The American Restoration Movement, 18002006

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The American Restoration Movement, 1800-2006

• If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles
  of God.... I Peter 411

Credit to David Ed win Harrell for some of the
content of this presentation.
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APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY

• 1. THE APOSTLES HAD THE AUTHORITY TO SPEAK FOR
  GOD
• 2. THE APOSTOLIC TEACHING WAS FOLLOWED
• 3. CHURCHES WERE SET IN ORDER BY APOSTOLIC
  AUTHORITY
• 4. GOD INTENDED THAT APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY BE
  FOLLOWED
• 5. FIRST CENTURY CHRISTIANS UNDERSTOOD APOSTOLIC
  AUTHORITY
• 6. THE APOSTLES TAUGHT THE SAME THINGS IN ALL THE
  CHURCHES
• 7. WE ASK QUESTIONS AND LOOK FOR APOSTOLIC ANSWERS

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THE AUTONOMOUS LOCAL CHURCH IS THE ONLY BIBLICAL
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Acts 1423 And when they had ordained them
elders in every church, and had prayed with
fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom
they believed. 1 Peter 53 shepherd the flock
of God among you
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I Cor. 417 For this reason I have sent
Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful
son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways
in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.
UNIFORMITY IN N. T. CHURCHES FOLLOWING APOSTOLIC
INTENT
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Observations on Congregationalism

• IT IS BIBLICAL
• IT IS TRULY UNDENOMINATIONAL
• IT IS NON-CREEDAL
• I DID NOT INVENT THE IDEA
• THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT DID NOT INVENT THE IDEA

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Disciples of Christ Churches of Christ Christian
Churches
Phase 1-1800-1865
Phase 5-1950-2006
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Disciples of Christ Churches of Christ Christian
Churches
Phase 1-1800-1865
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Phase 1 Growth (1800-1865)

• Disciples of Christ/Churches of
  Christ/Christian Churches
• Growth to 250,000 w/o organization
• Lack of wealth
• Unsophisticated leadership
• Belief and Commitment
• Why They Grew Deep Conviction and Deep
  Commitment to Share the Gospel Because People
  Need It.

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Phase 1 Divisions and Tensions

• Premillennialism (Christadelphians)
• Mormonism
• War and Slavery
• American Missionary Society
• Instrumental Music
• Personalities - Papers

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Churches of Christ Division 1906

• Doctrinal Issues
• Instrumental Music
• Missionary Society
• Pastor System
• Dividing Minds (Hermeneutics, Mindsets)
• Biblical literalism vs. liberalism
• Separatism vs. denominationalism

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Conservative

• The only way to sustain Christianity and have
  union, is for all of us to say and believe that
  all Gods statements are facts and truths. . . .
  And that all his commandments are to be obeyed
  literally.
• James L. Thornberry, The American Congress of
  Churches, Gospel Advocate, May 5, 1885, p. 49.

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Moderate and Traditional

• The Bible contains but few specific details, but
  it does contain every principle of action the
  human family will ever need.... It assumes the
  common sense of the race.... In regard to the
  methods employed for preaching the gospel to the
  world, and all benevolent ministrations of the
  church,... Christians have no positive
  specifications and they must be governed by
  general laws and principles applied according to
  their best judgement.
• M. M Goode, Missouri Christian Lectures (Kansas
  City, 1886), pp. 101-102.

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Liberal

• A principle may set aside an apostolic precept.
  It may brush aside an apostolic decree. We do
  that constantly. We follow the apostolic example
  whenever we like it when we do not, we depart
  from it.
• George T. Smith, No Man Wishes Women to Keep
  Silence in the Churches, Christian Standard,
  October 7, 1893, p. 798.

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Churches of Christ Division 1906

• Sociological Issues (Sect to Denomination
  Process)
• Economic Differences
• Educational Differences
• Urban versus Rural

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Poor and Alienated

• As time advanced such of those churches as
  assembled in large towns and cities gradually
  became proud, or, at least, sufficiently
  worldly-minded to desire popularity, and in order
  to attain that unscriptural end they adopted
  certain popular arrangements such as the hired
  pastor, the church choir, instrumental music,
  man-made societies to advance the gospel. . . .
  In so doing they divided the brotherhood of
  disciples.
• Daniel Sommer, The Signs of the Times,
  Octographic Times, October 5, 1897, p. 1.

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Middle-Class Respectability

• We have enough cheap churches. . . . We may
  be a great church. We may never be, however,
  with dwarfed preachers and insignificant
  preachers.
• H. C. Alleman, Better Church Buildings, BIC,
  January-March, 1897, p. 14.

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The Educated Elite

• There is a call today for more educated men in
  the pew, more thoroughly trained preachers, more
  profound thinkers, more cultured liberal editors,
  and more scholarly professors.
• A. M. Hall, Educational Board, Christian
  Oracle, July 4, 1895, p. 420.

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Value of Church Buildings 1936
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Looking At Our Calling

• 1 Cor. 126-27 For ye see your calling,
  brethren, how that not many wise men after the
  flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are
  called But God hath chosen the foolish things
  of the world to confound the wise and God hath
  chosen the weak things of the world to confound
  the things which are mighty

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Disciples of Christ Churches of Christ Christian
Churches
Phase 1-1800-1865
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The churches of Christ 1900-1950 Phase 3

• Rapid Growth (from 250,000 to 1,500,000)
• Reasons for Growth
• Committed to Congregational Autonomy vs.
  Denominational Organization
• Sense of World Separation (Alienated)
• Debating and Converting (Gosp. Meetings)
• Conviction versus Denominational Loyalty
• Migration from (more liberal) Christian Churches

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Tensions Among Brethren1900-1950

• Tensions among like-minded people
• Pacifism
• The covering (also kneeling in prayer)
• Located preachers and salaries
• Colleges and institutional issues
• Moral issues (dress, gambling, divorce)
• Issues mattered to those determined to follow
  Biblical Authority!

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Divisive Issues Among Brethren 1900-1950

• Divisions among like-minded people
• One-cup
• Non-class
• Premillennialism (Dispensationalism)

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Disciples of Christ Churches of Christ Christian
Churches
Phase 1-1800-1865
Phase 5-1950-2006
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Characteristics of 20th Century Divisions in the
Churches of Christ

• Three Separated Fellowships1960-2006

Non-Institutional
Institutional
Progressive
Alienated Conservative, Un-Denominational Guardian
Of Truth Florida College 10 Separated by 1962
Traditional, Consiberal, Denominational Firm
Foundation Preacher Schools 40 Separated by 1985
Progressive,Liberal,Ecumenical (Unity)
Wineskins Colleges 50 Majority (Now)
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Institutional Divisions 1945-65

• Church Support of Institutions (colleges, orphan
  homes, medical clinics)
• Church Funded Social Gospel (social meals,
  recreation, fellowship halls)
• General Benevolence To Non-Christians (relief
  ministries, support of relief ministries)
• Sponsoring Church Arrangements (Herald of Truth,
  worldwide missions)

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Have You Obeyed The Gospel?
Hear the Gospel (Rom. 1017) Believe that Jesus
is the Son of God (Acts 837) Repent of Your
Sins (Acts 238) Confess that Jesus is the Son
of God (Acts 837) Be Baptized for Forgiveness
of Sins (Acts 238) Live Faithfully until You
Die (Rev. 210)