The position of Westerville Christian Church regarding the issue of abortion is that human life begins at the point of conception, and that voluntary abortion is therefore similar to murdering the life of an innocent person. All sin, even murder, can be forgiven because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ, so our message to those who have had abortions is one that emphasizes the seriousness of sin and the availability of God's grace to all.

We have come to the conviction that life begins at conception because of our understanding of God's Word. The Old Testament legislated that if two fighting men hit a pregnant woman and cause a miscarriage, the punishment was "life for life" (Ex. 21:22-25). David said in Psalm 139, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:13-16). The baby in Elizabeth’s womb (John the Baptist) "leaped for joy" when Elizabeth saw Mary and heard the good news that Mary would bear the Christ child (Luke 1:44). The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that we are human and have a human soul even before we are born.

Scientific discoveries in the modern era have confirmed the truth of God’s Word. We now know that there is no organizational change needed for an embryo to become a fully formed human being. At the point of conception, something inexplicable - almost miraculous - occurs. The egg and sperm die and a completely new organism is born - an organism which only needs the right environment to become a fully formed human being. Now more than ever we can be confident that life truly begins at conception and that abortion is taking the life of a human being.

Meanwhile, the practice of abortion has become increasingly prevalent in our society. Twenty-seven to thirty-three percent of all pregnancies end in abortion. Abortion is no longer a last resort in a dire situation, but is often a preferred method of birth control. The most common reasons people give for choosing abortion are the high cost of children, the interference children cause in one’s lifestyle, the burden of single parenting, and pressure from sexual partners to terminate the pregnancy. There have been innumerable consequences of this devaluing of human life. For example, since the legalization of abortion, child abuse has increased 400-500 percent in the United States.

The Bible says that sex is to be reserved for marriage because of the intimacy of the sexual relationship and the prospect that a child will result. Scripture and experience both teach that the healthiest environment for child rearing is a loving, two-parent home. Seventy percent of abortions take place in the wombs of unmarried women. The relationship between sexual promiscuity and abortion is clearly seen. A person should not engage in sexual relations unless he or she is willing and able to support the life of a child. Children are intended to be a blessing from God to a loving husband and wife. The only birth control method with 100 percent certainty is abstinence.

Even so, when an unmarried person becomes pregnant, God’s grace can still cover that sin and bring good out of evil. The unmarried parents may decide they are mature enough to care for the child, get married, and raise the child together. Grandparents may step into help. And adoption is often a difficult but loving option for these children. There are hundreds of thousands of married couples on adoption waiting lists who would love to adopt and love a baby that someone else was unable to care for.

Westerville Christian Church is attempting to respond to the abortion issue with both truth and love. It is our conviction that the church should serve as a conscience in the community, speaking out about moral issues from a biblical perspective. We are convinced that abortion on demand should not have been legalized and that our communities have suffered because of these poor judicial decisions. However, we also acknowledge that repairing the damage that has been done may require many complex political maneuvers that could sap our energies and take us away from our primary mission. The best and perhaps fastest way to stop abortions is not through legislation but by winning people to Jesus Christ and changing one heart at a time.

In addition to speaking out about legislative issues, we at WCC feel a strong call to minister to those who find themselves dealing with a crisis pregnancy. We are one of many supporters of crisis pregnancy centers in the Columbus area which offer ultrasounds, pregnancy tests, maternity clothing and pre-abortion counseling for expectant parents. These centers not only offer alternatives to abortion, but also lend ongoing support and encouragement to those in need.

We also support and encourage the members of our church who are involved in adoption efforts both at home and abroad. Pregnancy Decision Health Center (www.pdhc.org) offers a post-abortion support group to minister to those who carry the guilt of an abortion in their past. Largely ignored by a hard-hearted culture that attempts to tell them they've done nothing wrong and ignores their pain, these women have found truth and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Westerville Christian Church does not require its Ministry Partners to be total abstainers. The Bible indicates that drunkenness, not alcohol consumption, is a sin (Ephesians 5:18). However, because of the pervasiveness of the problem of alcoholism in our culture, we require elders, deacons and staff members to be total abstainers and encourage all members to consider abstaining from alcohol altogether.

Because alcoholism has become a blight of our culture, the issue demands closer attention. Alcoholism is the third largest health problem in the United States. A study by The Ohio State University Extension reports that adolescents who drink are four times more likely to become alcoholics than adults.¹ Teens fifteen and older who drink alcohol are seven times more likely to have sexual relations than those who do not drink.² Alcoholism influences men and women from every social and cultural sector. Nationwide, there are 10 million adults and 3.3 million teenagers struggling with alcoholism.³

The Bible does not regard wine as evil, but drunkenness is forbidden. In Ephesians 5:18, the Apostle Paul exhorts us, .Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. However, it is important to understand the cultural background of the biblical admonition. The alcoholic content of most drinks in the first century was probably half of similar drinks today.4 Wine was used to kill infecting agents in drinking water, so it was commonly diluted to make it go farther. Alcohol consumption in the time of Jesus was vastly different than it is today—liquor was far less potent, often used medicinally, and usually diluted. Therefore, because of the increase in the potency of alcohol today and the decrease in the need and benefits of alcohol in our culture, total abstinence may be the wisest course of action.

