History of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was born over a century and a half ago with the burning desire for Christian unity. The Disciples emerged in a log cabin in Kentucky at a place called Cane Ridge and in Pennsylvania in a little church at Brush Run.

Barton W. Stone ended his Presbyterian ties in 1804 to become a “Christian Only.” Thomas Campbell and son, Alexander, Scotch Presbyterians, founded the Brush Run Church in 1811, seeking union of all Christians based on simple New Testament basics. Their followers shook hands and merged in 1832 at Lexington, Kentucky.

With a strong emphasis on the Lord’s Supper, Disciples have chosen a chalice as their symbol. The chalice bears the X-shaped St. Andrew’s cross which focuses on the Scottish-Presbyterian roots of the church and evangelism. The Disciples emphasize Christian unity and shun establishing rules that too often divide people. Instead they stress freedom and diversity. Worship styles vary widely and life styles range from energetic social activism to deep personal devotion.

Some of the slogans associated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are:

“Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”
“In essentials unity, in opinions liberty, in all things charity.”
“No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible, no law but love, no name but the divine.”