Churches of Christ believe the Bible to be the inspired word of God (2 Tim. 3:16,17). Therefore, we insist upon Bible authority for everything we teach and practice (Col. 3:17).
We believe that we ought to teach what people in the first century were taught, believe what they were taught to believe and do what they were taught to do.
We believe that we can be Christians only, just like they were then, nothing more and nothing less.
We believe that we can be members of the church which Jesus built (Mt. 16:18) and for which He died (Acts 20:28), without being a member of any man-made institution.Jesus established His church on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. That church had some specific characteristics.
(1) It was singular in number (Eph. 4:4).
(2) It was non-denominational in nature.
(3) It was scriptural in worship. In the framework of this command, the New Testament church sang (Eph. 5:19), observed the Lord’s Supper weekly (Acts 20:7), gave of their means (1 Cor. 16:1,2), prayed (Acts 2:42), and preached (Acts 20:7) while others listened. What they did in worship was based upon divine authority (Col. 3:17).
(4) There was no head of the church on earth or any earthly organization which legislates for the church.
(5) The New Testament church is soul-winning in missions. Our mission is that of the Lord, “to seek and save the lost” (Lk. 19:10). To accomplish its mission, the church operated through three avenues: evangelism (1 Tim. 3:15), benevolence (Acts 11:27-30), and edification (Eph. 4:15,16).
(6) The New Testament church is simple in its terms of entrance. On the day the church was established and on subsequent days, the Lord added to the church those who were being saved (Acts 2:47). What did they do on that day to be saved? They believed (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:36), repented, and were baptized (Acts 2:38). Then Acts 2:47 says “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
This was the New Testament church then in the days of the apostles.