One In Jesus

We’re working our way through Leroy Garrett’s book: What Must the Church of Christ Do to Be Saved? The paperback is $7.95, but it’s also available in Kindle edition for $0.99. For $0.99, it’s really an offer you can’t refuse!

Now, by “saved” Garrett doesn’t mean that he questions the salvation of the individual members of the Churches of Christ. Rather, he is concerned to save the Churches of Christ as a “viable witness to the Christian faith. What must it do to escape extinction in the decades ahead …?”

Chapter 4 is entitled, “Recover our heritage as a unity movement.”

Below the stern likeness of Thomas Campbell is the most quoted line in our history outside the Bible itself: “The Church of Christ upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one.” This is taken from his Declaration and Address, the most famous document of our heritage, being an angry denunciation of division among Christians and a call for the unity of all God’s people. Continue reading →

We’re working our way through Leroy Garrett’s book: What Must the Church of Christ Do to Be Saved? The paperback is $7.95, but it’s also available in Kindle edition for $0.99. For $0.99, it’s really an offer you can’t refuse!

Now, by “saved” Garrett doesn’t mean that he questions the salvation of the individual members of the Churches of Christ. Rather, he is concerned to save the Churches of Christ as a “viable witness to the Christian faith. What must it do to escape extinction in the decades ahead …?”

Chapter 3 is entitled, “Repent of and confess our sin of division.”

I have made it clear that I do not mean that we should start using instruments in our worship, for that would violate the conscience of many of our people. But we must confess that we have been wrong in making instrumental music a test of fellowship and for saying it is sinful for others to use instruments. It is of course right and proper that we should sing acappella if that is our preference and conviction, but it is wrong for us to make our position a command of God for all others. We must repent and confess that we have been wrong in rejecting other of God’s children because of their use of instrumental music. We have made a law where God has not made one, and this is wrong. Let us say it, loud and clear! (pp. 37-38).

Garrett concludes,

We need to write out a “Proclamation of Repentance” that would say something like, “Whereas, we have sinned against our Lord’s prayer for the unity of all his followers by becoming a factious and divided people; and whereas, we have sinned against the mandate of the holy Scriptures and the holy apostles in their plea for unity; and whereas, we have sinned against our own heritage as a unity people; we do hereby confess our sin and ask for each other’s forgiveness, the forgiveness of the larger Christian community, and the forgiveness of Almighty God; and we hereby declare that we repudiate our divisive ways, and are resolved to take the following steps to correct the erroneous course taken by our fathers and by ourselves (pp. 42-43).

Are you ready to sign?

Several readers have posted comments objecting to Leroy Garrett’s characterization of the Churches of Christ as “sectarian.” The word “sectarian” takes on a variety of meanings depending on the context, but I think it’s clear from Leroy’s writing that he is referring to the well-known tendency of many within the Churches to consider only those in the Churches as saved. Indeed, we all know that many members of the Churches of Christ would draw the circle even tighter, excluding many or even most members of the Churches of Christ.

Now, this raises two or three questions. One is whether it’s fair for Leroy to single out the Churches of Christ as sectarian when so many other organizations are equally sectarian — which is quite the same as telling the highway patrolman he can’t arrest you because so many others are speeding! It doesn’t work, you know. It’s a diversion from the actual question, which is whether you are a speeding (or sectarian). We can’t plead the sins of others as a defense for our own sinfulness. Continue reading →

We’re working our way through Leroy Garrett’s book: What Must the Church of Christ Do to Be Saved? The paperback is $7.95, but it’s also available in Kindle edition for $0.99. For $0.99, it’s really an offer you can’t refuse!

Chapter 2 is entitled, “Repent of our petty, narrow sectarianism.”

We are at heart a magnanimous people, loving and gracious. Our people do not want to be narrow, bigoted sectarians. We have been sold a bill of goods by well-meaning but misguided leaders of the past who have bamboozled us into believing that if we have any fellowship with a Methodist or a Presbyterian then we endorse or approve of all the errors in those religions. If we call on a Baptist minister to address us or lead a prayer in our assembly, then we compromise the truth and approve of all Baptist doctrine! (p. 32).

Garrett concludes,

It is not enough to do or to say nothing, or simply to preach more on grace and about Christ. We must repent. We have a serious sin to confess. We have been factious and sectarian, dividing among ourselves again and again. We have hurt a lot of people and confused even more, and we have churches full of people who are discouraged. We must become intolerant and disgusted with our own petty, narrow sectarianism. (p. 33).

What would that look that? What would we be like if we become “intolerant and disgusted with our own petty, narrow sectarianism”? How would we change? How would our preaching change? How would our congregations change?