What Is a Restoration Church?

One other thing about me. I have attended Church of Christ congregations all my life. I have a very rich Church of Christ heritage. My kinfolks helped to establish what is now the West College and 3rd congregation here in Lockney. I have been, all my life, until January 2007, been hung up in the legalism of the church. You've heard the comments, "we're the only one's going to heaven" and the jokes:
Jesus walking a new comer through Heaven, down the hall. He walks by a room and they are singing and dancing and just having fun. The newcomer asks, "who's that in there?" and Jesus says, "that's the Methodist". On down the hall a little farther they walk by another room, same thing, singing dancing, folks having fun. The new comer again asks Jesus "who's that?" and Jesus replies, "that's the Baptist". On down the hall a little farther to the last room. It was dead silent in there. People on their hands and knees praying. The new comer asks again "who's in there?" and Jesus replies "that's the Church of Christ bunch. They think they're the only one's here".

First off, I know first hand that Jesus hates division! Matthew 12:25 "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand." So if that's true, How come, in Lockney, Texas, do we have 2 churches here. A town of less than 2000 in population and 2 churches of Christ. I have heard my grandad for years bash the Main Street congregation here (which by the way, is where I worship today! LOL!) for having sunday school and a kitchen! Under the same roof! Now the West College bunch has a kitchen, and I can remember all the controversy it caused in the mid 60's when they built the existing building. So they built it under a different roof. How's that for legalism? Are we worshipping a building? OR are we worshipping God. I hear the present day legalist claim that our Sunday morning classes are a "called meeting of worship, by the Elders of the congregation". Where does that come from? Oh, and women teach Sunday school. OK! I"M GUILTY! I"M A MAN! I HAVE NEVER TAUGHT ONE DAY OF SUNDAY SCHOOL! NEVER FELT THE NEED! I WAS TOO LAZY!!!!! Is she getting up and addressing the congregation during worship? NO! LOL! And what are the ladies trying to teach? Little kids to love Jesus. Because there are a large number of us, not only in the church, but in the world too, that has not taken even one evening a month to teach our own flesh and blood children about Jesus Christ. Most of what I have been taught was the rules and regs of the church. Not anything to do with Christ, his blood, or the fact that the Tomb is still empty!

OK! Sorry, got off on a tangent there. I listen to about 6 or 7 different brothers on my ipod that preach the Gospel. Jay Don Poindexter, my preacher and dear friend here in Lockney. John W. Smith Broken Bow, Ok, Paul Shero of San Angelo, Trey Morgan Childress, Texas, Gary Smith of the Fifth Ward Church of Christ - Houston, Bill Watkins, Dan Rouse, Richard Rogers (He's with Jesus now, but you can still get his recording at Sunset), i could go on. I have a series of lessons from John W. Smith http://www.johnwsmith.com/ on "What is a Restoration Church?". I highly recommend everyone getting a set of these from John and listening to them at least 8-10 times. I get something else out of them every time I listen to them. In one of his lessons in this series, John talks about "Our Worship". How we need to "investigate and understand" what the Gospel message is! We can't just keep explaining the worship thing away by saying, "they do it to attract people". If that's so, what are we doing as a church to attract those people? John gives 4 reasons why we don't. Now if your a legalist in the church, you better sit down cause this is going to sting a bit! It did me!

1. Cop out! We as a church lack motivation for getting out of our comfort zone. I can remember my granddad completely losing it one time for a kid that got up and starting leading a song during the passing of the contribution plate!!!! Think about that.

2. We could do A LOT MORE that would attract more people to the Gospel and still be within the parameters of scripture. The first one that comes to my mind is to "love the unlovable"!

3. We have got to start "believing" that the Gospel has not lost it's power.

4. Preaching, teaching and believing what the Gospel says is true. It is! The Gospel is good news!!!!!! Tell somebody about it.

Denomination has done more to "please the customer" than what the church has. We have a "love it or leave" mentality. And that's just plain ole wrong!

Thanks for reading this!

Preston