By Cecil Willis
Some time ago I received a letter from a Methodist preacher informing me that one of the members of the congregation had “transferred her membership” to the Methodist church. The letter was addressed to the “Pastor of the Church of Christ Church.” I had been expecting someone to refer to the Lord’s Church as the “Church of Christ Church” for some time. In fact, some have just been asking for it. At first I was inclined to think the Methodist “Pastor” did not know any better. Then I decided maybe he did not want to compliment us by saying we are simply the church of Christ. But then, after thinking about it a while, I decided perhaps it is not his fault at all. Possibly, some of us are actually to blame. Some brethren are constantly speaking of “Church of Christ preachers,” “Church of Christ doctrine,” “Church of Christ church buildings… Church of Christ colleges… Church of Christ orphan homes or homes for the aged,” “Church of Christ youth camps,” “Church of Christ young folks,” a “Church of Christ funeral,” “Church of Christ Student centers,” and “Church of Christ Bible Chairs.” Sometime ago I read where a church in southern Kansas started a “Church of Christ ball club.” but when the brethren objected to such, they conceded, and changed the name to the “Church of Christ Independents”.
Not long ago, in reading through some old copies of one of the “Church of Christ papers.
I noticed an advertisement. On the same page with an article on “Sound Speech” was this “Announcement”: “We are pleased to announce to the brotherhood that we are now ready to release our first album of Church of Christ quartet records.” This “Church of Christ quartet” was singing “On the Jericho Road” and “I’ll be List’ning”, along with other songs. The records were enclosed in a “beautiful album with a Church of Christ picture (whatever that is-CW) on it.” Among the songs was also “I Could Hang My Head In Shame.” And shouldn’t we all, after reading an ad like that?
Maybe the Methodist “pastor” was not wholly to blame after all. After some among us had described so many things by “Church of Christ this or that,” perhaps he thought he had good reason to address his letter to the “Church of Christ Church.”
TRUTH MAGAZINE XVII: 22, p. 3
April 5, 1973