That is why we ask every Christian to consider becoming a total abstainer from alcohol. Alcohol can negatively affect your health, lower your inhibitions, and diminish your Christian witness. Abstaining from alcohol ensures that you will never become an alcoholic, and abstinence sets a positive example for your children and others.

Westerville Christian Church offers several support groups and counseling services to help those dealing with addictions to alcohol or other drugs. Most importantly, WCC offers alcoholics a relationship with Jesus Christ. Alcoholics often turn to alcohol in order to fill a void in their lives. That’s why Paul encouraged us not to get drunk with wine, but instead be filled with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit can fill the void in the alcoholic’s life, a void that no amount of alcohol could satisfy.

¹ McCowell, Urvia and Ted Futris: .Adolescents at Risk: Alcohol Use., The Ohio State University Extension .2002 www.hec.ohio-state.edu/famlife

² Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Substance Use and Sexual Health among Teens and Young Adults in the U.S. (Feb. 2002).

³ NEED DOC.

⁴ DOCUMENT – ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA

According to our understanding of the New Testament, here are our answers to several important questions regarding baptism.

Who should be baptized? All those who are willing to repent of their sins and confess their belief in Christ should be baptized (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38-39).

How should we be baptized? The word for “baptism” in the New Testament is the Greek word baptizo, which means “to immerse in water.” The New Testament says baptism represents the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:1-5). Baptism serves as a symbol of the burial of the old self and the resurrection of the believer’s soul to walk in life with Christ. Therefore, at Westerville Christian Church, we baptize people by immersing them in water.

When should we be baptized? A person should be baptized at the time he or she trusts in Christ. The Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8), but in the New Testament church, a person’s baptism was always the first expression of faith, not separate from it. So baptism was not just a symbol or a memorial of faith, but was intended to offer a means of union with Christ and a benchmark of transformation, marking the place and time a person made a commitment to Christ (Rom. 6:1-8). At WCC, we are attempting to restore the original intent and practice of baptism. Therefore, we ask a person to be baptized at the point that he is ready to make a commitment to Christ.

Why should we be baptized? A person should be baptized to follow the example of Christ (Mat. 3:13-17), to obey Christ’s command (Mat. 28:18), to accept forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), to express trust in Christ (Acts 8:12-13), and to testify to God’s work in his or her life (Rom. 6:1-8; Gal. 3:27). Baptism also serves to cleanse a guilty conscience (1 Pet. 3:21). The Holy Spirit prompts individuals to recognize their sin and guilt. The only method by which the human soul can be wiped clean of sin is through the blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:27-10:7). This “washing away” of sin is most clearly symbolized in the act of baptism (Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Since one of the biggest obstacles between God and man is human pride, baptism also offers a venue by which believers humble themselves before God and others and admit their need for Christ’s redemption (James 4:6). In addition, baptism meets a God-given human need for expression. Everyone needs an outlet for emotion, or an expression for an impression. Baptism is the outlet for an expression of faith in Christ. The act of baptism cannot save an individual. We are saved only through accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Baptism demonstrates the believer’s acceptance of Christ and is the point of time when the believer receives assurance of his or her faith. Those who were never baptized by immersion but were sprinkled for baptism as infants rest in God’s merciful hands. We hope that Jesus will say to any person who has truly submitted to him but was not taught about immersion, “Your faith has saved you.” Yet someone who understands Christ’s command to be baptized and refuses to obey should not consider himself to have submitted to Christ.

Should a person ever be re-baptized? Any person who has trusted in Jesus as the only Son of God and who has willingly been immersed into Christ may become a member of Westerville Christian Church whether the baptism occurred at WCC or elsewhere. Re-baptism is encouraged for those who lack confidence in their initial baptism experience because they don’t remember it, they were coerced, or their heart was not right with God at the time. Anyone who has fallen into sin after having been baptized should repent and seek forgiveness, but rebaptism is not necessary (Acts 8:13-24).

