Efforts at Restoration Have Been Numerous

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Efforts at Restoration Have Been Numerous

• Departures from the original purpose have usually
  led to divisions after sixty or more years.

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Why Restoration Movements Divide

• The Original Restorers (Primitivists) Die!
• Each succeeding generation is less committed to
  the original principles.
• Effect of Changing Generations is described in a
  tract, The Emergence of the Church of Christ
  Denomination written in 1962 by Ed Harrell

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Effect of Changing GenerationsThe Emergence of
the Church of Christ Denomination, pp. 13-15

• From propertyless to property-owning membership.

From economic poverty to economic wealth, that
is, value of church property, ministers salary.
From cultural periphery toward the cultural
center of the community.
From a community excluding unworthy members to
an institution embracing all who are socially
compatible.
From an unspecialized, unprofessional ministry
to a professional ministry.
From emphasis on evangelism to emphasis on
religious education.
From stress on future in the next world to
primary interest in this world.
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Effect of Changing GenerationsThe Emergence of
the Church of Christ Denomination, pp. 13-15

• From non-cooperation with other churches to
  cooperation.

From fervor in worship to restraint.
From a high degree of congregational
participation to delegation of responsibility to
a few.
From persecution to success and dominance
psychology.
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Restoration Movement of 19th
and 20th Centuries

• 1. Growth and Unity, 1800-1865
• 2. 3-Way Division, 1865-1900
• Churches of Christ
• Independent Christian Churches
• Disciples of Christ
• 3. Growth and Unity, (Churches of Christ)
  1900-1950
• 4. 3-Way Division, 1950-2000

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Division Results from the SEVERING OF DIVIDED
MINDS

• Doctrinal Issues
• 1. Instrumental Music
• 2. Missionary Society

Those agreeing on authority of the scriptures
were united on these.

• Divided Minds (Hermeneutics, Mindsets, and
  Sociological Change) caused division.
• 1. Biblical literalism versus liberalism
• 2. Separatism versus denominationalism

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Conservative

• The only way to sustain Christianity and have
  union, is for all of us to say and believe that
  all Gods statements are facts and truths. . . .
  And that all his commandments are to be obeyed
  literally.
• James L. Thornberry, The American Congress of
  Churches, Gospel Advocate, May 5, 1885, p. 49.

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Moderate and Traditional

• The Bible contains but few specific details, but
  it does contain every principle of action the
  human family will ever need. . . . It assumes the
  common sense of the race. . . . In regard to the
  methods employed for preaching the gospel to the
  world, and all benevolent ministrations of the
  church, . . . Christians have no positive
  specifications and they must be governed by
  general laws and principles applied according to
  their best judgement.
• M. M Goode, Missouri Christian Lectures (Kansas
  City, 1886), pp. 101-102.

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Liberal

• A principle may set aside an apostolic precept.
  It may brush aside an apostolic decree. We do
  that constantly. We follow the apostolic example
  whenever we like it when we do not, we depart
  from it.
• George T. Smith, No Man Wishes Women to Keep
  Silence in the Churches, Christian Standard,
  October 7, 1893, p. 798.

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Why Restoration Movements Divide

• The Original Restorers (Primitivists) Die!
• Each succeeding generation less committed.
• Effect of Changing Generations
• Just as Greek philosophy affected the early
  church, in the last 60 years new philosophies
  have become almost universal in our society,
  affecting many congregations.

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New Philosophies in Last 60 Years
Women speaking publicly Serving as elders, etc.
Feminism
Whole Person concept Gyms, Family Life Centers
Social Gospel
Institutionalism vs.individualism
Let Church do it More Organizations
Pride Encourages Imitation Requires Compromise
Mega-Churches
Pragmatism, Unity Meetings, Watered down
preaching
Relativism
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THE SEVERING OF DIVIDED MINDS

• Doctrinal Issues
• 1. Instruments, Saturday Communion, Unity
  Meetings
• 2. Women leading in public worship serving as
  elders,
• 3. Gymnasiums, Church Schools,

• Dividing Minds (Hermeneutics, Mindsets, and
  Sociological Change)
• 1. Biblical literalism versus liberalism
• 2. Separatism versus denominationalism

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Seven Churches of 2007
Social Gospel
Immorality
Institu-tionalism
Feminism
Faithful
To the Mainstream?
To the Restoration Movement?
As In the Beginning
Pride Mega-church
Relativism
If one congregation remains true to Gods will,
The restoration principle has not failed!
If one individual remains true to Gods will,
The restoration principle has not failed!
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Lessons for Us Today

• As a Congregation
• Take the N.T. church as our pattern.
• Resist demands for change.
• As Individuals
• Seek out a congregation that patterns itself
  after the N.T. Church
• Maintain our dedication to Scripture.

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