I love the church because:
God planned and designed it. The church of Christ was established in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 2:2-3; Acts 2). This church would have a distinctive founder, builder, head, body, mission, plan of salvation, membership, worship, name, doctrine, and work (Isaiah 28:16; Ephesians 2:20; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 4:4; Mark 16:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 2:47; John 4:24; Acts 11:26; Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 15:58). The church of Christ is the church of the New Testament.
Christ purchased it. Inspiration teaches, “There is one body…” (Ephesians 4:4). What is the one body? We can stay in the book of Ephesians and answer the question. “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (1:22-23). Paul is teaching exactly what Jesus Christ taught. Our Lord said He would build His church, (Matthew 16:18) which is the one body. It is built upon the one foundation, Jesus Christ (2:20; 1 Corinthians 3:1). Jesus is head and savior of the body, the church: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). The church is under the authority of Christ: “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ…” (Ephesians 5:24). Jesus loves His body, the church: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church (Ephesians 5:25, 29). Christ died for the church: “…even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).
I am a member of the body. “For we are members of his body…” (Ephesians 5:30; Acts 2:47). We are reconciled to God in the one body: “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby” (Ephesians 2:16). We are to have unity and growth in the body (Ephesians 4:16).
The relationships within the church strengthen me. The spiritual, emotional, physical, social, recreational, and intellectual parts of life are shared with brothers and sisters within the church on different levels.
Love (agape) serves as the example from the Godhead and is to be exhibited among the children of God in the church. We are blessed with relationships with those who have the same spiritual goals and who serve under the same Head, Jesus Christ.
It’s mission is to fulfill the statement of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20. We have one mission; to make known “the manifold wisdom of God” (3:10). God desires the salvation of the world and the church is to preach the gospel to every one.
We Believe the Bible. We believe the Bible to be the verbally, inspired, inerrant, plenary, Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We believe the Bible to be our only authority in religious matters (Colossians 3:17).
It faithfully proclaims how to be saved. The Bible teaches us that we are saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:5, 8-10). In order for man to get into the grace of God, he must do his part which is through faith (Ephesians 2:8). The Bible teaches that we must hear the word of God (Romans 10:17). After hearing the word of God we must develop a working faith (James 2:14-26). Then we are commanded to repent (Acts 17:30). The Scriptures then instruct us to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God (Acts 8:37), and be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Romans 6:1-4).By obeying the gospel plan of salvation we have forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, membership in the church of Christ, and are made heirs to the blessings found in Jesus Christ. This makes us a Christian only.
It is restoration minded. The Lord’s Church is not perfect on the human side and is always in need of improvement. The church of Christ pleads for a return to New Testament Christianity. Our goal is to speak where the Bible speaks and keep silent where it is silent, calling Bible things by Bible names and doing Bible things in Bible ways. “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
A native of Ohio, Steve has been preaching for over 27 years serving as full-time minister in congregations in Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and South Carolina. He is currently serving as one of the ministers for the church of Christ at Gold Hill Road in Fort Mill, SC. After graduating James A. Garfield High School, he completed a B. S. degree in Business and Ethics at Asbury University (Wilmore, KY) and the M. A. Min., from Freed-Hardeman University.
Steve and his wife Deanna have two children and are enjoying their first grandchild, Maisy. He enjoys books, research, writing, Church / Restoration History playing and listening to vintage Country and Bluegrass music, collecting vintage country music memorabilia and photography.