Church of Christ

The photo above is of the Church of Christ, whose members were mostly "cataracts in Cadillacs" awaiting death in the Sunshine State, that disfellowshipped me at age 17, two months after I'd already left and joined an even more conservative Church of Christ. Seems I had been asking too many questions, questions such as why when claiming to "speak where the Bible speaks, remain silent where the Bible is silent" we had a whole system of professional paid clergy which is no where mentioned in the Bible. For more see

This church chose to try to sweep the problem under the rug ("Kill the messenger") rather than deal with the message. But the joke is on them now: I copied and pasted the following:

into the Google search engine on Sept. 9, 2004, and this here web site you're reading right now is #1 at the top of all the responses listed, even way in front of their OWN web site!!! Ha ha ha ha ha. Not so easy to hide your problems any more, is it South Trial???

In my never ending quest to find a Church of Christ, Non Instrumental minister who is brave enough to defend their nonsense in a public debate, I've been emailing the following challenge to a whole bunch of Churches of Christ within a few hundred miles of where I live}

What I've found is, more than half of the congregations on the web don't have email links. That's a funny thing to be lacking IF they are all concerned about "reaching the world for Christ", but par for the course with modern cults. The Jehovah Witnesses don't want to be contacted either. It's ok for them to bother you with their opinions, but they don't care one whit about hearing yours. Why should they? They think they already know it all, and they don't want to be embarrassed by being shown they don't, so they hide. But what else should we expect from groups that teach the nonsense they do? Hell, I'd be hiding too!!!

Here are some other web pages that list Churches of Christ- let any reader feel free to email these churches and ask why they are all so scared to have their minister in a public debate with me, Mark Smith}

Alhambra: Church of Christ      AlhambraCC@aol.com
Anaheim: Canyon Church of Christ preacherdan@aol.com
Anaheim: Central Church of Christ (Ball Rd) (no email link)
Anaheim: Church of Christ, Orange Ave. kmharper@earthlink.net
Anaheim: State College Church of Christ (no email link)
Anaheim: The Church of Christ at Anaheim              info@anaheimcoc.org
Anaheim: West Anaheim Church of Christ      jjxb@wachurchofchrist.com
Bellflower: Church of Christ (no email link)
Buena Park Church of Christ (no email link)
Burbank Church of Christ (no email link)
Brea: Church of Christ       preachwalker@juno.com
Carlsbad: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Carson: Church of Christ (no email link)
Chino: Church of Christ (no email link)
Chowchilla: Church of Christ (no email link)
Colton: Church of Christ (no email link)
Corona: Church of Christ secwind@pacbell.net
Costa Mesa: Church of Christ      (no email link)
Covina: Ellen Ave. Church of Christ (no email link)
Covina: Arrow Hwy. Church of Christ (no email link)
Covina: Briarpath Ave. Church of Christ (no email link)
Crenshaw: Church of Christ      info@crenshawchurchofchrist.org
Cypress: Walker St. Church of Christ (no email link)
Downey: Imperial Hwy. Church of Christ (no email link)
Downey: North Downey Church of Christ secwind@pacbell.net
Escondido: North County Church of Christ     northcounty1@hotmail.com
Escondido: Church of Christ    dquixote@pacbell.net
Fallbrook: Main St. Church of Christ       (no email link)
Garden Grove: Fairview Street Church of Christ      mike@followthebible.com
Garden Grove: Nelson St. Church of Christ      (no email link)
Garden Grove: Newland St. Church of Christ   newland4@juno.com
Gardena: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Glendale: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Hawthorne: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Hemet: Central Church of Christ     (no email link)
Hemet: Acacia Church of Christ   tigir_98@yahoo.com
Hermosa Beach: Church of Christ     (no email link)
Hesperia: Church of Christ (no email link)
Hollywood: Church of Christ     thehouseofgod2003@yahoo.com
Huntington Beach: Church of Christ     (broken email link)
Huntington Park: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Indio: Deglet St. Church of Christ     (no email link)
Indio: Ave. 46 Church of Christ     (no email link)
Irvine: Northside Church of Christ    (no email link)
La Habra: Church of Christ      lhchurchofchrist@juno.com
La Puente: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Lake Elsinore: Church of Christ     (no email link)
Lake Forest: Saddleback Valley Church of Christ    GWR1@prodigy.net
Lakewood: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Laguna Hills: Church of Christ    (no email link)
Long Beach Church of Christ    lbcoc1@juno.com
Long Beach: Los Altos Church of Christ    (no email link)
Long Beach: Studebaker Church of Christ    LFritz@primenet.com
Los Angeles: Avalon Blvd. Church of Christ    veeta_maries@hotmail.com
Los Angeles: Central Church of Christ    (no email link)
Los Angeles: Century Blvd. Church of Christ    (no email link)
Los Angeles: Chinatown Church of Christ    (no email link)
Los Angeles: Main St. Church of Christ    (no email link)
Los Angeles: Normandie Church of Christ    (no email link)
Los Angeles: Southside Church of Christ   (bad email link)
Mission Viejo Church of Christ    mvoffice@ix.netcom.com // kirkm1@home.com // ymoffice@ix.netcom.com
Norwalk: Church of Christ      (no email link)
Norwalk: Central Church of Christ      (no email link)
Norwalk: Pioneer Blvd. Church of Christ      (no email link)
Palm Desert: Church of Christ     info@pdcoc.com
Palm Springs: Church of Christ      (email link broken)
Palm Spring: East P.S. Church of Christ (no email link)
Pasadena: Lincoln Ave. Church of Christ     dave@lincolnavenue.org
San Bernardino: Church of Christ       sbcoc@americamail.com
San Bernardino: University Church of Christ   preacher@sb.universitychurch.org
San Diego: Canyon View Church of Christ       (no email link)
San Diego: Northern Hills Church of Christ      (no email link)
San Diego: North San Diego Church of Christ      nsd@san.rr.com
San Diego: Sunrise Church of Christ     (no email link)
Tustin: Church of Christ      preachermacy@yahoo.com
Vista: Church of Christ     macbro@msn.com

