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148-604: The International Churches of Christ ( ICOC ) is a body of decentralized, co-operating, religiously conservative and racially integrated Christian congregations. Originating from the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement , the ICOC emerged from the discipling movement within the Churches of Christ in the 1970s. Kip McKean , a key figure until 2003, expanded the church from Gainesville to Boston and it quickly became one of

296-578: A plurality of elders in each congregation, weekly communion and immersion for the remission of sins." Among practices he rejected as non-essential were "the holy kiss, deaconesses, communal living, footwashing and charismatic exercises." Several Baptist associations began disassociating congregations that refused to subscribe to the Philadelphia Confession . The Mahoning Association came under attack. In 1830, The Mahoning Baptist Association disbanded. The younger Campbell ceased publication of

444-627: A "primitive" form of Christianity grew in popularity in the U.S. after the American Revolution . This desire to restore a purer form of Christianity played a role in the development of many groups during this period, known as the Second Great Awakening . These included the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Baptists and Shakers . The Restoration Movement began during, and was greatly influenced by, this Second Awakening. While

592-551: A church that he called the International Christian Church. The Christian Chronicle reports that the ICOC's reported membership peaked at 135,000 in 2002, before dropping to 89,000 in 2006. ICOC leaders reported that a mid-2012 survey revealed that membership had grown again to 97,800 members in 610 churches across 148 countries. On November 23, 1991, two Singapore Newspapers, The New Paper (English) and Lianhe Wanbao (Chinese), published articles stating that

740-445: A daily basis and recruited into the church. Anyone criticizing the authority of a discipler was publicly rebuked in group meetings. Those who left the ICOC were to be shunned , and disciples were told that only those baptized within the ICOC were saved; all other people were damned. Furthermore, anyone that left the church would also lose their salvation. A 1999 study found that a substantial minority of former ICOC members included in

888-649: A friendly rivalry and kept the dialog going within the movement. The Gospel Advocate was founded by the Nashville -area preacher Tolbert Fanning in 1855. Fanning's student William Lipscomb served as co-editor until the American Civil War forced them to suspend publication in 1861. After the end of the Civil War, publication resumed in 1866 under the editorship of Fanning and Lipscomb's younger brother David Lipscomb ; Fanning soon retired, and David Lipscomb became

1036-522: A handshake between Stone and "Raccoon" John Smith . Smith had been chosen by attendees as spokesman for the followers of the Campbells. A preliminary meeting of the two groups had been held in late December 1831, culminating with the merger on January 1, 1832. Two representatives of the assembly were appointed to carry the news of the union to all the churches: John Rogers for the Christians and Smith for

1184-428: A leader who delegated authority over group members. Prayer partners referred to the practice of pairing a new Christian with an older guide for personal assistance and direction. Both procedures led to "in-depth involvement of each member in one another's lives". The ministry grew as younger members appreciated the new emphasis on commitment and models for communal activity. This activity became identified by many with

1332-541: A millennial age through human progress. Rather, he believed that it depended on the power of God, and that while waiting for God to establish His kingdom, one should live as if the rule of God were already fully established. For the Stone movement, this millennial emphasis had less to do with eschatological theories and more about a countercultural commitment to live as if the kingdom of God were already established on earth. This apocalyptic perspective or world view led many in

1480-427: A more humble and an older designation. As a result, both names were used, and the confusion over names has continued ever since. After 1832, use of the term "Reformation" became frequent among leaders of the movement. The Campbells had designated themselves as "Reformers," and other early leaders also saw themselves as reformers seeking Christian unity and restoring apostolic Christianity. The movement's language at

1628-469: A movement to reduce rituals in worship, formed part of the intellectual background of early Restoration Movement leaders. The branch of the Reformation movement which was represented by Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin contributed an emphasis on "restoring biblical forms and patterns." The rationalism of John Locke provided another influence. Reacting to the deism of Lord Herbert , Locke sought

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1776-552: A number of universities banned ICOC recruiters; and ICOC became a prominent target of media and anticult group opposition". In 1985 a Church of Christ minister and professor, Dr. Flavil Yeakley, administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to the Boston Church of Christ (BCC), the founding church of the ICOC. Yeakley passed out three MBTI tests, which asked members to perceive their past, current, and five-year in

1924-556: A primitive Christianity based on the Bible. While restoring primitive Christianity was central to the Stone movement, they believed that restoring the lifestyle of members of the early church is essential. During the early years, they "focused more... on holy and righteous living than on the forms and structures of the early church. The group also worked to restore the primitive church. Concerned that emphasizing particular practices could undermine Christian freedom, this effort tended to take

2072-433: A progressive strand in his thinking. The Campbell movement was characterized by a "systematic and rational reconstruction" of the early church, in contrast to the Stone movement which was characterized by radical freedom and lack of dogma. Despite their differences, the two movements agreed on several critical issues. Both saw restoring apostolic Christianity as a means of hastening the millennium. Both also saw restoring

2220-425: A rational faith that was formulated and defended based on facts derived from the Bible. Campbell's solution to achieve Christian unity combined forsaking the creeds and traditions, which he believed had divided Christians, and recovering the primitive Christianity, found in scripture, that was common for all Christians. Alexander Campbell's millennialism was more optimistic than Stone's. He had more confidence in

2368-562: A reliable basis for Christian unity. Thomas Campbell combined the Enlightenment approach to unity with the Reformed and Puritan traditions of restoration. The Enlightenment affected the Campbell movement in two ways. First, it provided the idea that Christian unity could be achieved by finding a set of essentials that all reasonable people could agree on. Second, it also provided the concept of

2516-420: A reliance on facts provides the basis for agreement among scientists, Alexander believed that if Christians limited themselves to the facts found in the Bible they would necessarily come to agreement. He believed that those facts, approached in a rational and scientific manner, provided a blueprint or constitution for the church. Alexander was attracted to this scientific approach to the Bible because it offered

2664-499: A result of the church's "aggressive evangelizing tactics" and use of 'discipling' or 'shepherding' practices, whereby new members were provided spiritual guidance and had their personal lives closely supervised by more established members. "Members were taught that commitment to the church superseded all other relationships", write Bromley and Melton. As a result, "the main branch of the Churches of Christ disavowed its relationship with ICOC;

2812-580: A result, it is difficult to find any direct links between such early dissenters and the restoration movement. Beginning with the Renaissance , intellectual roots become easier to discern. At the heart of the Reformation was an emphasis on the principle of "Scripture alone" ( sola scriptura ). This, along with the related insistence on the right of individuals to read the Bible and interpret it for themselves and

