Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
Independent "instrumental" congregations of the Stone-Campbell movement.
- U.S. size
- ≈ 1 million (approx) (Directory of the Ministry estimates (approx, unverified))
- Founded
- Early 1800s
- Church government
- Autonomous congregations
- Ordains women as pastors
- Usually no for elders
- Official site / locator
- www.churchfinder.com
Core beliefs
| Topic | What they teach | Scripture they cite |
|---|---|---|
| Scripture & authority | The Bible alone, with 'no creed but Christ', seeking to restore New Testament Christianity. | 2 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 4:11 |
| Salvation | By grace through faith, expressed in repentance, confession and baptism. | Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Gal 3:27 |
| Baptism | Immersion of believers for the forgiveness of sins. | Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom 6:3-4 |
| Lord's Supper | A memorial observed every Sunday. | Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 11:26 |
| Worship | Simple. The Churches of Christ sing a cappella. | Eph 5:19; Col 3:16 |
| Mary & saints | Mary is honored as a believer. | 1 Tim 2:5 |
| Spiritual gifts | Generally cessationist. | 1 Cor 13:8-10 |
About these numbers: figures are approximate and come from each body's own most recent report or the National Council of Churches' Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. Bodies count members differently (baptized, confirmed, adherents, publishers), and some historically Black denominations have not published new figures in years. See also the Pew Religious Landscape Study and the ARDA. Belief summaries are our own short descriptions. Please read each church's own confession.