Adrian Christian Church is associated with Independent Christian Churches. Our roots can be traced to the Stone/Campbell Restoration Movement. Early in the nineteenth century, there was unrest among the churches in America. Many people, from all denominations, believed that the followers of Christ should lay aside the traditions of men and return to the church of the New Testament.
Walter Scott, James O'Kelly, Barton W. Stone, Thomas Campbell, and Alexander Campbell were among the brave pioneers of the frontier who proclaimed, "Discard all denominational names, creeds, and the divided spirit." These men appealed to all believers to be "Christians and Christians only." Their purpose was not to start another denomination, but to call the people back to the church of the New Testament. They desired to restore the unity and simplicity of the early church as it was -before the traditions of men changed it. Their goal was to be the church as it is described in the New Testament.
That is our goal today. Our plea is a plea for the restoration of the church described in the New Testament - in our name, organization, worship, doctrine, spirit, and practice. Adrian Christian Church is just one of over 6,000 congregations across the United States and we join with over 1.5 million members world-wide.
Since the start of this movement of God, there have been many defining catchphrases used to summarize what we believe. Here are a just a few:
- "We do not claim to be the only Christians, but to be Christians only."
- "Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent."
- "We call Bible things by Bible names."
- "No book but the Bible. No creed but the cross."
- "In matters of faith, unity. In matters of opinion, liberty. In all things, love!"
Walter Scott, James O'Kelly, Barton W. Stone, Thomas Campbell, and Alexander Campbell were among the brave pioneers of the frontier who proclaimed, "Discard all denominational names, creeds, and the divided spirit." These men appealed to all believers to be "Christians and Christians only." Their purpose was not to start another denomination, but to call the people back to the church of the New Testament. They desired to restore the unity and simplicity of the early church as it was -before the traditions of men changed it. Their goal was to be the church as it is described in the New Testament.
That is our goal today. Our plea is a plea for the restoration of the church described in the New Testament - in our name, organization, worship, doctrine, spirit, and practice. Adrian Christian Church is just one of over 6,000 congregations across the United States and we join with over 1.5 million members world-wide.
Since the start of this movement of God, there have been many defining catchphrases used to summarize what we believe. Here are a just a few:
- "We do not claim to be the only Christians, but to be Christians only."
- "Where the Bible speaks, we speak. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent."
- "We call Bible things by Bible names."
- "No book but the Bible. No creed but the cross."
- "In matters of faith, unity. In matters of opinion, liberty. In all things, love!"