Must a person be baptized during a worship service? No. Baptisms at other times are acceptable (Acts 8:38; 16:33), but baptisms during worship services are encouraged at WCC because they provide the opportunity to testify to your faith and show humility. Paul exhorts all believers to unite, for we are all of “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). Regardless of our particular beliefs regarding the mode of baptism, it is important for all Christians to seek unity as representatives of Christ’s body. We believe the source of unity is the truth of God’s Word, and we pray that baptism will be a place of unity, not division, among believers (John 17:17-21).

Westerville Christian Church does not take an official church position on the issue of capital punishment. We believe Christians are allowed to disagree on this issue and we do not require members or leaders to hold to a specific position regarding this topic. Using the Bible as our guide, it has been the primary teaching of our leadership that the government has the God-given right to execute justice, even to the point of capital punishment. Below is an explanation of the reasons for this conviction, as well as some biblical admonitions to governing officials regarding this and other issues of morality and justice.

Every human life is precious, having been made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27). Long before God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai, God instructed all human beings not to shed innocent blood and indicated that those who did so forfeited their right to life. In Genesis 9:6 God said, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” The enactment of capital punishment elevated the value of human life and satisfied the need for justice. Many generations later, in the New Testament, the authority of the government was verified when Paul wrote that the government is established by God. Though the government of which he spoke was the pagan Roman government, he validated their right to bear and use the sword. He wrote, Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer (Rom. 13:1-4).

Capital punishment, then, is morally justifiable only when a God-ordained government implements it in order to execute justice. If either of those factors is not present, if it is a vigilante authority or the punishment is not deserved, then capital punishment is unjustifiable.

Someone may ask about Jesus’ commands not to judge others and to turn the other cheek. Jesus was not referring to the execution of justice by a God-ordained government. If he was, then the principle of forgiveness would apply not just to capital punishment but to all matters of criminal justice. We would need to throw open all the prison doors and close down the criminal courts. The passages in which Christ exhorts everyone to practice forgiveness refer to the attitude of individual Christians toward other individuals. We believe that the entire New Testament contains the words of Christ, inspired by his Holy Spirit. So Christ, through the apostle Paul, gave government the right to bare the sword, showing that there is a difference between the duty of individual Christians to forgive offenses and the duty of government officials to execute justice.

Some may ask, “But what about the criminal’s soul?” Capital punishment need not lessen a criminal’s opportunity to hear the Gospel. In fact, those who are facing capital punishment are often more receptive to the Gospel than those who remain in jail under a life sentence. Thus, Christians should respond to this issue by providing intense ministry and evangelism to criminals on death row. God desires all men to repent and be saved, and Christ’s forgiveness is extended to those facing capital punishment. Our efforts to allow an individual to live a few more days on earth are fruitless compared to the value of sharing the hope of eternal life with him or her.

Our governing authorities would be wise to remember the Bible’s exhortations regarding the enactment of justice. Two biblical principles are especially applicable in the issue of capital punishment. First, the Bible encourages swift justice: “When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong” (Eccl. 8:11). Allowing an individual to wait for years on death row is unfair to all: the tormented criminal awaiting his sentence, the victim who hungers for justice, and the potential victims of murderers not deterred. The Bible demands that judges thoroughly investigate each case and commands them not to convict on circumstantial evidence; but assuming a fair trial has been given, the punishment should be enacted swiftly so that human life is elevated and the hearts of the people fear justice instead of murder.

Secondly, the Bible commands governments not to show favoritism (Lev. 19:15). A government that punishes one wrongdoer but allows another to be set free because of his financial means or racial advantage is not acting justly. Government officials who abuse their God-given authority in such a way will some day give account before a just and holy God for their actions. The answer to such injustice is not to set all criminals free, but to begin immediately to enact justice on all wrongdoers without showing favoritism.

Westerville Christian Church considers the Bible the inspired Word of God and therefore our guide in matters of sex and marriage. The Bible says that the only proper place for sexual expression is marriage (Exodus 20:14; Deut. 22:21-22; Heb. 13:4). Marriage is defined as being between a man and a woman who have committed to a lifelong relationship (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5-6; please see our position paper, “Marriage and Divorce,” for more information about marriage). Any sexual relationship outside of marriage – whether premarital, extramarital or homosexual – is considered a sin. Therefore, Westerville Christian Church does not permit a ministry partner to live with someone to whom he or she is not married when such a relationship could result in the temptation to sexual sin or the appearance to others that a sexual relationship exists.

Even when a cohabiting relationship is intended to be platonic, we would advise against an unmarried, unrelated man and woman living together. It is our position that a heterosexual cohabiting relationship, even when celibacy is intended, invites too much temptation (1 Cor. 6:18), and does not properly avoid the “appearance of evil” (1 Thes. 5:22, KJV).

