nothing but.
I have no denominational affilliation, I am simply a member of the Lord's church that happens to meet at a place called the University church of Christ in San Marcos, Texas.
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