What is the church of Christ?

       Quite simply the church of Christ are Christians striving to follow God's will in worship, in teaching, and in daily life. We have no creed book, no doctrines (other than the bible), and no earthly headquarters. Our congregations are autonomous, meaning they are self-governed by their own elders. We believe that Christ is the head of the church and that we are the body of Christ (Eph 1:22-23). We also believe that we must follow what God says to do in order to become Christians and live a Christian life (John 12:48, II John 9). Our plea is to strive to do our best to please God by obeying what the bible says.

What Should You Expect When You Visit Our Church?

      You will first notice our friendly people eager to say "hello" to you and to get to know you better. They warmly welcome you to the service and will introduce you to others. You will meet people who care about one another and care about you. As the worship begins you will notice that we have a simple service where all who are present participate. The singing is enthusiastic, contagious and heartwarming. The Lord's Supper is served each week in an orderly and reverent manner. Prayers are humble and earnest. The minister's sermon is a clear message from the word of God. You will see that our members open their Bibles and follow along. When the worship is over you can rest assured that the people here will invite you to return for another visit. Hopefully, you will leave this place with a better understanding and a deeper appreciation for Christ and His church, wanting to return to the Mountain View church of Christ for another opportunity to learn more about the simple Christianity revealed in the New Testament and to associate with this group of people who show so much love for God and for one another.

You will not be embarrassed

When you visit us, you will be our respected guest.  No one will knowingly embarrass you in any way.  At the close of the sermon, those who wish to become Christians are invited to accept the gospel and yield to its call with deep spiritual conviction (Acts 2:37,38).  However, no one is singled out for public attention, and no one will go about in the audience urging people to go forward.
 

The Singing In Our Worship

      You will immediately notice that we sing without the use of any musical instruments. "A Capella" singing, with our voices raised in harmony to God, is the only music used in our worship. In Ephesians 5:19, Christians were exhorted to "speak to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord." The heart is the only instrument mentioned here. There is no biblical authorization for the use of musical instruments in worship. Early Christians were so strong in their opposition to the use of instruments in worship that no instruments appeared in worship until the sixth century A.D. There was no general practice of instrumental music in Christianity until after the eighth century. Singing as a part of worship at the Mountain View church of Christ has a two-fold purpose: we know that it is pleasing and acceptable to God and we know that it edifies and builds us up as we teach others through our songs of praise unto God. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16). We feel that the best way to please God is to worship him as he instructed in the New Testament. It's not our right to tell God how he should be worshiped.

Prayer

What is "prayer"? There are several aspects of prayer. Prayer is communion with God. It is a response of man for what God has done for us. Prayer may be an earnest request for something. It may be an utterance of praise or thanksgiving. We Christians who meet at the Mountain View church of Christ strive to pray in a humble and faithful manner, believing that God hears and answers our prayers (Jas. 5:16). We know that the Lord will continue to hear us and bless us as long as we continue to follow His ways.  

The Lord's Supper

Jesus Himself on the night of His betrayal inaugurated this memorial supper (Matthew 26:26-28). Christians observe the Lord's Supper in memory of His death (I Corinthians (11:24-25). The emblems -- unleavened bread and fruit of the vine symbolize the body and blood of Jesus (I Corinthians 10:16). Churches of Christ observe the Lord's Supper on each first day of the week. We do this in order to follow the teaching of the New Testament and the practice of the first century church. In Acts 20:7 we read that "upon the first day of the week the disciples came together to break bread."

Teaching God's Word

 The Mountain View church of Christ emphasizes the importance of a working knowledge of the Bible for all. The Bible teachers at Mountain View strive for excellence in their classes. They study God's word and prepare their lessons well to bring the message of New Testament Christianity to their students. We often engage in lively discussions as teachers guide their students to a better understanding of biblical teaching and of the application of these principles in our everyday lives. Once we do finish our building and have the extra rooms we will then begin having classes for the children during Sunday school. Why not join us as we strive to learn more about God's word and His will for us?

The church of Christ is not a denomination. We are not Catholic, Protestant or Jewish. We are simply Christians. We are members of the church you read about in the New Testament, established in the first century. The term "church of Christ" is not a denominational designation, but rather it serves as a descriptive term indicating that the church belongs to Christ and we are His followers. It is our conviction that only Christ has the authority to say what the church is and what we should teach (Matthew 28:18). Since only the New Testament sets forth Christ's teachings, it alone must serve as the basis for all religious practice and teaching. In the first chapter of I Corinthians the apostle Paul begged those who were divided to unite in Christ. We believe that religious unity can be achieved and that the only way to achieve this unity is for all to return to the Bible. We believe that to subscribe to any creed or doctrine other than the New Testament, to refuse to obey the instruction and principles of the New Testament, or to follow any practice not supported by the teachings found in the New Testament is to add or to take away from the teachings of God. Any additions or deletions are condemned in the Bible (Galatians 1:6-9 and Revelation 22:18-19). We simply strive to do Bible things in Bible ways and to call Bible things by Bible names: nothing more or nothing less.