2960-514: A set of essentials upon which all reasonable persons might agree." The essentials he identified were those practices for which the Bible provided: "a 'Thus saith the Lord,' either in express terms or by approved precedent." Unlike Locke, who considered the earlier efforts by Puritans to be inherently divisive, Thomas argued for "a complete restoration of apostolic Christianity." Thomas believed that creeds served to divide Christians. He also believed that

3108-612: A way to address religious divisions and persecution without abandoning Scripture. To do this, Locke argued against the right of government to enforce religious orthodoxy and turned to the Bible to supply a set of beliefs that all Christians could agree upon. The core teachings which he viewed as essential were the messiahship of Jesus and Jesus' direct commands. Christians could be devoutly committed to other Biblical teachings, but in Locke's view these were non-essentials over which Christians should never fight or try to coerce each other. Unlike

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3256-503: Is a group dynamic operating in that congregation that influences its members to change their personalities to conform to the group norm". By the end of 1988 the churches in the Boston Movement were for all practical purposes a distinct fellowship, initiating a fifteen-year period during which there would be little contact between the CoC and the Boston Movement. By 1988, McKean was regarded as

3404-631: Is a non-profit organization established by the ICOC that supports disadvantaged children and the elderly. It relies on donations from ICOC churches, companies and individuals and on government grants. As of September 1997, HOPE Worldwide was operating 100 projects in 30 countries. As of 2023, the organization reported serving on average more than one million people per year, in more than 60 countries. HOPE Worldwide received grants from US president George W. Bush 's AIDS program for its work in several countries, and arranged for Chris Rock to visit South Africa for an AIDS prevention event. The ICOC considers

3552-527: Is consistent with their historical roots in the Churches of Christ , which believe that Christ established only one church, and that the use of denominational creeds serves to foster division among Christians. This belief dates to the beginning of the Restoration Movement ; Thomas Campbell expressed an ideal of unity in his Declaration and address : "The church of Jesus Christ on earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one." The ICOC

3700-512: Is essentially, intentionally and constitutionally one." During the First Great Awakening , a movement developed among those Baptists known as Separate Baptists . Two themes of this movement were the rejection of creeds and "freedom in the Spirit ." The Separate Baptists saw Scripture as the "perfect rule" for the church. However, while they turned to the Bible for a structural pattern for

3848-436: Is in the hands of 10 elders ruling by consensus". Critics of the ICOC claim that Kip McKean's resignation sparked numerous problems. However, others have noted that since McKean's resignation the ICOC has made numerous changes. The Christian Chronicle , a newspaper for the Churches of Christ , reports that the ICOC has changed its leadership and discipling structure. According to the paper, "the ICOC has attempted to address

3996-599: Is opposed to abortion, recreational drugs, and non-marital sexual relations. Homosexuals are welcome, but they must lead a life of chastity. Members' romantic partners require approval by the church. A typical Sunday morning service involves singing, praying, preaching, and the sacrament of the Lord's Supper . An unusual element of ICOC tradition is the lack of established church buildings. Congregations meet in rented spaces: hotel conference rooms, schools, public auditoriums, conference centers, small stadiums, or rented halls, depending on

4144-520: Is today known as the Stone-Campbell or Restoration Movement . There are a number of branches of the Restoration movement, and the ICOC was formed from within the Churches of Christ . Specifically, it was born from a discipling movement that arose among the Churches of Christ during the 1970s. This discipling movement developed in the campus ministry of Chuck Lucas. In 1967, Chuck Lucas was minister of

4292-583: The 1st-century churches as described in the New Testament. One historian of the movement has argued that it was primarily a unity movement, with the restoration motif playing a subordinate role. The Restoration Movement has since divided into multiple separate groups. The three main groups are: the Churches of Christ , the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) , and the independent Christian Church/Church of Christ congregations. Additionally, there are

4440-760: The American Christian Missionary Society (ACMS). By the end of the century, the Foreign Christian Missionary Society and the Christian Woman's Board of Missions were also engaged in missionary activities. Forming the ACMS did not reflect a consensus of the entire movement, and these para-church organizations became a divisive issue. While there was no disagreement over the need for evangelism, many believed that missionary societies were not authorized by scripture and would compromise

4588-466: The Amish are a sectarian religious group rather than a new religious movement because they operate outside the dominant institutions of modern society, yet accept key elements of the dominant Christian cultural pattern. Bromley has written about the rise of an anti-cult movement in the 1970s and 1980s, and the accompanying controversies involving allegations of brainwashing and deprogramming . He defined

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4736-475: The Bible the inspired word of God. Through holding that their doctrine is based on the Bible alone, and not on creeds and traditions, they claim the distinction of being "non-denominational". Members of the International Churches of Christ generally emphasize their intent to simply be part of the original church established by Jesus Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection, which became evident on

4884-660: The Christian Baptist . In January 1831, he began publication of the Millennial Harbinger . The Age of Enlightenment had a significant influence on the Campbell movement. Thomas Campbell was a student of the Enlightenment philosopher John Locke . While he did not explicitly use the term "essentials" in the Declaration and Address , Thomas proposed the same solution to religious division as had been advanced earlier by Locke and Edward Herbert : "[R]educe religion to

5032-539: The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) , in contrast to the CoC, consider permissible practices that the New Testament does not expressly forbid. The ICOC teaches that "anyone, anywhere who follows God's plan of salvation in the Bible and lives under the Lordship of Jesus, will be saved. Christians are saved by the grace of God, through their faith in Jesus Christ, at baptism." They claim that " faith alone " (e.g., saying

5180-593: The Day of Pentecost as described in Acts 2. They believe that anyone who follows the plan of salvation as laid out in the scriptures is saved by the grace of God, through their faith in Jesus, at baptism. The ICOC has over 700 churches spread across 155 nations, with each church being a racially integrated congregation made up of a diversity of people from various age groups, economic, and social backgrounds. They believe Jesus came to break down

5328-791: The International Churches of Christ , the International Christian Church , the Churches of Christ in Europe , and the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada , and the Churches of Christ in Australia . Some characterize the divisions in the movement as the result of the tension between the goals of restoration and ecumenism : the Churches of Christ and unaffiliated Christian Church/Church of Christ congregations resolved

5476-545: The Kentucky Synod and formed the Springfield Presbytery . The defining event of the Stone wing of the movement was the publication of Last Will and Testament of The Springfield Presbytery, at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, in 1804. The brief document announces their withdrawal from Presbyterianism and their intention to be solely part of the body of Christ. The writers appeal for the unity of all who follow Jesus, suggest

5624-701: The Puritans and the later Restoration Movement, Locke did not call for a systematic restoration of the early church. One of the basic goals of the English Puritans was to restore a pure, "primitive" church that would be a true apostolic community. This conception was a critical influence in the development of the Puritans in Colonial America . It has been described as the "oldest ecumenical movement in America": Both

