ABOUT SUNRAY
CHURCH OF CHRIST

Who Are We?

The church of Christ originated almost 2000 years ago on the day of Pentecost as recorded in the New Testament book of Acts chapter 2. The church of Christ today is trying to be nothing more or nothing less than the Lord's church which one reads about in the New Testament. The church of Christ is not a denomination, we are simply individual Christians, members of the one church Jesus established and for which he died (Matthew 16:18-19; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:18). We wear the name Christian, only because that is the name the Lord's people wore (Acts 11:26). The church of Christ (Romans 16:16) is not used as a denominational designation, but as a descriptive term indicating that the church belongs to Christ (Ephesians 5:23).

What Is Our Message?

The church of Christ believes that teaching the Bible without modification is the only way to lead men and women to become Christians. This means teaching things concerning Jesus, His church, and what to do to be added to His church (Acts 8:12; Acts 2:47). The church of Christ believes that nothing should be required of people as acts of obedience to God unless it is evident in Scripture (Hebrews 5:9). In New Testament times, those who heard the Gospel (Romans 10:17; John 6:45), believed the Gospel (Hebrews 11:6; John 8:24), repented of their sins (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3), confessed that Jesus Christ is the son of God (Romans 10:9-11; Acts 8:36-37; Matthew 10:32), and were baptized (immersed) in water for forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38-42; Mark 16:15-16; Romans 6:3-5) were added by the Lord to His church (Acts 2:37-47). After being added by the Lord to His church they remained faithful (Revelation 2:10; Hebrews 10:23-26; Galatians 5:16-26). The same is true today!

What Do We Believe About the Bible?

We who are members of the church of Christ have no creed, manual, or church rules other than those stated in the Bible, which are inspired of God (II Timothy 3:15-17). The Bible alone is our guide and God alone is the Judge.

How Are We Governed?

Each congregation of the church of Christ is an independent group that functions under local leaders subject to no regional or national governing board, looking only to God as its head and the Bible as its guide. Each congregation is united only in the fact that we worship the same way according to the Bible (I Timothy 3 & Titus 1).

How Do We Worship?

The church of Christ believes that we must have Bible authority for all we do in worship for God (Colossians 3:17). Therefore, everything done in worship is according to biblical principal. There are five items of worship mentioned in the New Testament in which first-century Christians observed. They are singing (I Corinthians 14:14-15; Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16-17), prayer (Ephesians 5:20; Acts 6:4; James 5:15-16), preaching (I Corinthians 1:18-21; II Timothy 4:2), giving (I Corinthians 16:1-2), and eating of the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7; Matthew 26:26-29; I Corinthians 11:23-26). Since the practice of the church of Christ concerning two of these items is so different from that of most religious groups, let's give some special attention to them. The first is singing. Congregational acappella singing is the only music used in our worship to God. The New Testament gives us no authority for using instruments of music. Since we speak only as the word of God (I Peter 4:11), and the New Testament leaves instrumental music out of worship, we believe we should leave it out also. The second item is the Lord's Supper. The church of Christ is different that most other religious organizations in the fact that we partake of the Lord's Supper each week as it is stated in Acts 20:7. Also, in Revelation 22:18-19 we are told not to add to or take away from the word of God. We are simply to obey His word.