Reflections from the Past that Suggest a Future
In a recent interview with Stephen Bullivant, a noted British researcher on American Christianity, I was intrigued by his observations about the Stone-Campbell tradition and Churches of Christ in particular.[1] He noted the particular conditions of the American frontier in the early nineteenth century that gave rise to the American Restoration Movement. He noted the fussy divisiveness of various denominational groups and the sometimes uppity nature of some clergy that may have been off-putting to folk. He also named that not everyone was a Christian. And in that context, the plain appeal to simply be Christian, to follow Jesus, was a significant and powerful claim.
Those of you who know something about Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone will not find these claims surprising. Campbell rejected much of the strictures of nineteenth century Presbyterianism that split theological hairs over multiple mundane matters. Likewise, Barton Stone and others wrote the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery to reject the structures of denominational frames and to invite local congregations to call their own ministers, ground their practices in the witness of Scripture, preach the gospel, and join with Christian people wherever they may be found.
For those of you hanging on through this impromptu history foray, I am grateful!
So here is the takeaway. Although American Christianity is experiencing decline, there are some bright spots. This is part of what Bullivant was pointing out. The plea for a simple non-denominational Christianity that formed the Stone-Campbell tradition—a restoration movement—is still playing itself out in new ways and forms today. The rise of non-denominational churches, independent churches, community churches, and more are current expressions of what gave life to Churches of Christ and Christian Churches two centuries ago.
I take this as good news—and I hope you do too!
Here is the catch, though. Just because Churches of Christ began as a movement to preach Christ and welcome all to a simple expression of Christian life and faith does not mean that is what people see when they look at a congregation in 2024. Over the past 200 years, our attempts at a simple Christianity have picked up some baggage along the way.
Can churches that are a part of a two-hundred-year-old legacy exhibit newness and welcome? I believe so! And I see those churches across the country. What do they look like? Here are some of the characteristics:
A deep and lively commitment to listen to and receive the Scripture as the living witness to God’s active Word.
Joyful practices that form people as disciples of Jesus Christ. And those practices include the meaningful practice of baptism and the community-forming beauty of the Lord’s Supper.
Worship that is life-giving and God-centered.
A deep dependence on the presence and promise of the Holy Spirit.
An outward focus to the larger community that constantly and consistently demonstrates hospitality and welcome.
An inward focus that attends to spiritual formation.
A posture of being both a welcoming host to others and a gracious guest in places that the church is not normally found.
When churches preach Jesus Christ, call people to discipleship, welcome all to community and shared life, practice hospitality and care for others, then churches continually find opportunities to live into a simple Christian witness.
Growth and life were present in the early decades of the nineteenth century as our ancestors lived and practiced a simple Christianity. And there are people who are living that same way today. The big question is whether the church that you are a part of is willing to boldly embrace a way of being in the world that is characterized by gospel, the Holy Spirit, and a commitment to live for the sake of God’s work and mission in the world.
Many established churches are far more comfortable trying to maintain the status quo than to long for God’s preferred future. That is the challenge that many church leaders face everyday. Sadly, with each passing day, many churches lose—bit by bit—the capacity to actually engage in a bold and daring move of actually taking Jesus seriously and living lives that really depend upon God’s answer to prayer rather than taking the easy route.
What will be the sort of path that lies ahead for the congregation that you lead? Will your path be characterized by energizing hope in God? Or will your church be on the path that most churches in America have sadly chosen: to be a church that shrugs its shoulders and says, “I guess God just doesn’t really care about our church.”
If there is one thing that I can be extremely sure of, it is this: God is envisioning a bright future for the congregation you serve as a leader. The better question is whether you will join God in the work that He has already begun to do!
Blessings,
Carson
1. The Intersection recording is available at this link on our website, along with all other Intersection archival material. Bullivant’s book is entitled Nonverts: The Making of Ex-Christian America (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022).
