C A R L B. G A R N E R

WHO ARE WE? WHY ARE WE HERE?

When people visit from church to church, they find some interesting differences. They often ask, "Why are there so many churches?" Why are there church buildings on every corner and all of them different? Does what we teach really make that much difference? If it does not, why don't all of the churches just build one church building and all worship together? If it matters, and it does, then we must be able to justify our convictions by some standard which God has authorized. Unless a "thus saith the Lord..." can be given, no group has a right to exist. If you are visiting us today, we hope you will consider the things we say and do as we seek to examine the Scriptures in search of that authority.

WHO ARE WE?
We are your neighbors, your friends, your family members and your customers. We are people, young, old and in-between, who want to be the church Jesus said He would build, Matthew 16:18. To do this we are following the blueprint in the New Testament. We realize we are far from perfect, and we make mistakes more often than we should, but Jesus promises as long as we "walk in the light as He is in the light," His blood cleanses us from our sin, 1 John 1:7.

ARE WE A DENOMINATION?
Since we strive to be the church Jesus purchased with His blood, Acts 20:28, we cannot be members of a denomination, for none existed in the first century. Jesus' church cannot be a denomination.The unity Jesus prayed for, John 17:21, demanded more than just an "agree to disagree" attitude that tolerates the teachings and practices of man-made doctrines. In 1 Corinthians 1:10 we read, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." That is hardly descriptive of modern denominationalism. In fact, the very opposite is the case. Our unity is not based upon the writings of men, but the words of the scripture, which is the "word of God," 1 Thessalonians 2:13. It is obvious from almost 2,000 years of history that the religious division that prevails in the world today cannot be solved by the churches of men. We must go back to the Bible for our doctrine, our love for each other, our emphasis in life, our worship, the organization of the church and our evangelizing of the lost. That is what and who we are.

WHO IS HEAD OF 'OUR CHURCH'?
The church that Jesus purchased has never belonged to man, but to Him. "He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence," Colossians 1:18. We, therefore, do not make our own doctrines, do not make our own conditions for memberships, do not have an earthly headquarters, or a president. Jesus is the foundation on which the church is built, and even though in heaven, He is still the head of His church. We look to Him for our guidance, and we seek to please Him, not ourselves. That guidance comes from the Bible, as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Since that is true, the Bible is essential to our worship, our Bible classes, and every part of our relationship to God and His church.

WHAT ABOUT WORSHIP?
Remembering that scripture is our source of authority in these matters, not our likes and dislikes, and that Christ is the head of the church, and not men, we then ask the question, "What does God authorize for our worship to Him?" I may prefer a banjo and a blue-grass band. You may enjoy the Boston Pops. Some may like the sound of the zither and the flute. But man is not the head of the church, so we must ask what He wants; What has God authorized? In the Bible, we discover that early Christians sang songs of praise and thanksgiving to God, Ephesians 5:19. It is very specific that every Christian was to sing "to the Lord," not entertain their brethren. They came together to take the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week, 1 Corinthians 11:23-30. Preaching the gospel was also integral to their worship, Acts 20:7. Their weekly contribution was given according to how they were prospered that week, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. They prayed to their heavenly Father, asking for their daily needs, the forgiveness of their sins, and His constant support, Luke 11:2-4, Romans 12:12. If someone wants to add something else to their worship, we simply ask, "By what authority do you do so?² Colossians 3:17 demands that both our words and our deeds in service to God be "in the name of the Lord Jesus," or, as authorized by Him.

THE SEED OF THE KINGDOM
The Word of God is likened to a seed, Luke 8:11, and that same seed can be planted in the hearts of honest men and women today. By doing so the same harvest can be produced today as in the first century. By teaching the same doctrine, holding the same convictions, by worshiping God and living in harmony with the instructions given to early Christians, we can be the church Jesus built and purchased with His blood. No man has the right to change or modify those instructions, so we are going back to the original. Won't you come along with us; Back to the Bible?