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Church of Christ vs. United Church of Christ

evangelist6589

evangelist6589

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What are the main differences and similarities between these two denominations? One of them is heretical and the other is borderline it would seem from my research. I have visited websites of churches in one of the denominations and seen phrases that indicate that God still speaks today (New Revelation, open Canon), Jesus is not the only way to salvation because atheists, buddhists, and such do not need to repent and believe. Of the other denomination I have seen that they believe to be the only true church, and that they believe in Baptismal Regeneration (A false doctrine).
 
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Alcott

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One was the church of Jeremiah Wright;
The other one walks not by faith, but by sight.
The first can be titled by this: "GDA!"
The second by: "Shut up and do as we say!"
 
Jerome

Jerome

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The United Church of Christ mainly descends from the Puritan Congregational churches of colonial New England. Many of the Puritan churches became Unitarian as time went on; most of the remaining Trinitarian Congregational churches joined with a German Reformed group in creating the United Church of Christ in the mid 1900s. Mark Dever got his start as a United Church of Christ minister at this congregation in Massachusetts: http://topsfieldchurch.org/


Churches of Christ are one segment of the Restorationist Movement, a schism from Baptists in the 1800s:

http://www.leroygarrett.org/restorationreview/article.htm?rr18_04/rr18_04b.htm&18&4&1976

"The Restoration Movement in this country in its origin owes much to both Presbyterians and Baptists. Our original founders, the four pillars of our Movement, were all Presbyterians: Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone and Walter Scott. But the masses that came into our ranks during the first generation, 1809-1830, were not Presbyterians but Baptists."

"Hundreds of these Baptist churches came into the Movement, as if by osmosis. They gradually imbibed “Campbellism”, as it was called, until they were no longer considered orthodox Baptist churches, and so they were dubbed “Reformed Baptists.” These “Reformed Baptists” finally lost all identification as Baptists and became known as “Disciples of Christ,” the name preferred by Alexander Campbell, but also as “Church of Christ” and “Christian Church.” Eventually such names adorned their buildings, and their preachers were identified as “Elder of the Church of Christ.” Many of the Baptist leaders strongly opposed “Campbellism,” such as J. B. Jeter, who published a book entitled Campbellism Examined, and kept some congregations from being lost to Campbell. But thousands of Baptists became Campbellites. In deed, in this first generation the Campbellites were Baptists, almost altogether."
 
D

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
Churches of Christ require baptism for salvation and some of them have become very legalistic.
 
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FriendofSpurgeon

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Very similar name. Very different beliefs and practices - and as noted above, very different history between the two. However, from what I've read and seen, there are many differences within them as well. For example, even though the UCC is considerably more liberal than most other denominations (even mainline protestants), there is an evangelical renewal movement within called the Biblical Witness Fellowship.
 
SovereignGrace

SovereignGrace

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BrotherJoseph said:
Another strange bird is the International Church of Christ. They adhere to baptismal regeneration and only believe those in their church are saved. They were heavy in trying to convert people on my college campus I am an alumni of. I consider them a cult.
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I did not know they held the name 'International' in their title. I am in the midst of two that are the hard core, dyed-in-the-wool, old school CoC churches. I did some reading about them a few years ago and about 60% of them have went away from them being the only ones going to heaven. But they still held to baptismal regeneration. :confused:
 
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BrotherJoseph

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SovereignGrace said:
I did not know they held the name 'International' in their title. I am in the midst of two that are the hard core, dyed-in-the-wool, old school CoC churches. I did some reading about them a few years ago and about 60% of them have went away from them being the only ones going to heaven. But they still held to baptismal regeneration. :confused:
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"The disciple in the ICC has the right to tell the disciple to do anything, including what to wear, where to work, and who to marry.

Those in the cult are instructed to imitate their discipler who is above them – which they do, even in voice inflection and facial hair. (At one stage almost all of the men in the Central Auckland Church of Christ were wearing goatees because the then leader of that branch had a goatee.) Of course, this means that ultimately they are imitating Kip McKean.

The International Church of Christ (ICC) is a Christian based mind control cult. It has all the traits necessary to classify it as a mind control cult, including the teaching that it is the one true church, love bombing, deceptive recruiting, time control, relationship control, and the rest" Taken from http://www.cultwatch.com/icc.html

I had a friend who was a member and I wanted to talk about the Bible one on one with him, but his fellow church members told him not to do this. I don't even believe the Catholic church (the whore of Babylon) would forbid there members from meeting one on one with non Catholics to discuss issues. Notice for example we have Catholics on this forum, but nobody from the ICC as far as I am aware of. This is similar to the practices of Jehovah Witnesses who isolate their members and forbid such things. For example, there are no Jehovah Witness chat rooms or forums available to nonmember. At least even the Mormons allow this!
 
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BrotherJoseph

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SovereignGrace said:
Is the ICC a different denomination than the CoC?
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Yes, they broke off in 1993. I
Per Wikipedia,
"The International Churches of Christ, is a body of co-operating[8] religiously conservative, and racially integrated[6] Christian congregations. Beginning with 30 members in 1979 they grew to 19,172 members within the first 10 years. Currently they are numbered at more than 105,000.[9] A formal break was made from the mainline Churches of Christ in 1993 with the organization of the International Churches of Christ.[10]:418
In 2000, it was described as "[a] fast-growing Christian organization known for aggressive proselytizing to [US] college students" and as "one of the most controversial religious groups on campus".[16][17]"

For more https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Churches_of_Christ


Also regarding their heretical cult like teaching not only baptismal regeneration, but also that a prospective convert must first become a disciple before being baptized, rather than the other way around, read below on the lengthy process and requirements this entails,


"Once you become a disciple, then you can be baptized, but you cannot be baptized until you become a disciple. And that’s where, as far as I know, the rest of the entire religious world got it all messed up. I don’t know of any religious group in this world that teaches you gotta be a disciple to be baptized, and yet that is what Jesus said two thousand years ago. And it’s as clear as any verse in the Bible. That’s as clear as John 3:16. That’s as clear as Acts 2:38. That’s as clear as any verse you’re gonna read, and yet I don’t know of any other religious group that teaches you gotta be a totally committed disciple (emphasis added) of Jesus to get baptized into Christ.6

To become a disciple, the prospective convert must complete some or all of a series of studies with one or more ICC members,7 agree to attend all services,8 promise to read the Bible daily,9 begin recruiting others,10 agree to obey the church leaders,11 and give tithes weekly.12 Also, the individual must list all the sins he or she has ever committed,13 confess these sins to one or more members,14 and be “cut to the heart” by the severity of Christ’s death on the cross as atonement for our sins.15

After meeting all prerequisites, the prospective member’s eligibility for salvation then depends on the leadership determining if the candidate is ready for baptism. Ultimately then, receiving God’s grace in ICC depends on faith plus the completion of works, the presumptuousness of the leaders judging another’s heart, and water baptism." http://www.equip.org/article/witnessing-to-disciples-of-the-international-churches-of-christ/
 
Walter

Walter

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The UCC passed a resolution during one of their most recent conventions which officially changed their doctrine from acclaiming Jesus Christ as THE way of salvation to A way of salvation. The local congregation in my home town of the Disciples of Christ withdrew from the DoC/UCC (not because it is gay affirming, they support 'inclusion') because of that reason. They are now an independent 'Christian Church'.
 
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