When God thinks of the church of Christ

In Defense of Studying "Restoration History"

I love to read stories about those who have sought to restore simple New Testament principles among communities of God’s people in past centuries, or what is sometimes called "Restoration History." However, when I mention that fact, especially to younger Christians, I often see grimaces at worst or a lack of enthusiasm at best. I think I know why!

Problems

* Equating God’s church with the Restoration Movement – Too many have considered the study of the "Restoration History" to be the equivalent of the study of the Lord’s church. Some go so far as to imply that Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell restored Christ’s church as if mere men had the power to do such. However, God’s church is not composed of those who are a part of an historical movement but rather of all who will receive his mercy, and only he knows who that is! He is the only one who extends His mercy and therefore establishes or "restores" his church. The Restoration Movement doesn’t represent God’s church, but rather some individuals who were striving to be a part of it.

* Sectarian precedents – As an outgrowth of the above misconception, some quote influential men in the Stone-Campbell movement almost as if their opinions were equal to the scriptures. Thus occasionally you will still hear arguments about Foy Wallace’s stance on institutionalism or Campbell’s perspective on baptism as if their positions were of vital importance in determining how to serve God. The truth is that the positions of those men and others weren’t always consistent and don’t matter as far as determining God’s will.

* Sectarian identification – If it is dangerous to add adjectives to the word Christian, i.e. "Baptist Christian," "Methodist Christian" or "Catholic Christian," it is also dangerous to identify oneself as a "Stone-Campbell Christian." While it would have been naïve for the Corinthians to deny the influence of Paul and Apollos, they were not to identify themselves with those men but only with Christ. It is also naïve for most of the readers of this magazine to disavow the influence of people like David Lipscomb and Alexander Campbell in our lives, but it is even worse to spiritually identify with them.

However…

Though abuses have accompanied the study of Restoration History, God has constantly used history to teach his people how to appreciate His work and avoid the pitfalls of their ancestors.

* Historical Songs – The songs of prophetesses like Miriam (Ex. 15) and Deborah (Judges 5) were obviously designed to imprint a memory of Jehovah’s blessings on future generations. They needed to know God’s working in their history!

* Memorials – A number of passages (Gen. 26:25; 28:10; 26:25; Ex. 12:14; 17:15; Joshua 4:8) tell of altars of memorial stones. Their purpose is detailed in Joshua 4:6,7.

…When your children ask later, saying, "What do these stones mean to you?" then you shall say to them, "Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off " So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.

God thought it important for the children of Israel to know history!

* Psalms – Several Psalms, especially 78, 105 and 114, refer to the history of Israel to warn and exhort God’s people.

* Sermons – Sermons to Jews in Acts 2, 3, 7, 13 are chock full of historical references with the primary message being, "Don’t be like your fathers who rejected those who God sent to help them!"

* References to ancestors – I found over a hundred references in the KJV Bible for the computer search of the words "your fathers." God expected his people to learn from the mistakes of those who went before them!

If historical lessons were so useful to God’s people in the Old and New Testaments, why do some seem to think that histories of those who were striving to return to the old paths in the past few hundred years are of little or no value?

What can we learn?

My list is certainly incomplete but here are some useful lessons I have learned by reading histories of the Stone-Campbell Movement.

* The long-term results of affluence mixed with dissatisfaction with Christ’s simplicity –Twenty-first century congregations are not the first ones to deal with prosperous and restless second, third and fourth generation Christians. The period immediately following the Civil War was a time of increasing affluence that was accompanied by a growing discontent with the simplicity in worship and organization that characterized earlier known disciples. An increasing emphasis on entertainment-oriented worship brought the organ into worship services, while a fixation on the social gospel eventually sucked the spiritual life out of the Disciples of Christ denomination. Can disciples learn from history and see the similarly harmful long-term effects that will accompany similar trends among prosperous third and fourth generation Christians today?

* The pervasiveness of denominational concepts – Though early evangelists in the Stone-Campbell Movement emphasized simply being disciples without sectarian ties, many eventually became fixated on the movement itself, trying to bring accolades to it with projects such as the "American Christian Missionary Society."

