Christian Congregation (Restoration Movement)

The Christian Congregation
Classification Protestant
Theology Universalist
Governance Congregationalist
Founder Barton Warren Stone, John Chapman, John L. Puckett, Isaac V. Smith
Origin 1798
Ohio River Valley
Congregations 1,496
Members 122,181
Official website http://www.netministries.org/see/churches.exe/ch10619

The Christian Congregation is an evangelical non-denominational and non-creedal church that began as an informal evangelistic organization along the Ohio River Valley in 1798. The early leaders of the movement were John L. Puckett, Isaac Smith, and John Chapman who were connected to Barton Warren Stone and the Restoration Movement. While never intending to formally establish a church, the Christian Congregation nevertheless established its first formally organized congregation when former members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Kokomo, Indiana, desiring to unite with the movement on a non-creedal and non-denominational basis, incorporated The Christian Congregation in the State of Indiana in 1887.

Remaining faithful to the Restoration Movement’s non-creedal position, The Christian Congregation adopted John 13:34-25, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another,” as a philosophical and theological statement giving testimony that the church is founded not upon doctrinal agreement, creeds, church claims, names, or rites, but solely upon the individual’s relationship with Jesus Christ. The basis of this Christian fellowship is love toward one another. The theological persuasion of the church is Universalist. Ethically activated, this philosophy has led to a central emphasis upon respect for all life. The Christian Congregation is opposed to abortion, capital punishment, and war. The church is governed by a General Superintendent and a Board of Trustees.

Relationships between the governing body and the congregations are purely advisory. Congregations are mostly located in Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, and Texas. Ministers and laity may also refer to themselves as Disciples of Christ reflecting roots in the Restoration Movement. For many years the church was headquartered in La Follette, Tennessee with The Rev. Dr. Ora Wilbert Eads serving as General Superintendent. Dr. Eads assumed the role after the death of the former General Superintendent O. V. Read in 1961 until his own death in 2008. Due to the loose structure of the church, formal organization temporarily ceased to exist and attempts are currently being made to restructure the church under the leadership of Wayne Eads. The current website is temporary until restructure.

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