5772-476: The Sinner's Prayer ) is not sufficient unless an individual by faith obeys God and gets baptized, believing that baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sins. The belief in the necessity of baptism is in agreement with the prevailing view in the Churches of Christ and Restoration Movement . It is in contrast with the beliefs of Baptist churches that teach that faith alone is adequate for salvation. Originally,

5920-523: The United Church of Christ . The merger raised the question of what to call the new movement. Finding a biblical, non-sectarian name was important. Stone wanted to continue to use the name "Christians," while Alexander Campbell insisted upon "Disciples of Christ". Stone advocated using the name "Christians" based on its use in Acts 11:26 , while Campbell preferred the term "disciples" because he saw it as both

6068-420: The academic study of new religious movements , Bromley has been described as somewhat sympathetic of groups labeled as cults, such as by Canadian sociologist Stephen A. Kent , who objected to Bromley's definition of ex-members of cults as "apostates" as leading to disregarding the value of the information they can supply. According to Kent ex-members sometimes provide better information about these movements than

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6216-550: The anti-cult movement . Bromley received his B.A. in sociology (1963) from Colby College . He then obtained his M.A. (1966) and Ph.D. (1971) from Duke University . He began his professional teaching career at the University of Virginia, where he taught from 1968 to 1974. He then taught at the University of Texas at Austin (1976–1980), and University of Hartford (1980–1983). Since 1983 he has held his professorial post at

6364-451: The 'Boston Movement'. McKean taught that the church was "God's true and only modern movement" and under his leadership, it "envisioned and implemented a tightly structured community that returned to the doctrines and lifestyles of the first-century Christian churches, with the goal of evangelizing the entire planet within a generation". According to journalist Madeleine Bower, "the group became renowned for its extreme views and rigid teaching of

6512-755: The 14th Street Church of Christ in Gainesville, Florida (later renamed the Crossroads Church of Christ). That year he started a new project known as Campus Advance (based on principles borrowed from the Campus Crusade and the Shepherding Movement ). Centered on the University of Florida , the program called for a strong evangelical outreach and an intimate religious atmosphere in the form of soul talks and prayer partners. Soul talks were held in student residences and involved prayer and sharing overseen by

6660-661: The 1970s, McKean and the churches he has led (e.g., ICOC and its predecessors and successors) made recruiting on college campuses a priority. Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement developed from several independent strands of religious revival that idealized early Christianity. Two groups which independently developed similar approaches to the Christian faith were particularly important. The first, led by Barton W. Stone , began at Cane Ridge, Kentucky , and identified as " Christians ". The second began in western Pennsylvania and Virginia (now West Virginia) and

6808-399: The 90's finished. In 2000, the ICOC announced the completion of its six-year initiative to establish a church in every country with a city that had a population over 100,000. In spite of this, numerical growth continued to slow. Beginning in the late 1990s, problems arose as McKean's moral authority as the leader of the movement came into question. Expectations for continued numerical growth and

6956-530: The American Christian Missionary Society (ACMS) in a way that would be acceptable to more members of the Movement." The "Louisville Plan," as it came to be known, attempted to build on existing local and regional conventions and to "promote the harmonious cooperation of all the state and District Boards and Conventions." It established a General Christian Missionary Convention. Membership

7104-476: The Bible was clear enough that anyone could understand it and, thus, creeds were unnecessary. Alexander Campbell was also deeply influenced by Enlightenment thinking, in particular the Scottish School of Common Sense of Thomas Reid and Dugald Stewart . This group believed that the Bible related concrete facts rather than abstract truths, and advocated a scientific or " Baconian " approach to interpreting

7252-664: The Bible, but mainstream churches quickly disavowed the group". David G. Bromley and J. Gordon Melton , sociologist and historian of religion respectively, note how International Churches of Christ grew quickly in the 1980s, but that "Even as ICOC developed, however, its relationships with several established institutional sectors deteriorated". The church's "doctrine signaled the movement's self-perceived superiority to other Christian churches in teaching that it alone had rediscovered biblical doctrines critical to individual salvation and insisting on rebaptizing new members to ensure their salvation". They note that further tensions developed as

7400-417: The Bible. It would begin with those facts, arrange the ones applicable to a given topic, and draw conclusions from them in a way that has been described as "nothing less than the scientific method applied to the Bible." Alexander reflected this Baconian approach when he repeatedly argued that "the Bible is a book of facts, not of opinions, theories, abstract generalities, nor of verbal definitions." Just as

7548-691: The Campbells resisted what they saw as the spiritual manipulation of the camp meetings , the Southern phase of the awakening "was an important matrix of Barton Stone's reform movement" and shaped the evangelistic techniques used by both Stone and the Campbells. In 1801, the Cane Ridge Revival in Kentucky planted the seed for a movement in Kentucky and the Ohio River valley to disassociate from denominationalism . In 1803 Barton W. Stone and others withdrew from

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7696-476: The Christian community. The church and Louis were ordered to pay Impact's legal fees. In 2022, the ICOC and the International Christian Churches were named in multiple US federal lawsuits. They alleged that between 1987 and 2012, leaders of the two churches covered up the sexual abuse of children, some of whom were as young as three, and financially exploited members. The lawsuits alleged that

7844-477: The Churches of Christ apologized for use of the word "cult" in reference to the International Churches of Christ. The International Churches of Christ leaders apologized for alienating the Churches of Christ and implying they were not Christians. Despite improvements in relations, there are still fundamental differences within the fellowship. Early 2005 saw a second set of dialogues with greater promise for both sides helping one another. Founded in 1991, HOPE Worldwide

7992-680: The Disciples about the same time as Thomas, but split with Thomas in 1863 over disagreements about eschatology, forming the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith. During the American Civil War his followers also sought to register as conscientious objectors . Some congregations were unable to register this name because of local regulations and chose an alternative name, Church of the Blessed Hope; but

8140-748: The Disciples movement were not required to be baptised again. Thomas, on the other hand, insisted that a baptism based on a different understanding of the gospel to that held in the Disciples movement was not a valid baptism, and he called for rebaptism in his periodical, the Apostolic Advocate . Campbell viewed this as sectarianism, which cut across the fundamental commitment of the Disciples movement to "the union of all Christians," and rejected " anabaptism ." The two men became estranged. Thomas began to refuse to share prayer, worship, or communion with those he considered not to be validly baptised Christians. His theological views also continued to develop. By 1837 he

