Who the are Churches of Christ and what the Church of Christ believes

Goodman Oaks Church of Christ

1700 Goodman Rd. E.   Southaven MS 38671

662-349-3600     Fax 662-349-6222

Where No One Walks Alone

Churches of Christ -

Who Are We?

With so many different churches and religious groups in today's world it's easy to become confused. This is especially true when different groups wear similar names such as "churches of Christ," the "United Church of Christ" or the "Church of God in Christ." Perhaps you wonder what distinguishes churches of Christ from other religious groups? Hopefully, a brief introduction will help to clarify things.

Those of us in churches of Christ desire to be non-denominational and non-sectarian. The name "church of Christ" is taken from Romans 16:16 where the apostle Paul said, "the churches of Christ greet you." Rather than being a denominational name it is merely a desciption of who the church belongs to.

At Goodman Oaks we hold the strong conviction that the Bible is the inspired word of God and the only authoritative source for religious instruction. In Hebrews 1:1 we are told that "In the past God spoke to the fathers through the prophets, but in these last days has spoken to us through his son." On one occasion Jesus told his followers, "all authority has been given me in heaven and on earth" - Mt. 28:20, and since the New Testament contains Jesus' instructions to his apostles, we believe that it alone is sufficient to know the will of God.

If you have never visited a church of Christ before you may have questions about what to expect. We strive to make our worship services as friendly and caring as possible. We never do anything to make our guests feel uncomfortable or out of place.

The Bible tells us that God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth, John 4:24. From this passage we learn three very specific things. First, our worship must be directed toward God. Second, worship must be prompted by the right spirit, and third, we must worship God in truth. Since the Bible is the truth of God we desire to worship according to the directions of scripture. Since Christians live under the New Testament we seek to pattern our worship after that of the New Testament church.

Our Worship

Our worship consists of prayer, singing, giving, preaching, and partaking of the Lords Supper.

1. One of the most frequent observations about the church of Christ is that we sing accapella or without the use of mechanical instruments. In seeking to worship God in accordance with what is written in the New Testement we find that in each passage where the subject of music in the worship of the church is addressed the command is to "sing." Therefore we sing from our hearts without the use of mechaical instruments.

2. Another aspect of our worship is the Lords Supper each Sunday. This memorial was established by Jesus on the night he was betrayed (Matthew 26:26-28). Jesus said we are to do this in memory of Him (1 Cor. 11:24-25). The elements of the Lords Supper are unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. In our effort to follow the New Testament as closely as we know how we find that the early christians came together on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7). Thus, this memorial feast is a part of our worship each Sunday.

3. At several points in our worship service various men of the congregation lead us in prayer. In Acts 2:42 we are told that the early christians continued steadfast in the teachings of the apostles, in fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. God longs for us to pray to Him and we believe very strongly in the power and effectiveness of prayer.

4. During worship our members have the opportunity to give financially so that the work of the church can continue. In I Corinthians 16:2, Paul instructed the church to lay aside money on the first day of the week so that there would be funds available when he came to help needy people elsewhere. In II Corinthians 9:7 Paul also told them they should determine what they would give and to do so with a cheerful heart. With our funds we help support mission work around the world and assist needy individuals in our local area. We view this as the sole responsibility of our membership and do not expect our guests to give.

5. As in many churches, another part of our service is the sermon or the message. Our sermons are filled with practical application of Biblical princples relevant to today's fast paced society. Each sermon can be requested on CD form. You will also find text and audio files of these sermons elsewhere on this site.

Membership in the Church of Christ

To become a member of the church of Christ, one must simply do as people n the New Testament did. There are no letters of intent needed and we do not vote on who is and is not allowed to place membership as some churches do. According to the New Testament on the day of Pentecost when the church was established, Peter preached the first sermon about the good news of Christ. When he had finished the people asked him "what shall we do?" In Acts 2:38 Peter told them, "repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and you will receive the gift of the holy spirit." When they did this they were added to the Lords church; Acts 2:47

We would be happy and honored to have you as a guest at any time. Please do not hesitate to call upon us if we can assist you with your spiritual life.