Cohabiting couples are welcomed to attend services at Westerville Christian Church. When someone in an inappropriate cohabiting relationship expresses a desire to commit to Christ a minister, elder or deacon will interview the individual to determine if the candidate sincerely wants to make changes in their life and accept Christ. Any person willing to refrain from inappropriate cohabiting and commit to sexual purity can be accepted into membership. If a WCC Ministry Partner is found to be in an inappropriate cohabiting relationship, he or she will be asked to separate himself or herself from the relationship by taking residence elsewhere until marriage. Any cohabiting couple desiring to be married at WCC or by one of the WCC ministers will likewise be instructed to separate until the wedding ceremony.

Studies of cohabiting couples have proven the wisdom of God’s Word. Brad Wilcox, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Virginia, has done extensive research on the family and has verified the following regarding cohabitation: • Individuals who cohabit before they marry face a significantly higher chance of getting divorced than those who do not cohabit. Married couples where both spouses have cohabited are between 33%¹and 50%² more likely to divorce than married couples where neither spouse has cohabited.
• Long-term cohabiting couples are much more likely to break up than married couples.³
• Women in cohabiting relationships are more likely to suffer physical and sexual abuse than women in marriage relationships.⁴
• “Cohabiting couples are less satisfied than married spouses with their partnerships, are not as close to their parents, are less committed to each other, and, if they eventually marry, have higher chances of divorce.”<sup>5

1</sup> Andrew J. Cherlin. 1992. Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage (revised). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
² Edward Laumann, John Gagnon, Robert Michael, and Stuart Michaels. 1994. The Social Organization of Sexuality. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
³ Julie Brines and Kara Joyner. 1999. "Principles of Cohesion in Cohabitation and Marriage." American Sociological Review 64: 333-355.
⁴ Jan E. Stets. 1991. "Cohabiting and Marital Aggression: The Role of Social Isolation," Journal of Marriage and the Family 53: 669-680 and Linda Waite. 2000a. Chapter on marriage. In Linda Waite, ed., The Ties that Bind. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
⁵ Steven L. Nock. 1998. Marriage in Men’s Lives. New York: Oxford University Press.

A fundamental goal of Westerville Christian Church is to bring unity to all Christians while standing firm on the truth of God's Word. It is our conviction that the two goals work in tandem, that returning to the fundamentals of God's Word will bring unity to the churches. Therefore, we are attempting to restore the doctrine and practices of the New Testament church not only because we believe the Bible to be our source of truth, but also in hopes that such restoration will bring unity to all Christians.

It is our goal, therefore, to imitate the New Testament church in our observance of the Lord's Supper. Because the New Testament and other historical documents indicate that the early church observed the Lord's Supper every week (Acts 20:7), we also participate in communion every week during our regular worship services. Because the New Testament does not dictate how often a Christian should take communion (Jesus simply said, "As often as you do this, do it in memory of me"), we do not consider the rate of observance to be a test of fellowship. If an individual Christian or another congregation decides to take communion more or less often than once a week, or on a different day of the week, this should not be cause for division. However, we do believe that the Lord's Supper has real spiritual significance for the Christian, and therefore to observe communion only periodically seems unwise. Theologians have never argued that worshipping or taking up offering once a week is too often, and in the same way we believe that weekly is not too often to remember the sacrifice of our Lord for us.

Westerville Christian Church does not accept the Roman Catholic teaching of transubstantiation - the belief that the bread and wine literally turn into the body and blood of Jesus in the Lord's Supper. The Bible refers to communion as a memorial (Lk. 22:19) and a participation in the body and blood of Christ (1 Cor. 10:16). Jesus said "This is my body" while he was yet among them, so it seems obvious he was speaking symbolically, and the Bible never refers to communion as a re-sacrifice of Christ. In fact, the New Testament says Christ died "once for all" (Heb. 7:27) and refers negatively to "crucifying Christ again," reserving this term for apostates who attempt to return to Christianity (Heb. 6:6). Jesus did say, "My body is real food and my blood is real drink" (John 6:55), but later he indicated to his disciples that he was speaking spiritually (John 6:63). Therefore we do accept that communion has real spiritual significance, providing real spiritual nourishment to the Christian, but this is done without a literal transformation of the elements into the body and blood of Christ.

According to the New Testament, participation in communion serves several purposes. Each participant is challenged to "examine himself," remembering the sacrifice Christ made for him or her on the cross (1 Cor. 11:28-29). Beyond personal experience, however, the Lord's Supper is also a "communing together" with other believers, an intimate time of fellowship when we declare our unity through Jesus Christ. "Because there is one loaf," Paul wrote, "we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf" (1 Cor. 10:17). In addition, the proclamation of the Lord's Supper reminds believers of Christ's imminent return. "Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor. 11:26).