The Church of Christ, when given enough rope, can really hang itself without hardly any help from anyone else. The claims they make for themselves of being the restored New Testament church, in light of reality, are really quite laughable. It's almost like a little organ monkey claiming to be the reincarnation of King Kong. For your enjoyment, I have traveled to Churches of Christ hither and thither to raid their lobby *tract racks, and here share with you some of the humble claims they make for themselves within these official church publications.

Church of Christ Tracts	Church of Christ Claims from The Tracts
WHAT IS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST? Batsell Barrett Baxter (1916-1982) Hosted the Churches of Christ national TV show "Herald of Truth", faculty member of David Lipscomb University.	Members of the church of Christ do not conceive of themselves as a new church started near the beginning of the 19th century. Rather, the whole movement is designed to reproduce in contemporary times the church originally established on Pentecost, A.D. 30. The strength of the appeal lies in the restoration of Christ's original church. (This portion of the original tract can also be found on the following Church of Christ web page: http://church-of-christ.org/who.html This web site may be malfunctioning. )
INTRODUCING THE CHURCH OF CHRIST Delton Haun Minister, Author, Publisher	(The Church of Christ) is *exactly* the same kind of church that began on the day of Pentecost two thousand years ago, that is *organized* the same way (and) practices the same things. They think of it as the original church of the New Testament *reproduced* in this twentieth century. The church of Christ today is no more and no less than the New Testament church reproduced in doctrine and practice in this twentieth century.
IS CHURCH ATTENDANCE ESSENTIAL? A.G. Hobbs Famed Church of Christ Evangelist and Tract Publisher.	The church of Christ is the only religious institution that worships Scripturally-- *without either addition or subtraction. This we will affirm in public debate-- should anyone care to deny it. Mark Smith's note} I have been trying for over twenty years to get ANY* Church of Christ minister to back up this challenge to "affirm in public debate" their absurd claims, to no avail. And just like the theological claims being nothing but pure horseshit, so also their claims to "affirm in public debate". Fact is, this group stopped debating in the 1950's because they kept getting their asses kicked, and have been hiding under a bed ever since, like a scared little Chihuahua dog who occasionally runs out to snip at someone's ankles.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU VISIT A CHURCH OF CHRIST (author unnamed)	You may expect to hear gospel preachers pleading for all who would follow Christ to return to the original pattern of Christianity as revealed in the New Testament. It is their conviction that since the Word of God is the seed of the Kingdom, if it alone is planted in the hearts of men it will produce the same fruit today as it did in the first century! This product will be New Testament Christianity.
WHAT IS THE CHURCH OF CHRIST? Dr. Joe R. Barnett (Author, Minister)	We believe the church today should be the same as the church in the New Testament in organization, name... (not) the establishment of another denomination, but rather a return to the original church. (This tract can also be found online, incorporated into a larger body of work by Dr. Barnett. It can be found at: http://theholyword.homestead.com/book5.html )

