Articles
CAN WE KNOW THE TRUTH?
The following is an excerpt from an article in the publication Gospel Advocate, July 2008 issue,
by Gregory Alan Tidwell. Special emphasis on phrases provided by P. Mowrer.
Conviction Not Compromise
At the turn of the century, our fellowship numbered only about a 100,000 adherents,…
Within a few decades, the churches of Christ represented a worldwide movement claiming
several million members, with well over a million members in the United States. This
phenomenal growth came early in the 20th century. Less increase, proportionally, has occurred
over the past 50 years.
Why did the church grow in those early years, and why has the growth been lackluster since
midcentury? I would hazard three observations.
First, the churches of Christ in the early 1900s possessed convictions tempered by the fires
of conflict. The church grew because the church knew the truth about themselves. They
understood what God expects the church to be.
Second, the churches of Christ in the early 1900s were focused on the work of the local
congregation. The church grew because it knew the truth about God’s plan for the church to do
His work in this world. They understood the difference between the Lord’s church and other
religious institutions.
Third, the churches of Christ in the early 1900s were passionate about reaching the lost. The
churches of Christ grew in the early 1900s because the members knew the truth about the way of
salvation. They understood the difference between someone who had been “born again of water
and the Spirit” and someone who had not.
In contrast with the dynamic growth of the past, the churches of Christ have stagnated in
recent years. We need to return to the profound truths, revealed by God, that show us the plan
God has for the church and the pattern we must follow to bring the message of salvation to a lost
world.
The only way to know the truth, is to spend time daily in the study of God’s Word! (PDM)
