The Seven C's of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
1. CHRIST. We
believe that Jesus Christ, as the New Testament proclaims him,
is Lord (authority; sovereign; leader) and Savior (rescuer;
healer; deliverer). God's message, God's Word for all humanity
has been given to us through Christ-his life and teachings,
death, resurrection and ascension. A close, growing relationship
with him leads to abundant life, full of meaning, purpose and
spiritual empowerment. Those who believe in him have eternal
life, which begins now and continues forever. (Matthew 16:16;
John 3:16; 6:40; 10:10; 14:6).
2. COMMUNION. The
Lord's Supper is at the heart and center of our public worship.
We celebrate Communion each week, remembering the life, death,
resurrection and continuing presence of Jesus Christ. Communion
is open to all Christians, connecting worshipers to God, one
another, and all believers, everywhere. Through the Lord's
Supper, we are especially put in touch with God's self-giving,
forgiving love in Christ. (Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians
10:16-17; 11:23-26).
3. COMPASSION. Love,
mercy, kindness, forgiveness-these are the hallmarks of
Christian character. All Christians are called to offer loving
service to others, in Jesus' name. The Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) has a long history of reaching out with
compassion in practical ways, wherever needs arise. Our loving
deeds and attitudes echo the very nature of God. (Luke 10:27;
John 13:34; 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1~ John 4:16).
4. COMMON SENSE. Because
Jesus has called us to love God with our minds, as well as our
hearts, since its earliest days, our denomination has emphasized
a reasonable approach to Christian faith. We have highlighted
dialogue, discussion and honest thinking. Scholarship and
learning have been lifted up. Because of their understanding of
common sense and clear thinking, Disciples of Christ
congregations have usually been able to avoid extreme positions
and unbalanced views. Each Christian has the freedom to hold his
or her own viewpoints about the faith. However, as one early
Disciples slogan said, we also affirm, "In essentials, we
strive for unity; in non-essentials, freedom; in
all things, Christian love. (Luke 10:27; Colossians 3:2;
1 Corinthians 14:20).
5. CHRISTIAN
UNITY. The Disciples of Christ movement began as an
adventure m Christian unity. As the American frontier was moving
westward, settlers did not always have the luxury of being able
to attend the church in which they were raised. Thomas and
Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone made a careful study of
the New Testament and re-discovered that the church was founded
on belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, not denominational
creeds and catechisms. The Campbells, Stone and others, called
all Christians to join together around
their basic belief in Christ, regardless of their former church
membership (or lack thereof). An early Disciple slogan helped
describe our stance on Christian unity: "We are not the
only Christians, but we strive to be Christians, only. Today,
Disciple congregations cherish their essential unity with all
who follow Jesus, the world around. Our churches are often the
ones who encourage cooperation and shared service with other
Christian groups, regardless of denomination. (John 17:20-23;
Romans 15:5-7; Ephesians 4:3-6).
6. COMMISSIONED
FOR MINISTRY. We believe that every baptized believer in
Christ is commissioned by God to be a "royal priest. Each
Christian has been given at least one gift (talent, ability) to
use for the up building of God's kingdom. At their best, the
Disciples of Christ make little distinction between clergy and
laity. Pastors have been called to a ministry of preaching,
teaching and shepherding, but they differ from others Christians
only in function. Every follower of Jesus has been called to
fulfill a ministry for the strengthening of the church. What is
your special ministry gift? Are you using it to bless and up
build others, in Jesus' name? (Revelation 5:10; 1Peter 2:5;
1Corinthians 12:4-7; Matthew 25:14-30).
7. COOPERATION. Since
every Christian is a "royal priest of God, Disciple
churches emphasize cooperation, shared leadership and joint
decision making. Pastors typically do not "boss the church.
However, pastors strive to lead within a team of
congregational officers, elders, chairpersons and other members
of the church staff. In most of our congregations, ministers who
are loved and respected have considerable influence in the life
of the church, but their official authority is less pronounced.
Granted, some decisions and actions can be slower in coming, but
the end result is often better than what is gained in a
"from-the-top-down system. We strive to be a peoples' church,
where the viewpoint of each person is valued. Cooperation is the
key word when we think about our regional and general (North
American) church organizations, as well. Although each
congregation is responsible for conducting its own ministry, our
witness is considerably strengthened as we work with and support
the regional and general ministries of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ). (Romans 12:16; 1Peter 3:8; 5:1-4).
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