- Thomas Campbell, heretic
According to the 2006 Directory of Ministry (www.directoryoftheministry.com), The Independent Christian Community along with the Churches of Christ, are two of the fastest growing Christian groups, and currently has over 5,50o churches in North America. The DOM offers the following definition: "Members of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ believe in the deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ, the inspiration of the Bible and the autonomy of local congregations. Following the basic principles of the Restoration Movement, they accept and teach believers baptism by immersion into Christ for the forgiveness of sins; they assemble for worship the first day of the week, making the observance of the Lord's Supper, a focal point in such worship. They seek the unity of all believers on the basis of faith in and obedience to Christ as the divine Son of God, and the acceptance of the Bible particularly the New Testiment, their all-sufficient rule of faith and practice."
The Restoration Movement began on the American frontier in the 19th century during the Second Great Awakening which was a time of religious revival in the United States. This evangelical activism involved an important doctrinal shift away from the predominately Calvinist orientation that had characterized much of eighteenth-century American Christianity. (www.nationalhumanitiescenter.org)
According to the Christian Restoration Association (www.thecra.org) the movement created a community of believers known as "Christians" only. Their congregations are simply Christian Churches, with no denominational influences.
The group has a desire to "restore" the church of the New Testament in its doctrines, ordinances and faith which led to its name. The Association claims that there only one belief is this: "Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Lord our Savior. Our book of doctrine, or list of beliefs, is simply the Word of God. Thus as one man has expressed it, "We have no creed but Christ, no book but the Bible, no name but the name Christian."
During the period from 1794 through 1835, six separate groups were organized with the purpose restoring the New Testament Church as it is found in the pages of God's Word, the Bible. In every case they settled upon the name "Christian" for their members and "Christian Church" or "Church of Christ" for their congregations. Their baptism was by immersion for the remission of sins, and the Lord's Supper was observed the first day of every week. The 6 Movements were as follows:
a. James O'Kelly Movement
The first effort toward a Restoration of Christ's Church began in 1794 under the leadership of James O'Kelly a Methodist minister from Virginia. Under his direction, several Methodist churches in that state took upon themselves the name of "Christian" only.
b. Abner Jones Movement
In 1801 Abner Jones, a Baptist from Vermont and New Hampshire, broke with the Baptist church and began an independent movement for the purpose of returning to the "old paths."
c. Elias Smith Movement
In Connecticut in 1807, Elias Smith, another Baptist, led his congregation into the New Testament position. Later, in 1812, he and Abner Jones joined their efforts and went on to establish congregations each calling themselves simply "Christians"
d. Barton W. Stone Movement
While these events were taking place in the East, out in the hills of Kentucky a Presbyterian minister named Barton W. Stone was leaving the Cumberland Presbytery with his entire congregation. In doing so, this group formed what became the Cane Ridge Christian Church. In the book Attitudes and Consequences, Homer Hailey writes: "These people were calling themselves `Christians,' rejecting human creeds and party names, appealing only to the Bible for their guidance in faith and conduct."
e. Alexander and Thomas Campbell Movement
About this time, Alexander and Thomas Campbell- a father and son-both Presbyterian ministers from Pennsylvania, broke from their denominational background and began organizing Christian Churches throughout that state. By 1832 the Campbell group, which by that time far outnumbered that of Stone, united with Stone's Kentucky churches to form the largest and fastest growing religious organization of that time. Again, let it be noted that their union was based upon their identical belief in the need and possibility of restoring the New Testament Church.
f. Scotch Baptist Movement
The sixth group to enter this growing stream was that of the Scotch Baptists of New York. Although not as large as the others, this group also left denominational ties and sought out others holding the same New 'Testament position.
therestorationmovement.com managed by Scott Harper includes the full text of 19 books from the Restoration Movement as well as a link to many others. Harper sites the Restoration Movement having since divided into multiple separate groups, but the three main church bodies in the U.S are the Churches of Christ, the Independent Churches, and the Disciples of Christ, Together, these groups claim about 3.5 million members in the U.S.
