Category Archives: The Future of the Churches of Christ

The Progressive Churches of Christ: A Little Hauerwas, Part 2

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Jay F Guin

Let’s consider Hauerwas’s understanding of the gospel — That through Jesus Christ, very God and very man, we Gentiles have been made part of the promise to Israel that we will be witnesses to God’s good care of God’s creation … Continue reading →

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The Progressive Churches of Christ: A Little Hauerwas, Part 1

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Jay F Guin

For those paying very close attention, I’ve been following the neo-Anabaptist playbook in suggesting the importance of the sacraments and community within the local congregation. Likely the outstanding spokesman for this point of view is Stanley Hauerwas, who has an … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Progressive Churches of Christ — Is There a Third Way?

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Jay F Guin

A friend of mine from high school popped up here at One In Jesus the other day asking what this “progressive Church of Christ” thing might be. He’s from another Christian tribe. And it’s kinda hard to explain. I jotted … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Churches of Christ: Ancient-Future Assembly, Part 5

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Jay F Guin

God is a creative being. Indeed, he first introduces himself to readers of the Bible as the Creator. One of God’s redemptive purposes is to restore mankind to the image of God — a creative image. And yet the modern church … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Churches of Christ: Ancient-Future Assembly, Part 4

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Jay F Guin

I need to, at last, turn to Robert E. Webber’s Ancient-Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God’s Narrative, in which he proposes a fresh direction for the Christian assembly. He writes (p. 40), Worship–daily, weekly, yearly–is rooted in the gospel. And when worship … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Churches of Christ: Ancient-Future Assembly, Part 3

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Story What is the message that the assembly should communicate to the members and to visitors? There are, of course, countless good things that one might teach, but what is the over-arching goal? Sometimes we approach the assembly microscopically, that … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Churches of Christ: Ancient-Future Assembly, Part 2

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Encouragement Continuing in the instruction of the author of the Hebrews, we read — (Heb 10:24-25 ESV)  24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,  25 not neglecting to meet together, as … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Churches of Christ: Ancient-Future Assembly, Part 1

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Jay F Guin

We’ve been so caught up in the worship wars over style that we’ve nearly forgotten that worship should be built on a theology of the assembly. And one of the colossal errors that many churches make is to overlook what … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Churches of Christ: On Congregational Autonomy, Part 2

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Jay F Guin

As Americans, the idea of valuing accountability and submission is entirely foreign. We are strong believers in self-determination, independence, and freedom — defining “freedom” as freedom from anyone else’s control. But this is not the New Testament concept of freedom. … Continue reading →

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The Future of the Churches of Christ: On Congregational Autonomy, Part 1

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Historically, the Churches of Christ have confused autonomy with isolation. Indeed, the thought of a congregation being accountable to another congregation in any meaningful sense is considered heresy. And I must say, I find little appeal in the Methodist model, … Continue reading →

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