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WHO WE ARE
In the congregation at Northport, as Christians, we seek to be pleasing to God in every aspect of our lives. We do not follow any manmade creeds for our religious practices. We take the Bible as our only guide and lean on it for answers to the questions of life. We strive to follow the teaching of Christ given to us in the New Testament.
Please come join us for Bible study and worship services. Feel free to ask questions about what you see and hear. We will be more than happy to sit down with you and investigate what God has to say through His Word about the answers to our questions.
If you'd like a free Bible correspondence course please click here.
A Brief Story of churches of Christ
Seeking to understand the philosophy and approach to Bible study.
The passage below expresses the concept of returning to the Word after
straying away from God’s commands. It may seem hard to believe but
Israel had totally lost all copies of scripture, then discovered a
scroll of God’s law while remodeling the temple. Verses have been
emphasized to enhance your reading.
2 Kings 22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he
reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.... Hilkiah the high priest said
to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the
temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it... 10 Then
Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given
me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 11
When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.
12 He gave these orders to... 13 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and
for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that
has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because
our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted
in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."....14
prophetess Huldah said 18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to
inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says
concerning the words you heard: 19 Because your heart was responsive and
you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken
against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and
laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I
have heard you, declares the LORD. 20 Therefore I will gather you to
your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see
all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.'" So they took her
answer back to the king.(NIV)
This passage portrays our attitude of going "back to the Bible" to be
right with God.
Today the Bible has not been lost in the walls of the Temple, but its
teachings have been hidden by centuries of tradition. The New Testament
records the apostle Paul warning there would be a "falling away" (KJV) 2
Thessalonians 2:3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day
will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is
revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (NIV)
Falling away can and does still happen today. My serving Jesus is a case
of continuous personal course correction. Daily I must draw myself back
on course with the Lord and insure that I continue to walk in the light
of His will.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies
us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves
and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
Throughout the history of the church there have been occasions of those
who felt the church had drifted away from the complete teaching of the
New Testament. This would include, the Waldenses in the south of France
during the 12th century, Peter Waldo or Valdes was a wealthy merchant,
converted in about 1175. He gave away his wealth, had translations made
into the common language of the people and a movement began when others
followed his back to the Bible concepts. Their message was condemned in
1181 A.D. and adherents were excommunicated in 1184. William of Ockham
clashed with the church powers in 1324. John Wyclif in England (1329-84)
translated scripture into the common language and resisted doctrines not
in agreement with scripture.
Other well known names who have sought corrections to commonly taught
doctrines would be John of Weses (c1400-81), Wessel Gansfort (1419-89),
Desiderius Erasmus (1467-1536), William Tyndale (c1494-1536) 90% of his
English translation of the Bible was passed to the Kings James Version
in 1611, Martin Luther (1483-1543), Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531).
The period known as the Reformation Movement is marked as beginning in
1517 with Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the front door of the
church building where he served as priest. As other religious leaders
began to seek correction for religious errors, the term Protestant was
given to those who "protested" against the Roman religion dominating
Europe. Throughout the next centuries, there were religious spokesmen
who sought to make corrections to doctrines not in agreement with
scripture.
During a period sometimes called the Awakening, there were several
preachers who began to think in terms of RESTORATION rather than
REFORMATION. The idea being, it is better to lay aside the layers of
tradition that have grown through the centuries and go back to the New
Testament for all religious doctrine. One of these men was James O’Kelly,
(c1735-1826) Methodist in North Carolina and Virginia. There was a pair
of men in Vermont and New Hampshire, Elias Smith (1769-1846) and Abner
Jones (1772-1841) Baptist. A father-son pair was Thomas Campbell
(1763-1854) and Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) Presbyterian in Virginia
and Pennsylvania. Barton Warren Stone (1772-1844) preached in Virginia
and North Carolina.
When these men began to study the Bible without adding tradition and
doctrines of men, they quit doctrines not in agreement with the teaching
of scripture. What made these men alike was they followed and taught the
same idea of "back to the Bible," and let us be "just Christians and
Christians only." Developing different slogans, each had the idea of
uniting all Christians by leaving behind the trappings of traditions and
doctrines of men to unite on the teaching of the New Testament. O’Kelly
saw that Wesley’s organization did not agree with the New Testament
church organization. Campbell chafed at not being able to serve
communion to others, even other Presbyterians.
This was during the early Frontier Days of America. Transportation and
communication were slow. But eventually listeners from each preacher
began to move around and tell these men with visions of unity - "you
preach like..."
As time went by these different groups melded into a loose fellowship,
without hierarchy. Each congregation is autonomous (self-ruled), each
congregation seeks out those leaders qualified to serve the church as
elders, deacons and evangelists.
No person or congregation claims to be perfect as Christian or as
church. We still struggle with the problems of humanity. What we have in
common is the desire to be saved and to serve our Lord Jesus Christ in
the way he first intended. The way taught in the New Testament. We wish
to be free from the traditions and doctrines of men. We have no creed or
official book of doctrine other than the New Testament, and Jesus Christ
is the only head recognized or obeyed. The New Testament is accepted as
the only authority because as Jude 3 states it was once for all
entrusted to the saints.
There is a great desire to be like the church you read about in the New
Covenant of Christ. You may sometimes hear the phrases: "Apostolic
church" or "New Testament church." While there is no name given in the
New Testament as the official name, it is common for congregations to
use church of Christ from the Apostle Paul’s statement in Romans 16:16
churches of Christ salute you.
You may find some things that seem strange to you on first impression.
The Lord’s Supper is eaten every first day of the week. (Acts 20:7).
There is no priestly function (1 Peter 2:5, 9), neither are participants
screened (1 Corinthians 11:28). The communion is distributed among those
assembled, with each person serving himself and making the determination
to partake or not to partake. The service is usually brief with joy and
seriousness, we are remembering our Lord’s death, resurrection and
coming return (Luke 22:19; I Corinthians 11:26).
The unity movement continues to find individuals who are seeking to
return to the simple truth of the New Testament. There is large
agreement with our religious neighbors about Bible doctrine, but there
are important differences. Our wish is not to judge anyone but to teach
only what is found in scripture.
Jesus compared his Word to seed (Matthew chapter 14) that is planted in
the hearts of mankind. Seed will reproduce itself each time, it does not
add traditions, it does not become "hybrid" unless man interferes is
some way.
We seek to be neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jew. Our desire is to be
simply Christian, by taking our stand on Jesus Christ and his New
Testament. Will you join us as we seek to be Christians and Christians
Only?
Charles M Clodfelter