Though men like David Lipscomb and especially F.D. Srygley tried to reinforce the concept of God’s church as simply being saved individuals, the sectarian concept of the church eventually prevailed again in hearts of many with the rise of the denominational machinery of institutionalism in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

Modern works such as The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement use the term "churches of Christ" so much in a sectarian way, that it is obvious that many who claim to have been influenced by the Restoration Movement have long ago lost hope that it is possible to be just a Christian. Even among those who are more conservative, the denominational concept of the church of the Lord sometimes rears its ugly head and thus we see "Church of Christers" fiercely devoted to a network of congregations and its traditions more than to a Savior, Jesus Christ.

Even a superficial reading of Restoration History reveals that to truly be a non-denominational follower of Christ requires constant vigilance and readjustment in the face of sectarian concepts that have historically been so relentless.

* Grace and convictions are compatible! – Liberals seem to think that if grace is to be emphasized, convictions must go, while reactionaries emphasize the opposite. However, Restoration History provides examples of godly people who emphasized both, insisting on seeking scriptural authority while asking for God’s mercy for those with different points of view and different levels of growth.

* Effective and non-effective ways of dealing with challenges – When reading Restoration History we laugh at the titles of old magazines like The Heretic Detector and groan when reading the nasty name calling of tough old editors like Austin McGary who eventually apologized for his treatment of David Lipscomb. The firm yet gentlemanly approach of men like Lipscomb was more effective in dealing with spiritual challenges than the strident shrillness of others.

* Otherworldliness versus entanglement in politics and this-worldly concerns. The trust in God’s kingdom as being the only hope for a dying world was characteristic of men such as Barton Stone and David Lipscomb. However, the World Wars seemed to diminish the influence of such otherworldly thinking even as there was a growing fascination with nationalism and politics. Reading about this change is as fascinating as it is enlightening.

* The danger of overreaction to issues that don’t reflect fundamental misconceptions. There have been hundreds of issues that seemed of grave importance to known Christians in the past few hundred years and yet we now realize now that many weren’t so critical because they didn’t necessarily reflect a rebellious attitude towards God and his word. Certainly some issues that seem of such great importance to us today will eventually be seen in that same light.