8288-520: The Gempels and Bairds and other World Sector Leaders as well as hours of prayer, we have decided it is God's will for us to take a sabbatical and to delegate, for a time, our day-to-day ministry responsibilities so that we can focus on our marriage and family. Nearly a year later, in November 2002 he resigned from the office and personally apologized citing arrogance, anger and an over-focus on numerical goals as

8436-577: The HOPE Worldwide. David V. Barrett noted in 2001 that in the 1990s the ICOC "attracted a huge amount of criticism and hostility" from the anti-cult movement . The church has been barred from recruiting students on campuses or has been denied student organization status at numerous universities. The ICOC has its roots in a movement that reaches back to the period of the Second Great Awakening (1790–1870) of early nineteenth-century America. Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell are credited with what

8584-546: The ICOC and its leaders created a "system of exploitation that extracts any and all value it can from members". The lawsuits alleged that members were forced to give 10% of their income as a tithe to the church and additionally to fund twice-yearly special mission trips, which drove some to depression and suicide. The Los Angeles ICOC responded to the lawsuits by stating: "As the Church's long-standing policies make clear, we do not tolerate any form of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, or sexual coercion, and we will fully cooperate with

8732-467: The ICOC emphasizes being a non-denominational church united under Christ. It advocates salvation through faith and baptism, rejects "faith alone", and emphasizes global unity. Historically, the church practiced exclusive baptism and strict "discipling", but since 2002, has shifted to a more decentralized, voluntary discipling approach. The ICOC also promotes racial integration, opposes abortion and recreational drugs, and engages in international service through

8880-532: The ICOC is the Ministry Training Academy (MTA). In 2013, the MTA finalized a curriculum consisting of twelve core courses that are divided into three areas of study: biblical knowledge, spiritual development, and ministry leadership. Each course requires at least 12 hours of classroom study in addition to course work. An MTA student who completes the twelve core classes receives a certificate of completion. With

9028-649: The ICOC taught that only baptisms within ICOC member churches were legitimate and hence only members of ICOC churches had had their sins forgiven and were saved. This is known as the One True Church (OTC) doctrine. In 2003, however, after the departure of McKean, the leadership of ICOC issued letters of apology stating that they had been "too judgmental" in applying this doctrine. As a consequence, many within ICOC began to accept that baptisms outside of ICOC churches, particularly those of family members who belonged to other Christian denominations, could be legitimate. This

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9176-419: The ICOC was an independent worldwide movement that had grown from a small congregation to 125,000 members and had planted a church in nearly every country of the world in a period of twenty years. In his 2001 book The New Believers: A Survey of Sects, 'Cults' and Alternative Religions , David V. Barrett wrote that the ICOC was "currently causing perhaps more concern than almost any other" evangelical church in

9324-418: The ICOC was not without criticism. Other names that have been used for this movement include the "Crossroads movement," "Multiplying Ministries," and the "Discipling Movement". One Church is formed per city, and as it expands it is broken down into "sectors" that oversee "zones" which have their own neighborhood Bible study groups. Claims that this structure too authoritarian were responded to by McKean saying, "I

9472-578: The ICOC, including decentralization and a dismantling of its headquarters and central leadership. Some changes were initiated from the leaders themselves and others brought through members. Most notable was Henry Kriete, a leader in the London ICOC, who circulated an open letter detailing his feelings about theological exclusivism and authority in the ICOC. This letter affected the ICOC for the decade after McKean's resignation. Christianity Today reported in 2003 that following McKean's resignation, "leadership now

9620-485: The ICOC, together with its affiliates the International Christian Church, the City of Angels International Christian Church, HOPE Worldwide and Mercy Worldwide, "indoctrinated" the plaintiffs, keeping them isolated while they were sexually exploited and manipulated through the ICOC's "rigid" belief system. The lawsuit also named ICOC leaders, founder Kip McKean and the estate of Chuck Lucas, as defendants. The plaintiffs alleged that

9768-417: The ICOC, yet was rebuffed. Sixty-four Elders, Evangelists and Teachers wrote a letter to McKean expressing concern that there had been "no repentance" from his publicly acknowledged leadership weaknesses. McKean then began to criticize some of the changes that were being made, as he did in the 1980s toward Mainline Churches of Christ. After attempting to divide the ICOC he was disfellowshipped in 2006 and founded

9916-816: The ICOC. Sociologist Dr. Joseph E. Lee posits that the strict discipling program helped lead to a lowering of barriers between races and classes. He found this to be a general characteristic of organizations (e.g., martial arts schools) with strong formal beliefs and discipline. Kathleen Jenkins found that "Discipling [...] created tightly bound networks that threw members into frequent contact with disciples from different backgrounds who intimately and routinely intervened in all aspects of an individual's life. These intimate racially and ethnically diverse discipling networks provided members with social resources such as childcare, teen counseling, tutoring, employment opportunities, domestic help, and other kinds of assistance in day-to-day living". According to Joseph Yi, writing in 2009, with

10064-465: The New Testament led the reformers to begin to practice baptism by immersion , the nearby Redstone Baptist Association invited Brush Run Church to join with them for the purpose of fellowship. The reformers agreed, provided that they would be "allowed to preach and to teach whatever they learned from the Scriptures." Thomas' son Alexander came to the U.S. to join him in 1809. Before long, he assumed

10212-662: The Separate Baptists in the southern frontier helped prepare the ground for the Restoration Movement. The membership of both the Stone and Campbell groups drew heavily from the ranks of the Separate Baptists. Separate Baptist restorationism also contributed to the development of the Landmark Baptists in the same region as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement and at about the same time. Under

10360-435: The Singapore Central Christian Church (a member of ICOC) was a "cult". The church sued the papers, alleging defamation . An initial court ruling held that what the papers had written was fair and in the public interest. An appeals court, however, overruled the lower court, stating that the papers had stated that the church was a cult as if that was a fact, when it was not a fact, but a comment. The papers were each ordered to pay

10508-400: The Stone and Campbell group: an emphasis on conversion experience, quarterly observance of communion, and nontrinitarianism . Those who did not unite with Campbell (the Christian Connection ) merged with the Congregational Churches in 1931 to form the Congregational Christian Churches . In 1957, the Congregational Christian Church merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to become

10656-574: The Stone movement to adopt pacifism , avoid participating in civil government, and reject violence, militarism, greed, materialism and slavery. The Campbell wing of the movement was launched when Thomas Campbell published the Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington in 1809. The Presbyterian Synod had suspended his ministerial credentials. In The Declaration and Address, he set forth some of his convictions about

