Why I am STILL a Restorationist

Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell & Barton W. Stone

Every believer struggles in some ways with their unique heritage in the faith. I grew up in a church with roots in the American Restoration Movement (sometimes called the Stone-Campbell Movement after a few of the early leaders of the movement). This movement of churches began as a call for unity based on the Bible alone for the global advancement of the gospel. Beginning in the early 1800s, the movement sought to be "Christians Only," with "No Creed but Christ," and "No book but the Bible." The Restoration Movement continues to this day in three main branches: The Disciples of Christ (Christian Church), The Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, and the Acapella Churches of Christ.

As the movement grew, many leaders and churches focused more on a 'restoration' of primitive forms and structure for the church than on a 'restoration' of the unity of the church. In a sense, the movement got off-course, and the result was more division, and less unity. This misdirection developed largely within the Acapella Churches of Christ where numerous in-group divisions occured during the 20th Century.

I grew up and began my ministry in a small group that had splintered off the acapella branch of the Restoration Movement. In my experience, the focus on primitive forms and structures resulted in a strange patchwork of "proof-texts" from the New Testament and a lot of unhealthy religion (i.e., legalism, sectarianism, spiritual abuse, etc.). Outside of my splinter-group within the noninstrumental movement, some positive signs have emerged. Many acapella churches have maintained thier tradition of worship without instruments, but only as a tradition and not as a cause for division with churches that use instruments. Some acapella churches have added instrumental services. Others have torn down the wall of division over instrumental music for good. Again, it seems that unity is coming into focus. But, sadly, this was not the case for the churches I had been serving.

So, recently, I made a change. I began serving a church affiliated with the Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. In making this move, I realized that many of my ties to the acapella churches of Christ would be severed. It was a difficult decision, and one that took many years and much prayer to make. But, ultimately, it was a matter of personal integrity. Did I really believe in the unity of the church, based on the Bible for the global advancement of the gospel? As Thomas Campbell penned the words in his Declaration and Address:

"The church upon earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally
one."

This is what Jesus prayed for.

"My prayer is not for them (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who
will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world
may believe that you have sent me." (John 17:20-21).

Yes! I still believe in these principles. Sure, I've set aside the legalistic way of reading the Bible that focused on "forms and structures" and "proof-texts." I cannot believe in those things anymore. But, I still believe in the wonderful principles that shaped the Restoration Movement at its inception: UNITY, based on the Bible, for the global advancement of the Gospel.