Who Started the Church of Christ?
Virgil L. Hale
Some have charged
the church of Christ had its beginning with the Campbells, who came to the
United States in the early 1800's. Documentary research of Dr. Robinson,
principle of Overdale College in Birmingham, England, shows the following: “In
the Furness District of Lancashire, in North West England, there existed in
1669, during the reign of Charles II, a group of eight churches of Christ. Most
of them are not now in existence. An old minute-book has been found on the year
1669, and it shows that they called themselves by the name of the church of
Christ, practiced baptism by immersion, celebrated the Lord’s Supper each Lord’s
Day, and had elders and deacons. There was also a church of Christ in Dungannon,
Ireland in 1804 and in Allington, Dengigshire. In 1735, John Davis, a young
preacher in the Fife District of Scotland was preaching New Testament
Christianity, twenty-five years before Thomas Campbell (Alexander Campbell’s
father) was born.”
The church of Christ was promised by Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18), began on
Pentecost (Acts 2:38), and has existed since that day (Daniel 2:44)!
In view of the above, how can anyone honestly accuse us of following a man,
Alexander Campbell? There are some, who because of prejudice, refer to us
members of the Lord’s church as “Campbellites.” Those who do so know better, but
they are really just promoting what they have heard their ancestors say. There
is not a doctrine or practice, engaged in by the Lord’s church that originated
with Alexander Campbell or any other man.
Anywhere in this world that people follow the teaching of Christ, found in the
New Testament, they are a congregation of the New Testament church. After all,
He left us a book of instructions plain enough to be followed. If we follow it
as we would any other blueprint, we will be what He wants us to be. We claim to
be nothing more or less than the New Testament church, and we challenge anyone
to prove differently.
When I hear people use the term “Campbellite,” I tell them that I have never met
anyone who wears that name. In fact, I let it be known that I would like to meet
such a person and find out what they believe and practice. However, I make it
clear that if such people exist, they are wrong religiously, because they are
following a man rather than following the Lord.
It should be clear to all sensible-thinking people, that if we all follow the
Bible, we will all be teaching and practicing the same thing. In fact, we will
all be simply “Christians” — nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else. Is
this not what our Lord prayed for in John chapter 17? Surely it is!
