By Jerry Harris
This difficulty marks the completion of six years since Christian Commonplace was confronted with its consignment to historical past. In December 2016, Doug Crozier, CEO of The Solomon Basis, obtained a cellphone name informing him of the approaching shuttering of the journal. First revealed within the spring of 1866, Christian Commonplace rapidly grew to become the voice of the fastest-growing spiritual motion of the 19th century; the publication was desperately wanted after the ravages of the Civil Struggle. It persevered by division, liberalism, two world wars, and the Nice Melancholy.
In 2006, Wicks Group, a non-public fairness agency, bought Commonplace Publishing and commenced to promote it off a bit at a time; by the winter of 2016, every thing was gone apart from Christian Commonplace and The Lookout. That’s when Doug and the board of The Solomon Basis stepped in and purchased the magazines earlier than they have been gone endlessly. (In early 2020, we mixed the magazines right into a single publication.)
Six years have come and gone because the choice to accumulate Christian Commonplace, and far has occurred throughout that point. The journal and the media platform behind it grew to become not-for-profit. We developed new web-based platforms, social media, free assets, a brand new digital database for church buildings (CC Churchlink), and a totally new journal type.
We now have always fought the battle to take care of subscriptions, which as soon as have been accounted for within the budgets of church buildings, which positioned copies on tables within the lobby for churchgoers to take house at no cost. Now, that has modified, like many different issues that after sure this motion collectively. Our unity is fading, as evidenced by what is going on to our faculties, conferences, and publishing homes.
I ask: Is that this journal and the voice it represents nonetheless obligatory to assist pull collectively greater than 6,000 church buildings and their 1.3 million members? Is there nonetheless a regular to be raised? My reply is a convincing YES!
Our motion was born from a need to revive the church to its unique sample described within the ebook of Acts, and that unity may be derived from the commonality and freedom of interpretation that this mannequin represents. We proceed to wish that immediately.
Doctrinally, the Restoration Motion believes the Bible is the Phrase of God written by authors impressed by God and inerrant in its unique language. The Bible is our solely rule of religion and apply and the doctrinal basis of the motion. We observe the mannequin of the New Testomony in practising baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins as a part of the method that believers take right into a relationship with Jesus Christ. We don’t consider in water regeneration, however we do consider that this identification with the dying, burial, and resurrection of Christ can’t be labeled as nonessential; as a substitute, it’s the applicable and obligatory response after one hears the gospel, believes it, and repents of their sins.
We see a growing sample within the New Testomony regarding Communion and search to look at it as proscribed there. Communion started as a each day observance related to meals in houses. It grew right into a weekly observance in church gatherings by apostolic path. Whereas Communion—in contrast to immersion—just isn’t particularly commanded, we observe the New Testomony church sample of weekly Communion as was occurring by the tip of the ebook of Acts.
We acknowledge no denominational authority above the management of the native church. The sample of native management is outlined within the pastoral Epistles of Timothy and Titus. As such, all church buildings are impartial and autonomous. No creed defines our core beliefs exterior of the New Testomony as a complete. We see church traditions as merely custom, and we don’t place any greater worth on them.
Inside these doctrinal foundations, there are totally different interpretations of Scripture that will establish the Restoration Motion usually however, at occasions, not particularly. We don’t ascribe to theological labels or programs of theology, so there may be variety and freedom of interpretation in particular person church buildings. These distinctives are foundational to our collective identification, and they’re the inspiration of our story.
At the moment, I’m asking you, the readers of Christian Commonplace, to face with us as we search to proceed to champion these treasured realities in our motion. I’m asking you to donate, to promote, to share, to publish, to attach with us on social media . . . to do no matter you may to proceed to boost the usual excessive. Assist us to stay true to a 157-year legacy and assist us to chart a path ahead with reality and beauty.
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