Ridgell's Originals

I am still in the church of Christ.  I am am elder and preach Wednesday nights at a church of Christ.  I grew up in the church of Christ, tho my Dad did not.  Just Mom.  My wife grew up in the church of Christ (same one we are at now).  So did her Dad, but not her Mom.  Kids are both active in churches of Christ.  So with so many of our heritage talking about why they leave, or should leave, or "really love the church but let me tell you everything wrong with it"... here are some reasons I stay.

By the way, for you non church of Christers who read this, we are a strange group to belong to because we are no group.  No national organization.  No organization of any kind.  No "official" doctrine either.  But we do have some general convictions that most church of Christ congregations share.

so here is why I stay.

I love our emphasis on Scripture.  We are a people of the book.  We may fight over what it means.  We may have some different interpretations which lead to different practices... but we are in the Word.  That is a big deal to me.

I think we have done well to emphasize the importance of baptism as the faith response to the gift of grace given in Jesus.  It is always one of the most beautiful and emotional moments I experience when I watch someone die with Jesus, be buried in baptism, and then rise to a new life.  The best thing about being a Dad was holding my kids just after their birth.  And hugging them just after they were born again.  And I long to see that with my Grands.

I think Communion is a big deal and I learned that in the church of Christ.  We do it every first day of the week.  I need that.

We show up.  In every disaster anywhere in the world, we are there.  I will never forget how appreciated and loved the church of Christ was in New Orleans after Katrina.  We are known as people that care and put that into action.  I am not saying we are the only ones that do that, but I am telling you why I stay in the church of Christ.  And that is one reason.

We care locally.  We show up in hospitals and at funerals.  We love each other.  

We make disciples.  I think that is the vision, mission, and call of the church.  We do it in churches of Christ.  We raise missionaries.  We support them.  We care about lost people that live in our communities.  We tell the gospel story and we make disciples.

I love being part of a church that is exploding all over this world.  That may not be true in this country and culture always, but it sure is in other places.

Making a difference.  Caring about people.  Baptizing them, sharing communion and life together.  Studying God's Word.

That's why I stay.

I have talked about why I will never leave Jesus.  And I believe there will always be the body of Christ.  I will always be a part of a church like I described above.  Always.  Because I believe that is how Christ's church looks.  For me right now, my home is in churches of Christ.  If we ever change from these things that have kept me there... well, I wouldn't stay.

Maybe you have not had these experiences.   I have and that is why I stay.

But for me, it is not Church of Christ -- some kind of official structured denomination.

It is church of Christ -- believers who belong to Christ.  Whatever you call us.

Well, that's just me.  My thoughts today.

Many of my readers are part of churches of Christ.  Why do you stay?