FAQs about the Churches of Christ

COMMUNION EACH SUNDAY: Paul recalled for the Corinthians when the memorial of communion was instituted noting Jesus said, as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till he come. (1 COR 11:26) And in ACTS 20:7 the church at Troas met upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and prolonged his speech until midnight. Not only the scriptures but also the history books testify that for the first hundreds of years when Christians met every Sunday they remembered Jesus’ death as we do today.

INFANT BAPTISM: Churches of Christ believe salvation requires a fundamental faith (John 10:37,38), a public confession in Jesus as the Son of God (Matt 10:32), and a commitment to repent and change one’s life (Luke 13:3). To baptize a small child or baby sets aside these necessary steps as they can not exercise their conscience or believe and confess. Baptism itself is an act of conscience not simply a dipping in water (1 Pet 3:21) Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We understand baptism to be an act which washes away one’s sins (Acts 22:16). The scriptures define sin as an act of transgression of law, that is an act or deed or thought. So for a person to be a candidate for baptism they must have a conscience, which infants do not yet have.

WHERE IS THE CHOIR? The scriptures define the fundamental nature of church music in Eph. 5:19 when it says, "speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. Consequently churches of Christ place emphasis on each worshipper making a melody in his heart to God. Little emphasis is placed on professional expertise in music or making a performance. Rather it is our desire for each of us to speak to the heart in a spiritual melody with congregational singing in our assemblies. The melody heard in the ear is of little importance. Such an approach to church music leaves a choir superfluous.