Introducing Ourselves
The aim of this article is to introduce the Northwest London Church of Christ and answer some of the questions commonly asked of us.
Globally, the churches of Christ are a family of Christian churches who are sincerely striving to be the church that Jesus Christ originally established some 2000 years ago. We believe that this is possible by faithfully following the simple pattern laid out by Christ and His apostles in the New Testament. Congregations often reflect the diversity of the cities and nations in which they are situated. Worldwide there are many congregations with people of all races, ages and cultures who have come together to form local congregations. As human beings, there is nothing special about us; but we believe we have found something special - each of us have Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, and the reason for us gathering together is to worship God, praise Jesus Christ and encourage one another to continue to follow Christ's teachings.
The Name Church of Christ
We use the term church of Christ not simply as a title but to describe to whom we belong. It is Christ's Church, established through His death on the cross and thus is called the Church of Christ in recognition of this. The New Testament also uses this term:
"The churches of Christ greet you." - Romans chapter 16, verse 16.
Christians Only
The division in the religious world today is far different from the unity enjoyed by the early Christians, before traditionalism, man-made doctrines and distinctive names divided them. Believing such division to be contrary to the New Testament, we have no denominational organisation or name, doctrine or creed. Following the teachings of Christ and His apostles, individually we are known as Christians, collectively as a church of Christ.
What Kind of People Are We?
Students, accountants, nurses, IT professionals, market traders, solicitors, housewives, senior citizens. We are just normal, ordinary people similar to you. The biblical word "church" means "called out" and refers not to a building but a group of people. Through the Gospel people are called out from an empty sinful life, from religious mediocrity, spiritual error, atheism, agnosticism and spiritual condemnation into a meaningful, vibrant relationship with God - they constitute Christ's church.
Mistaken Identity
Some have thought that the church of Christ is an American cult, but this not the case. There have been churches of Christ in the United Kingdom for hundreds of years. Again, some people have mistaken us for other religious groups bearing similar-sounding names such as Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons),