The church of Christ is a fellowship of believers who are bound together by their common relationship to Jesus. Our central concern is to follow Jesus in every detail of life and faith. We believe the heart of God is portrayed in the sacrifice of his son on the cross. The death of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection form the fundamental doctrines of our faith. Through his death we obtain forgiveness of our sins, and through his resurrection we receive the promise of eternal life.
Congregations of the church of Christ are dedicated to being the body of Christ in unity, doctrine, love, and faith. Each of these four things are equally important for a congregation of the church of Christ to be a gathering of the body of Christ based in scripture. The New Testament is our guide for both how to worship and for our individual lives as Christians. In matters of faith and doctrine we are committed to following the examples of the church of the first century. We believe in the prayer of Jesus when he asks God for unity among Christians in (John 17:20-21). "Neither I pray for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." It's irrefutable to conclude that Jesus says it's vitally important for Christians to be unified as one. Not just with each other, but also with Jesus himself and God the Father. Jesus even states the reason he prays for this; for the world to believe that God had sent him, Christians must be unified as one. For this reason, we use the bible as authority to say that believing in Jesus and obeying his word as he received it from the Father can only produce one thing; a Christian. We can also say by the scriptures that Jesus never gave his church a name other than to say that it was his (Matthew 16:18). Any other name given to a believer in Christ simply cannot be found in the scriptures.
We believe salvation is derived from scripture as well as all doctrine. Each Christian obtains this title through faith that moves them to obedience to God's word. All must have faith, or believe, in Jesus Christ ( John 3:16). All must confess this faith before men ( Romans 10:9). We must all repent and be baptized for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38-41). The obedience through faith of God's word is necessary. Our addition to the church is directly controlled and guided by our Lord and is not something we can choose to obtain in our own way (Acts 2:47).
In a world of denominational division and religious confusion, the churches of Christ strive for unity through submission to the will of God revealed to us in Scripture. Our source of authority is the Word of God itself, and our source of unity is our mutual fellowship with Jesus Christ.