10804-600: The Tokyo Church of Christ became the first ICOC church to build its own church building. This building was designed by the Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki. This became an example for other ICOC churches to follow. A distinguishing feature of the ICOC under McKean was an intense form of discipleship . McKean's mentor, evangelist Chuck Lucas, developed this practice based in part on the book "The Master Plan of Evangelism" by Robert Coleman. Coleman's book taught that "Jesus controlled

10952-548: The United Kingdom. Barrett writes that "In the last decade ICOC has attracted a huge amount of criticism and hostility from anti-cultists", noting that it had been made aware of various criticisms "but unlike some of the other movements founded in the 1970s, does not yet have appeared to reached the point in its development where it becomes sensitive to the genuine distress of some of its members and their families have experienced, and willing to modify some of its practices to reduce

11100-615: The United States. Thomas was a strong supporter of Alexander Campbell and the principles of the Disciples movement, and he quickly became a well-known leader and teacher. In 1834, however, Thomas took a contrary position to Campbell on the significance of baptism which led to a sharp conflict between the two men. While Campbell believed baptism by immersion to be very important, he recognised as Christians all who believed Jesus of Nazareth to be Messiah and Lord, and recognised any prior baptism. For this reason, members of Baptist churches who joined

11248-477: The University of Virginia and also at Virginia Commonwealth University. His primary area of teaching and research is sociology of religion , with a specialization in the academic study of new religious movements . He was also director of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Hartford and chairman of Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Virginia. From 1992 to 1995, Bromley

11396-469: The allegiant groups, protected by their popularity, may dismiss them as "problem individuals". Groups perceived by the society as "subversive" have "apostates", who claim that the movements they have left are dangerous or criminal, and are taken seriously by mainline institutions and media. Somewhere in the middle are "whistleblowers", who expose negative features not previously well-known of contestant (and sometimes also of allegiant) religious groups. Within

11544-438: The anti-cult movement in 1981 as the amalgam of groups who embrace the brainwashing theory. Bromley has also written about apostasy , cults and religions. His theory of apostasy is based on the notion of allegiance. In its dealings with the larger society, Bromley argues, religious groups can be either allegiant, contestant, or subversive of mainline values and institutions. Those who leave allegiant groups are "defectors", and

11692-892: The authorities in any investigations of this type of behavior". The lawsuits were voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs in July 2023. The International Churches of Christ are a family of over 750 independent churches in 155 nations around the world. The 750 churches form 34 Regional Families of churches that oversee mission work in their respective geographic areas of influence. Each regional family of churches sends Evangelists, Elders and Teachers to an annual leadership conference, where delegates meet to pray, plan and co-operate world evangelism. "Service Teams" provide global leadership and oversight. The Service Teams consists of an Elders, Evangelists, Teachers, Youth & Family, Campus, Singles, Communications & Administration, and HOPEww & Benevolence teams. The education and ministerial training program in

11840-512: The autonomy of local congregations. The ACMS was not as successful as proponents had hoped. It was opposed by those who believed any extra-congregational organizations were inappropriate; hostility grew when the ACMS took a stand in 1863 favoring the Union side during the Civil War. A convention held in Louisville, Kentucky , in 1869 adopted a plan intended to address "a perceived need to reorganize

11988-531: The basis of expediency and Christian liberty . Affluent urban congregations were more likely to adopt musical instruments, while poorer and more rural congregations tended to see them as "an accommodation to the ways of the world." The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement notes that Restoration Movement historians have tended to interpret the controversy over the use of musical instruments in worship in ways that "reflect their own attitudes on

12136-493: The belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; that Christians should celebrate the Lord's Supper on the first day of each week ; and that baptism of adult believers was necessarily by immersion in water . Because the founders wanted to abandon all denominational labels , they used the biblical names for the followers of Jesus. Both groups promoted a return to the purposes of

12284-449: The church "should stress only what all Christians hold in common and should suppress all divisive doctrines and practices". Several slogans have been used in the Restoration Movement, which are intended to express some of the distinctive themes of the movement: During the late Middle Ages , dissenters such as John Wycliffe and John Huss called for a restoration of a primitive form of Christianity, but they were driven underground. As

12432-428: The church S$ 20,000. The New Paper had to pay the founder of the church, John Philip Louis, S$ 30,000. The papers also had to pay the legal fees of the church and its founder. In the same ruling, the appeals court held that an article that had also characterized the church as a cult, in the bi-monthly, Singapore-based, Christian magazine Impact , was written fairly from the standpoint of a Christian publication written for

12580-582: The church of Jesus Christ. He organized the Christian Association of Washington in Washington County, Pennsylvania on the western frontier of the state, not as a church but as an association of persons seeking to grow in faith. On May 4, 1811, the Christian Association reconstituted itself as a congregationally governed church. With the building it constructed at Brush Run, Pennsylvania, it became known as Brush Run Church . When their study of

12728-655: The church, McKean viewed discipling as "the most efficient way to achieve the movement's stated goal: 'to evangelize the world in one generation'". The church's emphasis on discipling during this period was the subject of criticism. A number of ex-members expressed problems with discipling in the ICOC. Critics and former members allege that discipling "involved public scorn as a way to humiliate vulnerable members, to keep them humble". Jenkins notes that "[t]his ICOC structure has been greatly criticized by anti-cult organizations, university officials (the ICOC has been banned from several campuses), and ex-members". Discipling under McKean

12876-474: The church, and he was asked by a group of long-standing elders in the ICOC to take a sabbatical from overall leadership of the ICOC. On 12 November 2001, McKean, who had led the International Churches of Christ, issued a statement that he was going to take a sabbatical from his role of leadership in the church: During these days Elena and I have been coming to grips with the need to address some serious shortcomings in our marriage and family. After much counsel with

13024-553: The church, they did not insist on complete agreement on the details of that pattern. This group originated in New England but was especially strong in the South where the emphasis on a biblical pattern for the church grew stronger. In the last half of the 18th century, Separate Baptists became more numerous on the western frontier of Kentucky and Tennessee , where the Stone and Campbell movements would later take root. The development of

13172-407: The combined movement had a membership of approximately 20,000. This loose fellowship of churches was called by the names "Christian Connection/Connexion" or "Christian Church." The cornerstone for the Stone movement was Christian freedom. This ideal of freedom led them to reject all the historical creeds, traditions and theological systems that had developed over time and to focus instead on

13320-520: The concept of "alignment" with both dominant social institutions and dominant cultural patterns in a given society. While dominant religious groups are aligned with both, sectarian religious groups reject the dominant social institutions but at the same time accept at least some of the dominant cultural patterns. New religious movements reject both dominant social institutions and cultural patterns, and are in turn rejected by mainline institutions and cultural agencies as cults. For instance, according to Bromley