The Bible says that the institution of marriage was created by God (Gen. 2:21-25). Therefore we believe God's Word should be our source of authority for defining marriage and setting the boundaries for the marriage relationship. The Bible says that God intends for marriage to be a monogamous, life-long, loving relationship between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:6). Marriage is the highest of all human relationships, provided by God as the best environment for relational intimacy (Gen. 2:18, 25) and child rearing (Gen. 1:27-28). The love between a husband and a wife is to be an illustration of the love and faithfulness between God and his people (Mal. 2:13-16; Eph. 5:22-33).

God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16), but because of the influence of sin in the world (Jesus called it "the hardness of your hearts" in Matt. 19:8), the Bible makes some concessions for divorce and remarriage. The Scriptures give two justifiable reasons for divorce: adultery (Matt. 19:9) and abandonment (1 Cor. 7:15). Divorce is allowable in the case of marital unfaithfulness because the marriage covenant has been broken, but this is a concession and not a command. God still hates divorce, and if at all possible, if the unfaithful spouse shows signs of repentance and a willingness to recommit, we encourage the innocent party to seek forgiveness and restoration.

The elders at Westerville Christian Church have identified five scenarios under which a person who has been previously married may marry again. Any Westerville Christian Ministry Partner desiring to be remarried by one of our ministers or in our building must meet one of these five criteria:
• The former spouse has passed away (1 Cor. 7:39).
• The divorce occurred prior to salvation (2 Cor. 5:17).
• The former spouse has remarried (Deut. 24:1-4).
• Abandonment by the former spouse (1 Cor. 7:15).
• Adultery broke the marriage covenant (Matt. 19:9). When the one desiring to remarry was the guilty party, there must first be signs of repentance and a desire to reconcile with his or her former spouse. If the former spouse is unable or unwilling to reconcile, then after prayer and godly counsel we may allow the person to remarry.

We recognize that these biblical parameters do not allow divorce under other circumstances where divorce might seem warranted. The Bible does make a distinction between physical separation and divorce (1 Cor. 7:5), so we would counsel people in certain difficult situations that physical separation may be warranted until a godly counselor advises otherwise.

We counsel those who recognize they were remarried outside of the biblical boundaries to repent of their pattern of divorcing and remain faithful to the one to whom they are currently married (Deut. 24:1-4). The grace of Christ can be extended to those who have been divorced for unbiblical reasons. Those who have made wrong decisions in the past cannot undo their mistakes, but must be faithful to Christ in the situation in which they currently find themselves.

Questions often arise as to whether a person who has been divorced is eligible for a leadership position at WCC. Because the Scripture says that an elder must be "the husband of but one wife" (1 Tim. 3:2 - literally "a one-woman man"), some contend that a person desiring to be an elder or pastor in the church must not have been divorced. It is our position that a divorce in a person's past does not automatically exclude him from future church leadership. The passage in 1 Timothy 3 also says that an elder must not be given to drunkenness or violence. Most Christians agree that if a man got drunk or was in a fight many years ago as a youth, that event should not disqualify him from leadership. The nature and circumstances of the offense and the length of time of proven credibility are all taken into account in determining whether a person is qualified for a leadership position. The same should apply to a person's past divorce. If murder didn't disqualify Paul from becoming an apostle and missionary after a decade of proven credibility, a divorce in someone’s past shouldn't automatically disqualify that person from serving as a church leader.

We have instituted several policies and practices to help protect the Ministry Partners of our church from the trauma of divorce and to hold high the ideals of biblical marriage and sexual purity. We require premarital counseling before couples can be married at our church or by one of our ministers. We frequently preach about marriage, and we provide books, audio resources and marriage enrichment seminars to our church attendees. We confront and counsel those whom we know are unfaithful to their spouses. Any person in a leadership position at WCC who is undergoing separation or divorce, whether innocent or not, is asked to step aside from his or her position of authority for a period of time so that full attention can be given to the crisis at hand and nothing will hinder the ministry of the church. Unmarried couples who are cohabiting are asked to repent of their sexual impurity and separate before they may be married in the church or by one of our ministers. Cohabiting couples desiring to become Ministry Partners of the church must separate or get married before Ministry Partnership is granted.

According to Jesus Christ's instructions in the Bible, Christians must live in a manner distinct from that of the world. Christians are commanded to hold to a higher standard of moral virtue and purity, guided by the principles of God's Holy Word. We have instituted these guidelines and practices in an effort to help our Ministry Partners to reflect Christ's love for the church in their marriages.

Westerville Christian Church is an independent, non-denominational Christian church affiliated with the independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (instrumental). We consider ourselves an evangelical church (see the position paper, “Is WCC an Evangelical Church?”) because we agree with the basic doctrines that characterize evangelicals, beginning with the Bible as God’s inspired Word and our source of authority.

