Author : Keith Sharp
On Tuesday, October twenty-third, through Friday, October twenty-sixth, 1849 Christians from around the United States assembled in convention in Cincinnati, Ohio and formed the American Christian Missionary Society. Alexander Campbell was elected its first president. This organization became the original and primary wedge that divided disciples of Christ in America in the nineteenth century. Historians estimate that about ninety percent of those Americans who called themselves simply “Christians” or “disciples of Christ” accepted the society. They drifted farther and farther from the New Testament pattern. Eventually this apostate body adopted the name “Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)” and even recognized itself as a denomination. In 1912 the U.S. Census Bureau formally recognized the Christian Church and the church of Christ as separate religious bodies.
Floyd A. Decker was pastor of the Murrell Boulevard Christian Church in Paducah, Kentucky. In 1930 he heard J. Petty Ezell preach on the differences between the Christian Church and the church Jesus began. As the result of his love for the truth, Floyd Decker left the Christian Church to become simply a Christian.
In 1944 Decker wrote an article entitled “Why I left the Christian Church,” which was published in “Unity Forum.” He gave thirteen reasons for leaving the Christian Church.
In 1991 I debated Mac Deaver in Camden, Arkansas on the subject of church benevolence. Mac defended congregational benevolence to sinners, and I contended congregational benevolence is limited to needy Christians. Mac’s moderator was his father, Roy C. Deaver.
In the debate Mac defended church benevolence to sinners as a means of evangelism (attract them by feeding them – cf. John 6:26-27). I pointed out that this was the social gospel of liberal denominations and opened the door to any kind of recreational and social project to attract carnally minded people. One by one as I gave examples, such as soup kitchens, church hospitals, church camps, etc., Mac accepted them. He accepted everything the Christian Church practices except instrumental music in worship.
This was especially poignant in that a few years earlier Floyd Decker had died, and Roy Deaver wrote a glowing eulogy of him. While praising Floyd Decker for leaving the Christian Church, Roy and Mac Deaver were defending the very practices that caused Floyd Decker to leave that denomination. “O, consistency, thou art a jewel!”
What follows is the article Floyd Decker wrote in 1944. Now institutional churches of Christ accept the majority of unauthorized practices that Floyd Decker opposed.
1. The Christian Church has women Counselors, Directors and Lecturers; the church of Christ does not (1 Tim. 2:11,12; I Cor. 14:34).
2. The Christian Church has Educational Directors, Associate Ministers and Youth Directors: the church of Christ has elders, deacons, evangelists and teachers (Eph. 4:11; Phil. 1:1).
3. The Christian Church has Missionary, Benevolent and Educational Organizations to execute the work of the church; the church of Christ does not (Eph. 4:4: Eph. 3:10,21).
4. The Christian Church celebrates days of heathen worship, such as Easter, Mother’s Day and Christmas; the church of Christ does not (Gal. 4:10).
5. The Christian Church fellowships various denominations in their activities, leaving the impression that all are brethren; the church of Christ does not (2 John 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10).
6. The Christian Church seeks to get crowds with Youth Meetings, Campaigns for Christ, Rallies, drives and Promotions; the church of Christ does not (Tim. 1:16; Rev. 22:18,19).
7. The Christian Church emphasizes society and the physical man by appealing to the carnal nature, with church carnivals, bands, plays, choruses, dramatics, church kitchens, church camps, and elaborate fellowship halls; the church of Christ does not (1 Cor. 10:7; Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 11:22,34).
8. The Christian Church elevates its preachers above the rest of the members by using titles as Pastor, Superintendent, President and Doctor, but the church of Christ does not (Matt. 23:5-12; Job 32:21,22). Also, the Christian Church has forced its ministers into the denominational “Pastor System” by hinting, suggesting, complaining, and even demanding that its preachers run after the members, taxi the people here and there, and hold hands of the sick. The church of Christ does not expect this and God does not expect this sort of treatment from those who have been called to preach the gospel. Acts 6 points out that it is not scriptural for ministers of the gospel to leave the word of God and serve tables. The church has women servants and has deacons who are supposed to take care of the physical needs of the congregation. And the church has elders who are entrusted with the “souls” of the members. And the preacher is left free to study, meditate, pray and carry on an unhampered work of preaching the gospel to the lost (Acts 6:4; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:1-5). And If a church does not have elders, etc., it can no more scriptural1y introduce the “Pastor System” than it can introduce the piano because it has poor singing.
9. The Christian Church misuses the name “christian,” which is a noun, by speaking of “Christian nations,” “Christian schools,” and “Christian Church.” The church of Christ does not (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16).
10. The Christian Church takes up collections at services other than on the first day of the week, and uses unscriptural means such as suppers, property rentals and special collections to raise money for the church; the church of Christ follows 1 Corinthians 16:1,2 by having each member lay by in store on the first day of the week. This is its ONLY way of raising money.
11. The Christian Church owns and operates Publishing Houses, Radio Stations, Hospitals, and other Benevolent Societies; churches of Christ build nothing but churches (Eph. 3:21).
12. The Christian Church owns, supports and operates schools for secular education, through theological schools; the church of Christ does not (1 Tim. 3:15).
13. The Christian Church has a compromising spirit, will not defend its doctrine, is nothing but man-made denomination, has no regard for the authority of the Bible, bases its practice on the silence of the scriptures, and appeals to the traditions of the elders rather than to the simple unadulterated gospel of Christ. The Christian Church is not part of the New Testament church and should not be regarded as a friend of Christ nor of the truth.
(The information about the missionary society is from The Search for the Ancient Order. Volume 1, by Earl I. West. The information on Floyd Decker and his article are from Was He Wrong To Leave?, by David A. Padfield.)