The Reality Is...
The New Testament Church	The Church of Christ
Apostles¹
Prophets²
Teachers³	Teachers^a
Miracle Workers⁴
Healers⁵
Tongue Speakers⁶
Evangelists⁷	Evangelists^b
Elders / Pastors⁸	Elders / Pastors^c
Deacons⁹	Deacons^d
	Youth Minister^e
	Minister of Music^f
	Full Time Professional Clergymen^g

NOTES:	NOTES:
1) 1Cor 12:28 / Eph 4:11 / Acts 14:14 2) Acts 13:1 / 1Cor 12:28 / Eph 4:11 3) Acts 13:1 / Eph 4:11 / 1Cor 12:28 / Appointed by Apostles- 2Tim 2:2 4) 1Cor 12:28 5) 1Cor 12:28 6) 1Cor 12:28 & 14:26 7) Given directly by Jesus- Eph 4:11 / Able to do miracles- Acts 8:6 / Had authority over multiple congregations- Titus 1:5 / Their preaching was directly guided by the "Holy Spirit"- Acts 16: 6,7 8) Appointed by direct Apostolic command via an Evangelist, they were able to heal the sick, and were oft times appointed directly by the "Holy Spirit"- Titus 1:5; James 5:14,15; Acts 20:28 9) Male and Female- 1Tim 3:10 / Romans 16:1	a) Self-appointed or appointed by the head of the Sunday School department. b) Self-appointed. They really answer to no one, and have authority over no one. c) They are granted their authority (i.e. appointed) in the first place by the very same people over which they will exercise their authority, i.e. a form of democracy, and the very practice Paul predicted in 2nd Timothy 4:3 that the apostates would do. d) 100% male; women need not apply. e) No such office in the New Testament church, either in name or function. This is entirely an invention by modern denominations that has been ripped off by The Churches of Christ. f) No such office in the New Testament church, either in name or function. This is entirely an invention by modern denominations that has been ripped off by The Churches of Christ. g) No such office in the New Testament church, either in name ("*The* Pastor" or sometimes "*The* Minister" of such and such Church of Christ) or function. This is entirely an invention by modern denominations that has been ripped off by The Churches of Christ.

It is obvious to anyone without a Church of Christ ax to grind that the New Testament church on the left bears little resemblance to the Church of Christ on the right, regardless of the Church of Christ claims to be a Xerox copy of the original New Testament church. The Church of Christ claims are patently false, and not only false, but absurd to the extreme. In spite of this, they brag they are willing to defend these absurdities in public debate. I would be more than happy to accept their challenge, but knowing their history of cowardice regarding public debates in the last fifty years, I don't advise anybody to hold their breath in anticipation.

WE'VE RESTORED THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH!
Why do you say that? What did you restore?
UH...I DON'T REMEMBER.
Have you restored apostles?
OF COURSE NOT! THEY'RE DEAD!
Have you restored prophets?
THEY'RE DEAD TOO!
How about miracle workers?
DEAD!
Healers?
DEAD!
Elders appointed by God?
DEAD!
Tongues speakers?
ESPECIALLY DEAD!!! THEY'RE ALL DEAD, ALL HOLY SPIRIT RELATED
THINGS ARE DEAD AND GONE!
What about the Holy Spirit, did you restore Him?
SORT OF...I MEAN, NO! HE DOESN'T NEED RESTORING!
Have you remembered what you've restored yet? You've
eliminated almost everything except Christians. Oh no,
you're not going to claim...!
THAT'S IT! WE'VE RESTORED CHRISTIANS!
You mean there weren't any Christians between 90 AD and the
19th century?
I'VE GOT IT NOW! WE RESTORED TRUE DOCTRINE!
But the Bible teaches doctrine, and your church did NOT
restore the Bible! So what's left? What did the great
Restoration Movement restore? Answer me!
UH...NOTHING?!?!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Paper mache' replicas
Frankenstein bodies without souls,
"Restoring" God's Church without God,
Acting as if you've been told.
But "labor in vain," the Lord doesn't build
your house.
Restore one apostle? Ha! Restore one dead mouse.
Petty plans of lifeless content,
Restore the Lord's House? Ha!
You're merely a pup tent!

In the Church of Christ, upon every first day of the week, the people who serve the Lord's Table, lead the singing, collect the money, and lead the prayers, are also participants of those same items of worship. But the one who does the preaching...

Who preaches to the preacher? The congregation sings to the song leader, but who preaches to the preacher? The first four "items of true worship" are all done mutually, that is, everyone is a partaker. If the first four are mutual, then why isn't the fifth one, preaching, also mutual? Only one person in the congregation is not sermonized every Sunday, and that man is the preacher. Of course, if your preacher talks to himself, this solves the problem. But if the preacher is allowed to skip one of the five "items of true worship," then why can't others do the same? The present system does not seem consistent.

