Every church has roots. Churches have denominational roots or they formed from a church split. Pantano Christian Church is a non-denominational church and we have roots. Our roots go back to a movement that started on the American frontier in the early 1800’s. It was a biblical unity movement. It was a movement which stated that the church of Jesus is one Church. That unity is possible only when we drop our denominational focus and re-focus on Jesus and the scriptures. They used some great sayings or mottos that still resonate with me today:
- We are not the only Christians, but we are Christians only.
- In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
- Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent.
It was 200 years ago that a document written by a man named Alexander Campbell launched this movement. It is called the Declaration and Address and it is not an easy read (39 pages). As our country came out of a revolution that resulted in our political independence, this document was a call for a spiritual revolution to return to biblical Christianity.
Campbell and others started what became known as the Restoration Movement. The idea was to restore “simple evangelical Christianity” that was to be discovered by looking to the New Testament and avoid man-made religious inventions. Now, to be honest, that is a very hard thing to do. It is a huge challenge to figure out what was taught and practiced by the first church that was intended to be true for every church of every culture of every age. It’s a challenge to figure out what was unique to the 1st Century church and not intended to be carried to our culture today (like: “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” – 2 Cor. 13:12). It is a challenge to apply the commands and principles of the New Testament to a church in 2009 in Tucson, AZ. But it is the right question and challenge to engage.
The Declaration and Address reminds us of our roots. May our roots result in our being a catalyst to work with all churches to reach the whole world that needs Jesus more than anything else. May we live in the realization that the church is the one body of Christ and it is necessary that we work for Christian unity to accomplish Christ’s mission on earth. We therefore commit again to never speak against another church or judge another Christian. While we will never agree on all theological or doctrinal opinions, we can build our unity on the core of the gospel based on the lordship of Jesus. Our fighting with and against each other discredits Jesus and hurts the mission Jesus gave us. May we fulfill Jesus’ prayer – an appeal for unity (John 17:20-23).
TOGETHER to make the world different,
Glen
The enemy loves division and how he must laugh when we focus on and speak about the “wrong” things about other Christian sects. I grew up Catholic and remember once a friend introducing me to some Christian but non-Catholic friends and saying, “She’s Catholic – and she’s a Christian!” as if that was uncommon or improbable. When we spoke of scripture they were shocked that I owned or had even read the Bible. We need to focus on what unites us and not what divides us. We have wasted too much time in tearing down and need to redirect our efforts to carrying out the mission given to us by Jesus…”that all may be one.”