The Christian Churches and Churches of Christ are a fellowship of churches that trace their heritage to the Restoration Movement of the early 1800s. Christian leaders like Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone and others of that era began to decry the divisiveness occurring among denominational churches and dreamed of a time we would all be unified in Christ. The Cane Ridge Revival (1801) and the Second Great Awakening gave a spark to their movement. Many people were turning to Christ, and many churches were turning toward unity, even to the point of changing their names to “Christian Church” or “Church of Christ” to reflect their desire to join with one another in exalting Jesus Christ. According to historians, the Restoration Movement “spread across the frontier like wildfire.”

The movement had some lofty goals which continue to this day: To free Christianity of creeds, traditions and denominational distinctives that divide us; to restore doctrinal purity by using the Bible only as the source of authority; and to unify all Christians for the purpose of evangelizing the world. “We are not the only Christians,” they said, “but Christians only.”

Tragically, the movement experienced its own divisions in the early 1900s. Today there are three primary groups of churches that trace their history to the Restoration Movement: The Disciples of Christ, the independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, and the non-instrumental Churches of Christ. Westerville Christian Church is considered a part of the independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, joined loosely by our history and an annual convention – the North American Christian Convention. The NACC is a non-voting convention open to the public, where Christians from around the world gather for the purpose of revival and edification.

Because the churches in our movement remain independent, the doctrines and practices of individual churches can vary widely and we do not agree on all issues; neither do we necessarily agree with everything the founders of the movement wrote or believed. However, we at Westerville want to continue to hold high the goals and ideals of the Restoration Movement.

In light of our goals, we are encouraged by the spirit of unity that exists among evangelical Christians today. It is exciting to see Christians from various denominational backgrounds worshipping and studying together at Christian concerts, Bible studies and evangelistic meetings. Many are determined to be known primarily as “Christians” who hold to the authority of God’s Word. Though they may not consider themselves a part of the Restoration Movement, and we may disagree on some important doctrinal matters, we are happy that so many have caught the spirit of the founders of our movement and are attempting to exalt Jesus Christ above all.

Westerville Christian Church considers this body an Evangelical church. By that, we mean we align ourselves with other Bible-believing Christians or "evangelicals." An evangelical is generally considered to be a person who believes the Bible to be the true Word of God and the foundation for the Christian religion.

Several attempts have been made to list the fundamental or essential beliefs of evangelicalism. Though the lists may differ slightly, evangelicals are largely in agreement with the nine truths listed below. Though sometimes worded differently or in a different order, these truths are uniformly agreed to be necessary doctrines of a “Bible-believing" church because of the clarity of Scripture on these issues and the intertwined nature of each doctrine. For example, if you believe the first doctrine - that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God - then consistency will demand that you accept the other eight as true because of what the Bible claims.

Some will attempt to claim we are not an evangelical church because we do not agree with other evangelicals on every doctrine. But within evangelicalism there are many factions and denominations, each of which have their strong opinions and beliefs about matters that lie outside of these nine essential doctrines. The nine truths, however, are common denominators among us all; the only necessary qualification for rightly deserving the term "evangelical" is adherence to these nine doctrines.

The question often asked, then, is whether evangelicals (or any of the factions among us) consider themselves the "true Christians." Though we disagree strongly with other evangelicals on matters that lie outside these nine doctrines, and we consider some of those matters of grave importance, we view other evangelical churches as existing within the larger umbrella of "Christianity." Because evangelicals agree that the Bible is God's Word and our final source of authority, it is our hope that as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of God's Word, we will grow closer to the unity Christ intended for his Body of believers. However, if a church rejects one or more of the nine essential teachings, it is doubtful that they will be able to hold to the rest because of the intertwined nature of the teachings. Such a group would not therefore be considered evangelical, and we would question whether such a group could genuinely consider themselves "Christian."

The nine essential teachings of an evangelical church are as follows:

