Alexander Campbell and the Church of Christ

When someone gets into a discussion about denominations, and they know that the person to which they are talking is a member of the church of Christ, they will make the claim that Alexander Campbell started the church of Christ. Is this accurate?

Churches of Christ are mentioned by name in the scriptures (Romans 16:16). It is appropriately called the “church of Christ” because Christ built it by dying for it. Matthew 16:18 says, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Paul, in Acts20:28, said, “Take heed … to all the flock, … to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

The church of Christ was not established by Alexander Campbell. It was established at Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the death of Christ. In fact, you can read of it in Acts 2:47: “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

Alexander Campbell, in his own publication, The Christian Baptist, goes to great length to show that there were churches of Christ in the United States and Europe before he ever came to this country. In some cases, they were meeting while he was a young man in his teens! How could he have started the church of Christ? It was in existence before he started preaching! Be honest with the facts.

Kyle Campbell

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