13468-522: The congregations formed by Scott and heard him preach. Campbell believed that Scott was bringing an important new dimension to the movement with his approach to evangelism. Alexander used The Christian Baptist to address what he saw as the key issue of reconstructing the apostolic Christian community in a systematic and rational manner. He wanted to clearly distinguish between essential and non-essential aspects of primitive Christianity. Among what he identified as essential were "congregational autonomy,

13616-430: The contributions of persons whose positions differed radically from their own. Following Campbell's death in 1866, the journals were used to keep the discussions going. Between 1870 and 1900, two journals emerged as the most prominent. The Christian Standard was edited and published by Isaac Errett of Cincinnati . The Christian Evangelist was edited and published by JH Garrison from St. Louis . The two men enjoyed

13764-542: The converts at Gainesville was a student named Kip McKean who was converted by Chuck Lucas. McKean was introduced to the Florida Church of Christ's controversial recruitment style in 1967. Born in Indianapolis , McKean completed a degree while training at Crossroads, and afterward served as campus minister at several Churches of Christ locations. By 1979 his ministry grew from a few individuals to over three hundred making it

13912-460: The departure of McKean in 2002 the ICOC transitioned from a top-down organization to a "loose federation of autonomous local churches". This led to a change in discipling practices. One of the local ICOC churches, the Chicago Church of Christ, made discipling voluntary and not mandatory. Instead of a top-down hierarchy, they adopted a "servant leadership" model. The ICOC has been accused of using

14060-575: The differences intolerable when Alexander Campbell began publishing a journal, The Christian Baptist , which promoted reform. Campbell anticipated the conflict and moved his membership to a congregation of the Mahoning Baptist Association in 1824. In 1827, the Mahoning Association appointed Walter Scott as an evangelist . Through Scott's efforts, the Mahoning Association grew rapidly. In 1828, Thomas Campbell visited several of

14208-412: The discipline of life in the movement too demanding or oppressive". He concluded that "There are probably far more ex-members of ICOC than current members", though noted ICOC attempts to discourage members from leaving and that communal living arrangements and the fact that the ICOC encouraged the breaking-off of friendships with non-members made it difficult for some to leave. Membership growth stopped as

14356-407: The dividing wall of hostility between the races and people groups of this world and unite mankind under the Lordship of Christ Like the Churches of Christ, the ICOC recognizes the Bible as the sole source of authority for the church and it also believes that the current denominational divisions are inconsistent with Christ's intent, believing instead that Christians ought to be united. The ICOC, like

14504-578: The early church as a route to Christian freedom. And both believed that unity among Christians could be achieved by using apostolic Christianity as a model. The commitment of both movements to restoring the early church and to uniting Christians was enough to motivate a union between many in the two movements. The Stone and Campbell movements merged in 1832. This was formalized at the Hill Street Meeting House in Lexington, Kentucky , with

14652-410: The fastest growing Christian movements with a heavy focus on US college campuses. Under his leadership, the ICOC experienced rapid growth but also faced criticism. In March 2024, the ICOC numbered their members at 112,000. The ICOC is organized with a cooperative leadership structure broken down into regional families that have their own representative delegates. Viewing the Bible as the sole authority,

14800-563: The fastest growing Church of Christ campus ministry in America. McKean then moved to Massachusetts, where he took over the leadership of the Lexington Church of Christ (soon to be called the Boston Church of Christ). Building on Lucas' initial strategies, McKean only agreed to lead the church in Lexington as long as every member agreed to be 'totally committed'. The church grew from 30 members to 3,000 in just over 10 years in what became known as

14948-453: The following concerns: a top down hierarchy, discipling techniques, and sectarianism". In September 2005, nine members were elected to serve as a Unity Proposal Group. They subsequently developed a 'Plan for United Cooperation', published in March 2006. In September 2012, it was reported that around 93% of ICOC churches supported the plan. Over time, McKean attempted to re-assert his leadership over

15096-480: The forces of radical change in the larger American society that characterized the late sixties and seventies. The campus ministry in Gainesville thrived and sustained strong support from the elders of the local congregation in the 'Crossroads Church of Christ'. By 1971, as many as a hundred people a year were joining the church. Most notable was the development of a training program for potential campus ministers. Among

15244-424: The form of rejecting tradition rather than an explicit program of reconstructing New Testament practices. The emphasis on freedom was so strong that the movement avoided developing any ecclesiastical traditions; it was "largely without dogma, form, or structure." What held "the movement together was a commitment to primitive Christianity." Another theme was that of hastening the millennium . Many Americans of

15392-511: The future personality types. While over 900 members were tested, 835 individuals completed all three forms. A majority of those respondents changed their perceived or imagined personality type scores on the three tests in convergence with a single type. After completing the study, Yeakley observed that "The data in this study of the Boston Church of Christ does not prove that any certain individual has actually changed his or her personality in an unhealthy way. The data, however, does prove that there

15540-629: The great founding documents of the movement are authentically ecumenical. In The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery (1804), Barton Stone and his fellow revivalists dissolved their exclusive presbyterial relationship, desiring to "sink into union with the Body of Christ at large." Five years later Thomas Campbell wrote in The Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington [PA] (1809) "The church of Christ on earth

15688-545: The inerrancy of the Bible. According to the Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement Pinkerton is "sometimes labeled the first 'liberal' of the Stone-Campbell Movement." In addition to rejecting the plenary inspiration of the Bible and supporting the use of instruments in worship, Pinkerton also supported "open membership" (recognizing as members individuals who have not been baptized by immersion) and

15836-567: The influence of Alexander Campbell's essays on "A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things" in the Christian Baptist . The term "Stone-Campbell Movement" emerged towards the end of the 19th century as a way to avoid the difficulties associated with some of the other names that have been used and to maintain a sense of the collective history of the movement. The Restoration Movement has been characterized by several key principles: Thus,

15984-467: The issue." Examples are given of historians from different branches of the movement interpreting it in relation to the statements of early Restoration Movement leaders, in terms of social and cultural factors, differing approaches to interpreting scripture, differing approaches to the authority of scripture, and "ecumenical progressivism" versus "sectarian primitivism." The early 19th-century Restoration Movement encompassed very different views concerning

16132-523: The leader of the movement. It was at this time that the Boston church initiated its program of outreach to the poor called HopeWorldwide. Also in 1988, McKean selected a handful of couples that he and Elena, his wife, had personally trained and named them World Sector Leaders. In 1989 mission teams were officially sent out to Tokyo, Honolulu, Washington, DC, Manila, Miami, Seattle, Bangkok, and Los Angeles. That year, McKean and his family moved to Los Angeles to lead

