WHY I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Part2

I. Background
  A. There are over 1200 churches in the U.S. today
  B. Jesus said he would build HIS church Mt 16:18
  C. Does it matter which church, what plan of salvation , worship or is everything OK ?
  D. I Pet 3: 15 we must be ready to tell others why / what we believe with GENTLENESS & RESPECT

II. Reasons I Am A Member Of The Church Of Christ
  A. Because It Tries To Be The Same As The Church In The New Testament
     i) the only authority we accept is the Bible - not Nature or tradition
     ii) since the word is the seed it will bring forth the same crop when ever it is sown ALONE Mt 13
     iii) the Church Jesus built was soon corrupted - Acts 20:28
        - one man over the congregation not elders ( Nicene Council AD 325 ) - Acts 14:23
        - one man over the whole Church ( Council of Trent AD ) - 606 AD
        - sold indulgences ; told people not to study the Bible ; infant baptism
     iv) brave men like Luther , Wycliffe dared to protest the departures from the Bible ( 1500s )
        - they encouraged people to study the Bible for themselves
        - the problem was the leaders defined their personal beliefs and it soon became their creed
        - soon there were many Protestant Denominations
      v)  others said why not go back to the Bible and re-create the Church just like it was in the Bible
        - this was called the Restoration Movement
        - rather that several methods of baptism they baptized the way they did in the Bible - Acts 8:38
        - every act of the Church they tried to copy exactly like the New Testament Church did
  B. Because It Is Not A Denomination
     i) denominations must follow the directions of their headquarters
     ii) someone else tells you the core beliefs, actions
     iii ) the Church in the New Testament was autonomous led by Elders from the Bible
     iv) if the core beliefs ( creeds ) are mistaken the whole group is not in line with the scriptures
     v) what if the denomination decides to have homosexual ministers or support abortion ?
   C. Because The Church Of Christ Believes That The Bible Only Makes Christians Only Anywhere Anytime
      i) the only thing Paul and Silas took with them was the word of God - no creeds
      ii) they taught and practiced
         - singing and praying
         - communion ; baptism for remission of sins
         - Christians only - no other name
      iii) to split the Church you must introduce some other authority than the Bible
      iv) Otis Gatewood found N.T. Christianity behind the Iron Curtain that had been practiced for generations
   D. Because Peter , James , and John practiced the same things
      i) all agree that what they practiced was accepted by God
      ii) by doing what they did will ensure we are accepted by God
      iii) we must practice what they did : Doctrinally , Spiritually , and Morally