Conclusion

George Santayana’s quotation, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it," has been quoted so much that it has almost become a cliché. And yet it is so true! In spite of some misconceptions that have come from it, a study of the history of those who have shared our longing to be simple followers of Jesus Christ without sectarian ties can be enlightening and help us avoid their failures!
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					Return to articles Return to home page In Defense of Studying "Restoration History" I love to read stories about those who have sought to restore simple New Testament principles among communities of God’s people in past centuries, or what is sometimes called "Restoration History." However, when I mention that fact, especially to younger Christians, I often see grimaces at worst or a lack of enthusiasm at best. I think I know why! Problems * Equating God’s church with the Restoration Movement – Too many have considered the study of the "Restoration History" to be the equivalent of the study of the Lord’s church. Some go so far as to imply that Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell restored Christ’s church as if mere men had the power to do such. However, God’s church is not composed of those who are a part of an historical movement but rather of all who will receive his mercy, and only he knows who that is! He is the only one who extends His mercy and therefore establishes or "restores" his church. The Restoration Movement doesn’t represent God’s church, but rather some individuals who were striving to be a part of it. * Sectarian precedents – As an outgrowth of the above misconception, some quote influential men in the Stone-Campbell movement almost as if their opinions were equal to the scriptures. Thus occasionally you will still hear arguments about Foy Wallace’s stance on institutionalism or Campbell’s perspective on baptism as if their positions were of vital importance in determining how to serve God. The truth is that the positions of those men and others weren’t always consistent and don’t matter as far as determining God’s will. * Sectarian identification – If it is dangerous to add adjectives to the word Christian, i.e. "Baptist Christian," "Methodist Christian" or "Catholic Christian," it is also dangerous to identify oneself as a "Stone-Campbell Christian." While it would have been naïve for the Corinthians to deny the influence of Paul and Apollos, they were not to identify themselves with those men but only with Christ. It is also naïve for most of the readers of this magazine to disavow the influence of people like David Lipscomb and Alexander Campbell in our lives, but it is even worse to spiritually identify with them. However… Though abuses have accompanied the study of Restoration History, God has constantly used history to teach his people how to appreciate His work and avoid the pitfalls of their ancestors. * Historical Songs – The songs of prophetesses like Miriam (Ex. 15) and Deborah (Judges 5) were obviously designed to imprint a memory of Jehovah’s blessings on future generations. They needed to know God’s working in their history! * Memorials – A number of passages (Gen. 26:25; 28:10; 26:25; Ex. 12:14; 17:15; Joshua 4:8) tell of altars of memorial stones. Their purpose is detailed in Joshua 4:6,7. …When your children ask later, saying, "What do these stones mean to you?" then you shall say to them, "Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off " So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever. God thought it important for the children of Israel to know history! * Psalms – Several Psalms, especially 78, 105 and 114, refer to the history of Israel to warn and exhort God’s people. * Sermons – Sermons to Jews in Acts 2, 3, 7, 13 are chock full of historical references with the primary message being, "Don’t be like your fathers who rejected those who God sent to help them!" * References to ancestors – I found over a hundred references in the KJV Bible for the computer search of the words "your fathers." God expected his people to learn from the mistakes of those who went before them! If historical lessons were so useful to God’s people in the Old and New Testaments, why do some seem to think that histories of those who were striving to return to the old paths in the past few hundred years are of little or no value? What can we learn? My list is certainly incomplete but here are some useful lessons I have learned by reading histories of the Stone-Campbell Movement. * The long-term results of affluence mixed with dissatisfaction with Christ’s simplicity –Twenty-first century congregations are not the first ones to deal with prosperous and restless second, third and fourth generation Christians. The period immediately following the Civil War was a time of increasing affluence that was accompanied by a growing discontent with the simplicity in worship and organization that characterized earlier known disciples. An increasing emphasis on entertainment-oriented worship brought the organ into worship services, while a fixation on the social gospel eventually sucked the spiritual life out of the Disciples of Christ denomination. Can disciples learn from history and see the similarly harmful long-term effects that will accompany similar trends among prosperous third and fourth generation Christians today? * The pervasiveness of denominational concepts – Though early evangelists in the Stone-Campbell Movement emphasized simply being disciples without sectarian ties, many eventually became fixated on the movement itself, trying to bring accolades to it with projects such as the "American Christian Missionary Society." Though men like David Lipscomb and especially F.D. Srygley tried to reinforce the concept of God’s church as simply being saved individuals, the sectarian concept of the church eventually prevailed again in hearts of many with the rise of the denominational machinery of institutionalism in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Modern works such as The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement use the term "churches of Christ" so much in a sectarian way, that it is obvious that many who claim to have been influenced by the Restoration Movement have long ago lost hope that it is possible to be just a Christian. Even among those who are more conservative, the denominational concept of the church of the Lord sometimes rears its ugly head and thus we see "Church of Christers" fiercely devoted to a network of congregations and its traditions more than to a Savior, Jesus Christ. Even a superficial reading of Restoration History reveals that to truly be a non-denominational follower of Christ requires constant vigilance and readjustment in the face of sectarian concepts that have historically been so relentless. * Grace and convictions are compatible! – Liberals seem to think that if grace is to be emphasized, convictions must go, while reactionaries emphasize the opposite. However, Restoration History provides examples of godly people who emphasized both, insisting on seeking scriptural authority while asking for God’s mercy for those with different points of view and different levels of growth. * Effective and non-effective ways of dealing with challenges – When reading Restoration History we laugh at the titles of old magazines like The Heretic Detector and groan when reading the nasty name calling of tough old editors like Austin McGary who eventually apologized for his treatment of David Lipscomb. The firm yet gentlemanly approach of men like Lipscomb was more effective in dealing with spiritual challenges than the strident shrillness of others. * Otherworldliness versus entanglement in politics and this-worldly concerns. The trust in God’s kingdom as being the only hope for a dying world was characteristic of men such as Barton Stone and David Lipscomb. However, the World Wars seemed to diminish the influence of such otherworldly thinking even as there was a growing fascination with nationalism and politics. Reading about this change is as fascinating as it is enlightening. * The danger of overreaction to issues that don’t reflect fundamental misconceptions. There have been hundreds of issues that seemed of grave importance to known Christians in the past few hundred years and yet we now realize now that many weren’t so critical because they didn’t necessarily reflect a rebellious attitude towards God and his word. Certainly some issues that seem of such great importance to us today will eventually be seen in that same light. Conclusion George Santayana’s quotation, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it," has been quoted so much that it has almost become a cliché. And yet it is so true! In spite of some misconceptions that have come from it, a study of the history of those who have shared our longing to be simple followers of Jesus Christ without sectarian ties can be enlightening and help us avoid their failures! Return to articles Return to home page