16280-629: The leadership of James Robinson Graves , this group wanted to define a precise blueprint for the primitive church, believing that any deviation from that blueprint would prevent a person from being part of the true church. James O'Kelly was an early advocate of seeking unity through a return to New Testament Christianity. In 1792, dissatisfied with the role of bishops in the Methodist Episcopal Church , he separated from that body. O'Kelly's movement, centering in Virginia and North Carolina ,

16428-642: The leading role in the movement. The Campbells worked within the Redstone Baptist Association during the period 1815 through 1824. While both the Campbells and the Baptists shared practices of baptism by immersion and congregational polity , it quickly became clear the Campbells and their associates were not traditional Baptists. Within the Redstone Association, some of the Baptist leaders considered

16576-561: The lives of the apostles, that Jesus taught the apostles to 'disciple' by controlling the lives of others, and that Christians should imitate this process when bringing people to Christ." Under McKean, "discipling" entailed members being "assigned a more senior adviser who is always available and frequently present in their lives, even at intimate moments, which mentors them through relationship difficulties. In this practice, individuals interact with other group members in hierarchical relationships". According to Kathleen E. Jenkins's ethnography of

16724-577: The mainstream Churches of Christ, a 1.6 million-member body from which it grew". Growth continued globally and in 1996 the independent organisation "Church Growth Today" named the Los Angeles ICOC as the fastest growing Church in North America for the second year running and another eight ICOC churches were in the top 100. By 1999, the Los Angeles church reached a Sunday attendance of 14,000. By 2001,

16872-525: The margins of the movement. Thomas continued to have supporters among the Disciples but moved further from Christian orthodoxy. In 1846 he published a "Confession and Abjuration" of the faith he held at his baptism, and he arranged to be baptised again. Despite this, when he toured the United Kingdom to give prophetic lectures in 1848–1850 he played down his separation from the Disciples movement, in an endeavour to access congregations in Britain. But his true position

17020-503: The movement and left. The movement was first recognized as an independent religious group in 1992 when John Vaughn, a church growth specialist at Fuller Theological Seminary, listed them as a separate entity. TIME magazine ran a full-page story on the movement in 1992 calling them "one of the world's fastest-growing and most innovative bands of Bible thumpers" that had grown into "a global empire of 103 congregations from California to Cairo with total Sunday attendance of 50,000". A formal break

17168-436: The new church "planted" (a euphemism the church uses for "established") some months earlier. Within a few years Los Angeles, not Boston, was the fulcrum of the movement. In 1990 the Crossroads Church of Christ broke with the movement and, through a letter written to The Christian Chronicle , attempted to restore relations with the Churches of Christ. By the early 1990s some first-generation leaders had become disillusioned by

17316-504: The number of parishioners. Though the church is not static, neither is it ad hoc – the leased locale is converted into a worship facility. "From an organizational standpoint, it's a great idea", observes Boston University Chaplain Bob Thornburg. "They put very little money into buildings...You put your money into people who reach out to more people in order to help them become Christians." This practice of not owning buildings changed when

17464-554: The period believed that the millennium was near and based their hopes for the millennium on their new nation, the United States . Members of the Stone movement believed that only a unified Christianity based on the apostolic church, rather than a country or any of the existing denominations, could lead to the coming of the millennium. Stone's millennialism has been described as more " apocalyptic " than that of Alexander Campbell , in that he believed people were too flawed to usher in

17612-540: The period from 1832 to 1906. According to the 1906 U.S. Religious Census the combined membership of the movement made it the 6th largest Christian group in the country at that time. The Disciples do not have bishops; they have editors From the beginning of the movement, the free exchange of ideas among the people was fostered by the journals published by its leaders. Alexander Campbell published The Christian Baptist and The Millennial Harbinger . Stone published The Christian Messenger . Both men routinely published

17760-492: The poor quality of the congregation's singing. At first, the instrument was used for singing practices held on Saturday nights but was then incorporated into worship on Sundays. One of the elders of that assembly removed the first melodeon, but it was soon replaced by another. Both acceptance of instruments and discussion of the issue grew after the Civil War. Opponents argued that the New Testament provided no authorization for their use in worship, while supporters argued on

17908-452: The possibility of causing such distress". In 1998, Ron Loomis, an expert on cults and leader of a cult-awareness program at the College of Lake County , called the ICOC "the most intensive cult in existence since the mid-1970s". Barrett also noted in 2001 that as with other new religious movements , membership turnover in the ICOC was high, with "many leaving after a few months because they find

18056-410: The potential for human progress and believed that Christians could unite to transform the world and initiate a millennial age. Campbell's conceptions were postmillennial , as he anticipated that the progress of the church and society would lead to an age of peace and righteousness before the return of Christ . This optimistic approach meant that, in addition to his commitment to primitivism, he had

18204-488: The pressure to sacrifice financially to support missionary efforts took its toll. Added to this was the loss of local leaders to new planting projects. In some areas, decreases in membership began to occur. At the same time, realization was growing that the accumulated costs of McKean's leadership style and associated disadvantages were outweighing the benefits. In 2001, McKean's leadership weaknesses were affecting his family, with all of his children disassociating themselves from

18352-516: The reformers. Despite some challenges, the merger succeeded. Many believed the union held great promise for the future success of the combined movement and greeted the news enthusiastically. When the two movements united, only a minority of Christians participated. Those who did were from congregations west of the Appalachian Mountains that had come into contact with the Stone movement. The eastern members had several key differences with

18500-430: The resignation of McKean, some efforts at healing between the International Churches of Christ and the mainstream Churches of Christ are being made. In March 2004, Abilene Christian University held the "Faithful Conversations" dialog between members of the Churches of Christ and International Churches of Christ. Those involved were able to apologize and initiate an environment conducive to building bridges. A few leaders of

18648-435: The role of clergy: the Campbell branch was strongly anti-clergy, believing there was no justification for a clergy/lay distinction, while the Stone branch believed that only an ordained minister could officiate at communion. Early leaders of the movement had a high view of scripture and believed that it was both inspired and infallible . Dissenting views developed during the 19th century. As early as 1849, Pinkerton denied

18796-444: The separation from those I have heretofore worked with and loved David G. Bromley David G. Bromley (born 1941) is a professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, VA and the University of Virginia , Charlottesville, VA , specialized in sociology of religion and the academic study of new religious movements . He has written extensively about cults , new religious movements , apostasy , and

18944-462: The sole editor. While Lipscomb was the editor, the focus was on seeking unity by following scripture exactly, and the Advocate' s editorial position was to reject anything that is not explicitly allowed by scripture. The Christian Oracle began publication in 1884. It was later known as The Christian Century and offered an interdenominational appeal. In 1914, Garrison's Christian Publishing company

