Yesterday I had the wonderfull opportunity to attend the North American Christian Convention. In the Churches of Christ we have big events like the Tulsa Workshop, and in the past, Jubilee. The NACC is the Independent Christian Church’s version of those events. It was great. They had some of their most prominent preachers teaching classes and preaching sermons, and they also invited some of the Churches of Christ most prominent preachers to participate. I only got to attend one day of the seminar but it was great.
They focused a lot on unity and building relationships between the two different churches. No one from the Christian Church asked the Church of Christ to start using instruments, and no one from the Church of Christ asked the Christian Church to give up their instruments. The only challenge was to accept each other as family and to work together in making a true Kingdom impact on our communities. As Paul writes, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were also called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all (Eph. 4:4-5).” I know that this isn’t happening everywhere, and I also realize that many may disagree with me, but I can unite with the Christian Church on those things.
An amazing thing happened during my one day stay at the NACC. I have been in Bowling Green for almost 5 years. I have been interested in our Restoration Movement history for quite some time, so I have been very curious about the Christian Church because they also came out of the Restoration Movement. They give just as much credit to people like Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell as we do when it comes to talking about our beginnings. During my time in Bowling Green I have always wanted to stop by the Bowling Green Christian Church and meet the minister – build a relationship with him. But I have never done it. Yesterday in Louisville, KY at the NACC I saw a man with a name tag that had Bowling Green, KY written under the name. I stopped him to introduce myself. It was the preacher for the Bowling Green Christian Church. Isn’t that crazy? I haven’t met him in Bowling Green for 5 years and I end up meeting him on a one day visit to Louisville, KY. Anyway, we are getting together for lunch sometime soon. I no longer want to be his stranger. I want us to be family and to pray for each other’s ministry.