• The infallibility of Scripture. We believe the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit and written by the hand of men. The claims found in Scripture are absolutely true; therefore, to reject any portion of that truth is tantamount to rejecting the whole truth.
• The historical creation of man. Man did not accidentally evolve, but was created specifically by God and made in his image.
• The sinful nature of humanity. While evolution teaches that man is constantly improving, the Bible teaches that humanity is denigrating. Men and women were created by God in perfection and given the opportunity to choose good or evil. Since the fall of man, in which Adam and Eve chose to turn from God, every human being has been born with a predisposition to sin. Man chooses to disobey God, and is thus separated from him.
• The absolute deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the unique Son of God, and one of three essential parts of the Trinity. As God, Jesus is perfect and without sin.
• The virgin birth of Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiah prophesied Jesus’ miraculous birth 600 years before it occurred, and the angel Gabriel announced his arrival to Mary. Evangelicals accept that if God created the earth, he will have no problem impregnating a virgin with the Savior of the world.
• The substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ death on the cross was able to atone for the sins of the world because he is God. He was sinless on earth and took the punishment of guilty sinners upon himself so that repentant believers might be forgiven.
• The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ resurrection was both a result of his deity and a proof of his deity. Only God could raise himself from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves that he can keep his promise of a resurrection of all the dead when he returns.
• The return of Jesus Christ. Upon his return, Jesus will bring with him the souls of believers who have died. Those believers who return with him will then receive a renewed and resurrected body. The believers who are alive on earth when he returns will ascend into heaven with Christ and their fellow believers.
• The resurrection and assignment of all people to heaven or hell. This is commonly called “Judgment Day.” The evangelical church accepts literally the Bible’s warning of a place of eternal punishment or “hell” for the unrepentant who reject the offer of salvation given by Jesus Christ. On the other hand, heaven is the eternal reward for those who accept the atoning, substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on their behalf. Thus, the hope of every evangelical Christian is that upon death, he or she will be with God and his or her loved ones in heaven.

Westerville Christian Church maintains that the Bible is God's Word and our final source of authority in doctrine and practice. Therefore, based on God’s word it is clear that homosexuality is a sin against God but is not an unforgivable sin (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:18; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). We believe that God calls those engaged in homosexual behavior to repent of their sin and commit to celibacy. Christ said to the woman caught in adultery, "Neither do I condemn you; go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11). In the same way, Christ calls those engaged in homosexual sin to repent and accept Christ's love and forgiveness. Paul reminded the Corinthians that those engaged in certain behaviors, including "homosexual offenders," who refused to repent, would not inherit the Kingdom of God. But then he added, "such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus" (1 Cor. 6:9-11). The wonderful message to the homosexual is that through the power of Christ he or she can change. The temptation may remain, but the Holy Spirit can give you the power to remain celibate and pure.

Christ followers should reach out to those engaged in same sex behavior with Christ's message of love and forgiveness without endorsing the behavior. If you discover that your child is addicted to drugs, the loving thing to do is to express compassion and understanding, and to help them overcome their addiction. The same should be our attitude when we discover that a loved one is addicted to a sexual sin. Westerville Christian Church offers counseling to those who struggle with homosexuality and other sexual sins. And there are other ministries with which we partner that reach out to recovering homosexuals, including More than Words and Exodus International.

Anyone struggling with a same sex temptation is welcomed to attend services at Westerville Christian Church. If a person desiring to become a Ministry Partner of WCC is involved in an inappropriate sexual relationship, whether homosexuality, adultery, cohabiting without marriage, or other, he or she will be asked to repent and commit to a life of sexual purity. Any person willing to make such a commitment is accepted into ministry partnership. If a WCC Ministry Partner is found to be engaged in sexual sin, he or she is asked to repent and commit to sexual purity. Those willing to repent are guided to counseling services and support groups that are available to help them overcome these temptations. Those unwilling to repent are asked to withdraw their Ministry Partnership.

Just as a loving parent should extend mercy and truth to a child addicted to drugs, so we believe a loving church should extend both mercy and truth to those who have been engaged in homosexuality. Anyone struggling with a same sex attraction needs to know that Jesus Christ forgives them and can give them the power through the Holy Spirit to live a life of freedom and sexual purity.

The stance of Westerville Christian Church on the issue of racism is that racial prejudice is a sin that can only be eradicated through the powerful grace and love of Jesus Christ, and that the church should be a frontrunner in the fight against racial division. The New Testament makes it clear that all people, regardless of racial background, are one in Jesus (Gal. 3:28), and we are commanded not to show favoritism (James 2:1-9). Heaven is to be filled with people “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 7:9). If we will be spending eternity together in heaven, we would be wise to learn how to get along on earth!

It is our conviction that the most successful way to overcome racism is to win people to Jesus Christ and allow him to transform their hearts and minds. Our primary goal, then, is to transform lives so that people are surrendered to Jesus Christ and their hearts are changed. In addition, we have sought as a church to fight against racism in several ways, including instructing our Ministry Partners to love one another and those outside our fellowship regardless of race, encouraging minorities to be involved in leadership and service in our church, and participating in unity services with local congregations of primarily African-American members.

I. Areas of Service:

1. It was a woman who first identified and announced the person of Jesus (Luke 1:39 55).

2. The women were the first to witness the resurrection of Jesus. They were commissioned to tell the Apostles (Matthew 28:1 8; Mark 16:1 8; Luke 24:1 9; John 20:1, 2).