19092-405: The source of his decision. Referring to this event, McKean said: This, along with my leadership sins of arrogance, and not protecting the weak caused uncertainty in my leadership. Ronald Enroth writes that McKean "was forced to step down because of his own rule that leaders must resign if their children leave the church". The period following McKean's departure included a number of changes in

19240-453: The study "reached clinically significant levels of psychological distress, depression, dissociation, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms". Two-thirds of them had sought psychotherapy after leaving the church. Nonetheless, many disciples, including some who left, got a great deal out of the structure of the discipling system. The found "meaning and community" and formed close friendships across racial and class lines within

19388-437: The tactic of " love bombing ", which David Barrett describes as "showing a great deal of love, affection and attention to prospective members to draw them in", resulting in the criticism that "vulnerable or lonely people, and this includes many students, will be attracted by this". Journalist Alasdair Belling has noted that this attention and praise "slowly becomes more conditional over time". Starting from his own college days in

19536-484: The tension by stressing restoration, while the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) resolved the tension by stressing ecumenism. Because the Restoration Movement lacks any centralized structure, having originated in a variety of places with different leaders, there is no consistent nomenclature for the movement as a whole. The term "Restoration Movement" became popular during the 19th century; this appears to be

19684-403: The time included phrases such as "religious reformation," the "present reformation," the "current reformation" and "the cause of reformation." The term "Restoration Movement" became popular by the late 19th century. It appears to have been inspired by Alexander Campbell's essays on "A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things" in the Christian Baptist. The combined movement grew rapidly over

19832-433: The two names referred to the same sect. The sect divided in 1921, and the Church of God (General Conference) was formed by the larger grouping. In 1849, the first national convention was held at Cincinnati, Ohio. Campbell had concerns that holding conventions would lead the movement into divisive denominationalism. He did not attend the gathering. Among its actions, the convention elected Campbell its president and created

19980-518: The value of congregational self-governance, and declare the Bible as the source for understanding the will of God. They denounced the "divisive" use of the Westminster Confession of Faith and adopted the name "Christian" to identify their group. By 1804 Elias Smith had heard of the Stone movement and the O'Kelly movement by 1808. Although not formally merged, the three groups were cooperating and fellowshiping by 1810. At that time

20128-573: Was a strong supporter of the temperance and abolition movements. As the 19th century progressed, the denial of the inerrancy of the Bible slowly spread. In 1883 the editor of the Christian Standard , Isaac Errett, said "Admitting the fact of inspiration, have we in the inspired Scriptures an infallible guide?... I do not see how we can answer this question affirmatively." Others, including JW McGarvey , fiercely opposed these liberal views. Nothing in life has given me more pain in heart than

20276-402: Was congregational rather than individual. Local congregations elected delegates to district meetings, which in turn elected delegates to state meetings. States were given two delegates, plus an additional delegate for every 5,000 members. The plan proved divisive and faced immediate opposition. Opponents continued to argue that any organizational structure above the local congregational level

20424-596: Was discovered by James Wallis and David King, and the movement closed ranks against him. In 1864 he coined the name "Christadelphian" for those who shared his views and sought to register as conscientious objectors to military service. The name was adopted by Robert Roberts , the Scottish protege of Thomas, for the periodical which he had just begun to publish in Birmingham ; and the sect began to grow rapidly. Benjamin Wilson left

20572-505: Was discussed in journal articles as early as 1849, but initial reactions were generally unfavorable. Some congregations, however, are documented as having used musical instruments in the 1850s and 1860s. An example is the church in Midway, Kentucky , which was using an instrument by 1860. A member of the congregation, L. L. Pinkerton, brought a melodeon into the church building. The minister had been distressed to his "breaking point" by

20720-515: Was led by Thomas Campbell and his son, Alexander Campbell , both educated in Scotland; they eventually used the name " Disciples of Christ ". Both groups sought to restore the Christian church based on visible patterns set forth in the New Testament , and both believed that creeds kept Christianity divided. In 1832 they joined in fellowship with a handshake. Among other things, they were united in

20868-583: Was made from the Churches of Christ in 1993 when the group organized under the name "International Churches of Christ." This new designation formalized a division that was already in existence between those involved with the Crossroads/Boston Movement and "original" Churches of Christ. In September 1995, the Washington Post reported that for every three members joining the church, two left, attributing this statistic to church officials. Growth in

21016-432: Was mandatory. All disciples (i.e., baptized members) had to be paired with and mentored by a more mature Christian . They had to check in with their discipler frequently, such as daily or weekly, and was held accountable by them. This included the activities and Church contribution a disciple would give (typically 15-30% including "special contribution) . Disciples were also held accountable for how many new people they met on

21164-470: Was not authorized by scripture, and there was a general concern that the board had been given too much authority. By 1872 the Louisville Plan had effectively failed. Direct contributions from individuals were sought again in 1873, individual membership was reinstated in 1881, and the name was changed back to the American Christian Missionary Society in 1895. The use of musical instruments in worship

21312-452: Was originally called Republican Methodists. In 1794 they adopted the name Christian Church. During the same period, Elias Smith of Vermont and Abner Jones of New Hampshire led a movement espousing views similar to those of O'Kelly. They believed that members could, by looking to scripture alone, simply be Christians without being bound to human traditions and the denominations brought by immigrants from Europe. The ideal of restoring

21460-473: Was purchased by R.A. Long. He established a non-profit corporation, The Christian Board of Publication" as the Brotherhood publishing house. The Christadelphians , Church of the Blessed Hope , and Church of God (General Conference) also have roots in the restoration movement, but took their own direction about this time. In 1832 Walter Scott baptised John Thomas , an English doctor who had emigrated to

21608-532: Was teaching annihilationism , and he debated a Presbyterian clergymen, Isaac Watts. Campbell interpreted this as materialism and believed that it undermined the biblical doctrine of the resurrection, and he reacted strongly. In the Millennial Harbinger Campbell announced that he could no longer consider Thomas a brother. Many congregations of Disciples took this as an indication that they should withhold fellowship from Thomas, and he found himself on

21756-733: Was the editor of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion , published by the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion , and was between 1991 and 2003 one of the editors of Religion and the Social Order, an annual serial published by the Association for the Sociology of Religion . Regarding the definition of new religious movements, Bromley distinguishes them from other religious groups based on

21904-420: Was wrong on some of my initial thoughts about biblical authority". Al Baird, former ICOC spokesperson adds, "It's not a dictatorship," ; "It's a theocracy, with God on top." The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported in 1996 that "The group is considered so aggressive and authoritarian in its practices that other evangelical Protestant groups have labeled it 'aberrational' and 'abusive'. It has been repudiated by

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