Your churches have a plurality of elders and deacons, and even cite scripture for the same. But, pray tell, where is the scripture to be cited for the "one preacher per church"? How would one Elder per church sound? "Oh, but that's apostasy!" Everyone must come together upon the first day of the week to partake of the five "items of true worship." One of these five items is preaching. Everyone comes to be reproved, rebuked, and exhorted. That is, everybody but one.

Why does this man refuse to listen to sermons, like everyone else? Does he use the excuse, "My job interferes with my being sermonized."? If so, you give him, the preacher, the standard reply to that excuse. It is so easy for preachers to tell others to quit their jobs in order to be sermonized, but will the preachers practice what they preach? If he uses the excuse, "Preachers don't have to be sermonized every week.", then quote to him the following,

You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal? You who preach that one should be sermonized every week, are you sermonized every week? Don't you think it's time for you to sit down, shut up, and share the floor? Think about it.

"Call no man 'teacher' for you have one who teaches you." (Jesus, Matthew 23:8)

The Churches of Christ claim that all their members are equal, that no one is treated more special than the next. In reality they have a caste system, in direct violation of James 2:1,9. All Church of Christers, even elders, need to be preached to weekly as part of their duty to Biblegod; that is, all except one. This one man, ranking less than an elder even, rarely accepts being preached to. And while the Churches of Christ claim that all members are ministers, yet just this one minister among the many ministers seems to get the royal treatment.

Due to his exalted role as exemplified by all the above, the world calls this man a CLERGYMAN. But the Churches of Christ know better, don't they?

Authors Note: I ran across the following article (see below) by an actual Church of Christ minister, which ties in so nicely with the one I wrote above that I just had to include it here, for any C of C'ers that may think what I wrote was somehow mistaken. To those who have eyes to see, the Church of Christ has a clergy in all aspects but name only.

As a preacher, am I a pastor? The "unofficial" Church of Christ position is that the preacher is not a pastor. Over the past twenty years, I have heard this point made many times, and I must confess that on more than one occasion I have so corrected someone who called me a pastor.
However, although in theory I have denied being a pastor, I must confess that in practice it is a much different matter. And I rather suspect that such is true with regard to many, if not most, Church of Christ preachers, if they would only be honest enough to admit it. Of course, I can only speak from my own experiences, and so, can only really speak for myself. In doing so, as I look back over my experiences with congregations as a minister of the gospel of Christ, practically speaking, I find that, from the beginning, I have indeed functioned as a pastor.

I have been working with Church of Christ congregations since 1971. Most of that time, it has been in a full-time capacity, albeit I have also, on several occasions, worked in a part-time capacity with congregations. As such, I now have some 17 years of experience in such work under my belt. During those 17 years, I have had the occasion to work with a total of eleven different congregations. Only three of these congregations have had elders. The total number of elders that I have worked with, as such, is eight. Of these eight elders, sadly, only one really functioned as a pastor. The plain truth of the matter is that, except for that one instance where I had one elder who was functioning as a pastor, in every other instance I have been the only one who was shepherding, that is, feeding, watching over, caring for, etc., the congregation (flock). And even in that one instance where there was one elder who was shepherding, I was still doing these things also. Indeed, except for that one instance, if I had not functioned in this capacity, no one would have.

Doesn't that, then make me a pastor? People may instead refer to me in such terms as preacher, minister, and evangelist, and in function I am all of these things. But, I am, in function, also a pastor. And as someone has well said, "A rose by any other name is still a rose." Make of this what you will. Cry to high heaven about how it is "unscriptural," or whatever, for me to be a pastor, if you want to. But don't blame me for having the courage to acknowledge what I, as well as a lot of other preachers, actually am in function. If you are going to place the blame somewhere, then I suggest that you place it where it squarely belongs, on our system of doing things a system whereby something called a "located preacher" is brought into a congregation and placed in a situation where he must do what elders should be doing, but so often, there are not any elders, and if there are, they usually are not doing it, and for that matter are not even qualified to do it.

Yet, the flock needs a shepherd. As the Bible so aptly depicts, a shepherdless flock will soon be destroyed. Thus, I have no other alternative but to function as a pastor, whether you like it or not. And I will so acknowledge that I function as a pastor, whether you like it or not. Indeed, I will continue in that function until such time as the system is corrected, with "located preachers" ceasing to exist, once again becoming, instead, evangelists, and qualified men begin to function and serve as elders, pastoring the local congregation, and sending the evangelists out into the field, where they belong, to convert the lost.
taken from the web page} http://www.theexaminer.org/volume3/number4/confess.htm