Maysville church of Christ Column
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QUESTION: Just recently I heard a preacher state that Alexander Campbell was the founder of the Churches of Christ. Is that the truth?
ANSWER: No, no, a thousand times no. Christ Jesus stated in clarion tones: “Upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Please notice that Jesus used the singular “it” and not “them.” It is not the church of Paul, or Peter, or Alexander Campbell. When anyone contends that the “churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16), were founded by Alexander Campbell, they betray their lack of knowledge of God’s Word. They also betray their lack of knowledge of church history.
The “church” which is also called the “kingdom” (John 3:3-5; Matthew 16:18-19), was prophesied (Isaiah 2:2-3; Daniel 2:44). The church belonging to Christ was established in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8-2:47). The first Gospel sermon was preached in Jerusalem and 3,000 were baptized into Christ (Acts 2:41), and the Lord added those being saved to His church (Acts 2:47). Alexander Campbell is not mentioned one time. Jesus is the “head” of His church (Colossians 1:18). The church is His “body” (Ephesians 1:22-23). The Scripture nowhere calls Alexander Campbell the head of Christ’s church!
The Rocky Springs “church of Christ” began meeting in Bridgeport, Alabama in 1807. Alexander Campbell did not set foot on American soil until 1809! In 1669, during the reign of Charles II, there were at least eight congregations of the “churches of Christ” meeting in North West England. Alexander Campbell was not born until 1788. The state of Massachusetts had their Bay Colony Tercentenary Commission at which time they erected a historical marker that reads: “Church of Christ-1710. Meeting house of the church of Christ in Rumney Marsh, erected in 1710. Thomas Cheever, the first settled minister died December 27, 1749.” The church of Christ had been meeting at least 78 years before the birth of Alexander Campbell!
My question is this: “How did Alexander Campbell establish all those congregations of the “churches of Christ” 78 years and 119 years before his birth?” The “church of Christ” at Jerusalem was established around A.D. 33. Seventeen centuries later, Alexander Campbell was born. Now, tell us again how Alexander Campbell established the Lord’s church in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus? Most stories of this genre begin, “Once upon a time…”
We would like to invite you to worship with us at the Maysville church of Christ, where God’s Word is the last word! We meet at the corner of Main and Ash streets. We worship God each Sunday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. We offer Bible classes for all ages on Sunday at 10 a.m. and Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. We can enroll you in a Bible Correspondence Course, with no obligation. We appreciate your Bible related questions. Contact us at P.O. Box 562, or call 405-867-4807. You can e-mail your questions directly to jessandterr@yahoo.com.