The Churches Of Christ: A Comparative Essay

The Churches of Christ:   A Comparative Essay


Over the past ten years there has been much controversy in the Christian and
secular media about the International Churches of Christ (ICC), and the United
(or mainline) Church of Christ (CoC).   This controversy has stemmed from the
ICC"s misuse of funds, doctrinal problems, member abuse, and mind-control.   The
differences between the CoC and the ICC are important for Christians know and
understand.

The CoC began   in 1957 when these four groups merged The Congregational Churches,
The Christian Church, The Evangelical Synod of North America, and The Reformed
Church in the United States.   These churches had firm Protestant roots in
England, Germany, Sweden, and the United States, totaling over 49 years in their
own traditions and fellowship.   On June 25, of 1957, the four churches held a
synod meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, to commit more fully to unity, liberty,
freedom in Christ,   and the evangelism of the world.   These groups, under the
head of the Uniting General Synod, became the United Churches of Christ.   Today
the CoC has over two thousand registered churches in the world.

By 1979,   the roots of the CoC were firmly in place.   It was then that Chuck
Lucas, a pastor at the Gainesville Church of Christ (mainline), met a young
college student, Kip McKean, and began discipling him.   Kip was a bright student
and showed great potential for leadership in the church.   However, something in
the discipling process went wrong.   Kip was expelled from the Gainesville church
later that year for reasons dealing with departure from the CoC doctrine,
manipulative attitude, unclear motivation, and controlling of other"s lives.
Kip and his wife Elena moved to Boston and started a small church that grew
rapidly from thirty to over three hundred disciples in two months.   Kip (who, by
this time, proclaimed himself as "God"s man for God"s mission") then declared in
his Evangelism Proclamation speech in 1981 that disciples of his Boston...