United Church of Christ Is Not The Church of Christ

By Tyler Young

n Associated Press article was published on July 4 in the Hattiesburg American about a resolution of the United Church of Christ to extend their longstanding tradition of support for homosexuals to include bisexual and transgender persons. The text of the article specifically mentioned the United Church of Christ, but the prominent headline simply said, “Church of Christ passes same-sex marriage resolution.” This misleading headline has generated considerable and unfortunate confusion over the identify and beliefs of the church of Christ. Let it be understood by all that the churches of Christ—including the Kensington Woods Church of Christ—have no connection of any kind whatsoever with the group known as the United Church of Christ.

The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a Protestant denomination formed in 1957 as a result of a merger of several different denominational traditions. The UCC claims to believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ and the authority of his teaching, yet they reject the teaching of Christ and grossly pervert the Bible to justify their numerous beliefs and practices which are unquestionably contradictory to the will of God as revealed in his word. For example, the UCC accepts homosexual behavior and supports same-gender “marriage;” UCC representatives recently voted against defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Yet Jesus Christ affirmed marriage to be exactly what God created it to be: the joining of a man and woman as husband and wife (Mat. 19:1-9). And scripture repeatedly and unequivocally condemns homosexual behavior as unlawful. The New Testament of Christ declares homosexuality to be “vile,” “against nature,” and “shameful” conduct which brings the wrath of God (Rom. 1:26-27). While the UCC says God accepts and approves of homosexuality, God’s word says, “The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators...nor homosexuals...will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Equally egregious is the UCC’s affirmation that a woman may choose to abort her unborn child (see http://www.ucc.org/justice/choice/). The Bible affirms that God forms life in the womb, that a pregnant woman is carrying a living human being, and that therefore abortion is the brutal, painful murder of a precious, vulnerable, innocent human being (Psa. 139:13f; Luke 1:41). God hates “hands that shed innocent blood” (Prov. 6:16f). That a group professing to belong to Christ would support moral perversion, subvert God’s will for marriage, and approve of the slaughter of unborn children is more than unfortunate—it is disgraceful and abominable.

The UCC should not be confused with the church of Christ we read about in the New Testament, which Jesus established and purchased with his blood, and over which he reigns as head (Mat. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22f). The true church of Christ is not a denomination, nor is it composed of denominations. It did not begin in 1957, but in the first century, on the day of Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2). The New Testament church is composed of those who believe in Christ, repent of sin, are baptized (immersed in water) for the remission of sins and continue in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:36-38, 42).

Unlike the UCC and other denominations, the true “churches of Christ,” as they are referred to in Romans 16:16, have no synods, church councils or man-made creeds to guide them; they recognize the Bible as the only and all-sufficient, authoritative rule of faith and practice (2 Tim. 3:16-17). That is why we in the churches of Christ do not have councils to set church policy or vote on what we should adopt as the tenets of our faith. That is why we do not endorse homosexuality. God loves all, and Jesus invites all to come to him—including homosexuals—but he calls upon us to repent of our sins or perish (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38). We should have compassion on those struggling with the burden of sin and guilt, but if we would be true to Jesus Christ as his church, then we cannot approve of what our Lord condemns.

We in the churches of Christ plead with all men to reject denominationalism and all that is contrary to the word of God, to go back to the Bible alone as our authoritative guide, to be Christians only—not members of any man-made church, but of the church of Christ which we read about in the New Testament (1 Cor. 1:10-13; Eph. 4:4-6). If you have any questions, please let us know. We would love to study God’s word with you. We kindly urge you to investigate us in light of the teaching of the Bible and join with us in being simply Christians, members of Christ’s church.