Survey Request

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Jay F Guin

question-markI’ve been contacted by a student at Lipscomb looking to compile, for her master’s program, a list of Churches of Christ that have added either an instrumental service or a gender-inclusive service. Other than Richland Hills and Quail Springs, what churches should she add to her list?

(If you prefer to send information privately, my email is jfguin(at)comcast(dot)net.)

About Jay F Guin

My name is Jay Guin, and I’m a retired elder. I wrote The Holy Spirit and Revolutionary Grace about 18 years ago. I’ve spoken at the Pepperdine, Lipscomb, ACU, Harding, and Tulsa lectureships and at ElderLink. My wife’s name is Denise, and I have four sons, Chris, Jonathan, Tyler, and Philip. I have two grandchildren. And I practice law.
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17 Responses to Survey Request

  1. xray342 says:
    September 23, 2009 at 4:14 pm

    "Gender-inclusive" as in allowing women to do things like serve communion?

  2. Jay Guin says:
    September 23, 2009 at 4:43 pm

    That's my interpretation — women are permitted to do things that traditionally have been prohibited to them

  3. texasrangersfan says:
    September 23, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    Farmers Branch Church of Christ in Farmers Branch, TX is instrumental.

    Highland Church of Christ in Abilene is gender-inclusive.

    Plymouth Park Church of Christ in Irving, TX is both.

  4. David Baker says:
    September 23, 2009 at 5:52 pm

    One of the churches in Las Cruces, New Mexico recently split because the elders were adding an instrumental service in addition to a "traditional" service. Which one I do not know. One of our members was there when the split occured this year.

  5. Terry says:
    September 24, 2009 at 12:44 am

    Our former congregation, Jenks Church in Jenks, Oklahoma, added an instrumental service several years ago (2001, if my memory is correct).

  6. Alan S. says:
    September 24, 2009 at 3:03 am

    First Colony Church of Christ in Sugar Land, TX has both. Including women on the singing team was done in 1999, and an IM service was added in Feb. this year.

    God bless

  7. Weldon says:
    September 24, 2009 at 3:14 am

    First Colony Church of Christ in Sugar Land, Texas has instrumental service.
    http://www.firstcolonychurch.org

  8. Weldon says:
    September 24, 2009 at 3:17 am

    Alan S.:

    Sorry for duplicating your post. I didn't notice that you had already mentioned First Colony until it was too late.

  9. Alan says:
    September 24, 2009 at 3:31 am

    Depending on how you define terms… pretty much all of the ICOC congregations have added instruments.

  10. texasrangersfan says:
    September 24, 2009 at 3:50 am

    Southwest Central Church of Christ in Houston is gender-inclusive as well

  11. Cary says:
    September 24, 2009 at 4:48 am

    Preston Road CofC in Dallas – gender inclusive (as far as I can tell)

    Woodmont Hills Family of God in Nashville – gender inclusive.

    Redwood Church in Redwood, CA – IM, don't know about GI but probably

  12. Tim Perkins says:
    September 24, 2009 at 5:08 am

    Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in San Antonio is gender inclusive.

  13. Royce says:
    September 24, 2009 at 6:16 am

    Southlake Blvd church in Southlake Texas is both. And, I might add a great church.

    Southlake likely falls into a catagory that is missed since many in our brotherhood no longer considers a congregation a coC unless they look like all the cookie cutter churches across the fruited plain. Max Lucado's home church is a case in point.

    Royce

  14. Weldon says:
    September 24, 2009 at 6:21 am

    There's also the New Beginnings Church of Clear Lake (Houston), Texas. They're a "contemporary church with a Church of Christ heritage."
    http://www.nbchurch.com/about-us/history/

  15. xray342 says:
    September 25, 2009 at 6:32 am

    Alan,

    Remember that the ICOC is a special case. Around the latter part of 1993, Kip McKean (who was firmly in charge of the discipling movement at that point), single handedly pronounced that it was not sinful to worship with instruments and women can have an expanded role in the church. (The lesson was titled "Wine, Women, and Song".) The surprising thing was that there was little-to-no uproar for allowing instruments. (At least I can't find any references online. I joined the ICOC in 1998.)

  16. Alan says:
    September 25, 2009 at 7:46 am

    xray,

    I agree the ICOC is a special case. But many of these congregations today have more similarity than you might think to the progressive churches of Christ.

    I remember that "Wine Women and Song" message. It was supposedly preached in every ICOC church at that time. The absence of an uproar over instruments was unsurprising at that point. Relatively few of the members came from a traditional church of Christ background, and most had never heard the church of Christ rationale for a cappella music.

  17. John says:
    September 25, 2009 at 11:04 am

    4th Ave church of Christ in Franklin, TN is Gender Inclusive

Comments are closed.