3. Mary held a prayer meeting in her house, and Rhoda, a maid, kept the door and informed the Christians of Peter's arrival (Acts 12:12 16).

4. Lydia was a leader in the founding of the church at Philippi. Because of her conversion, her whole house was baptized (Acts 16:11 15).

5. Priscilla and Aquilla worked with Paul both at Corinth and at Ephesus. Priscilla is generally mentioned first of the two. Both partners of this team went to Apollos to teach him correctly about baptism (Acts 18:18 28). They hosted a church in their home (1 Corinthians 16:19).

6. Philip had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8 10). In the early church this was not merely a role but a position or a category of ministry.

7. Phoebe was a "deaconess" or “minister” (Romans 16:1 2).

8. "Mary worked hard among you" (Romans 16:16).

9. Women were expected to pray and prophesy in the assembly under the right conditions (1 Corinthians 11:5 16).

10. Euodia and Syntyche "contended at my side in the cause of the gospel," says Paul, and calls them “fellow workers” (Philippians 4:2, 3).

11. Nympha had a church in her home (Colossians 4:15). As did a number of the women mentioned in Romans 16:1-15. Of the 29 names, 9 are female; of the 9 specially commended, 6 are women.

12. Women are included the leadership instructions of 1 Timothy 3:1-13 (cf. v. 11). These are either wives of elders or servants along the lines of deacons.

13. Women who had served the church well could be eligible for support (1 Timothy 5:4 10).

14. Women were to rule their households well (1 Timothy 5:14; cf. Proverbs 31:10-31), in submission to their husbands (Ephesians 5:21 33).

15. Older women are instructed to teach younger women how to live a godly and exemplary life (Titus 2:3 5).

16. In the early centuries, not all Christians were tortured. Generally it was only the church leaders who were persecuted. Given the number of women martyrs, we can ascertain that they held considerable positions of influence.

II. Areas of Liberation:

1. Women were allowed to serve, follow, and financially support Jesus during his ministry (Luke 8:1-3) which was socially explosive. They were even allowed to sit as his students, a thing unheard of (Lk 10:38-42).

2. Women were granted equal access to God’s grace (Galatians 3:28). No longer was their salvation dependent on their husbands (cf. Acts 1:14; 2:18; 5:8, 14; 8:3). This is specifically about women’s access to God. This does not eradicate differences in roles or offices in the church.

3. There have always been examples of exceptional women, called by God to fulfill roles traditionally limited to men, especially when men have abdicated their responsibilities (cf. Deborah, Judges 4-5).

III. Area of Limitation:

1. A woman is not to teach or exercise authority over a man (especially referring to her own husband), Ephesians 5:21-24; 1 Corinthians 11:2 16; 14:34 38; 1 Timothy 2:8 15.

2. This was not cultural. This is based on the nature of men and women and God's ordained hierarchy (1 Corinthians 11:7 9; 14:34) and the fact that woman was the first to sin (1 Tim 2:14).

3. Teaching was more than imparting information. It included a dominance of one over another (cf. Matthew 10:24).

4. The major thrust of this teaching is with wives and husbands, not any woman with any man. The Greeks language did not have a separate word for “wife”. It was assumed that any full grown woman would be a wife.

5. Silence in the church is not absolute. It is in the context of taking an authoritative position in teaching, especially through tongues and prophecy.

6. CONCLUSIONS: The limitation of women in the service of the church appears to be along the following lines: a. Authoritative teaching role in corporate worship (1 Corinthians 14:34 36).

DECISION: WOMEN DO NOT PREACH AT WESTERVILLE CHRISTIAN

b. Spiritual leader or teacher in their home (1 Timothy 2:8 15; 1 Timothy 3:1).

DECISION: WOMEN WILL NOT SERVE AS ELDERS AT WESTERVILLE CHRISTIAN

c. Subversion of God's hierarchy of authority, (i.e. God/Christ/Man/ Woman/Children), by acting authoritatively or presumptuously (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:21-24)

d. Here’s an excerpt from Fred Ragland’s research on the role of women in the church.

The Greek word "diakonos," when referring to workers in the church, is usually translated "deacon" in the New Testament---when referring to men! But in Rom. 16:1, Paul says, "I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea." (NIV) But the Greek word translated "servant" in this passage is the same "diakonos." Yet all major American translations use "servant," except for the RSV, which uses "deaconess." It is clear to me that the decision to use "servant" here is based on church tradition alone, and that the RSV decision to use "deaconess" is based on modern American thinking alone! In my opinion, it is impossible to say for certain whether Phoebe was or was not a "deaconess" in the same sense that men in the church are "deacons." It is a known fact that many churches in the third and fourth centuries had deaconesses. The job of a deaconess was to visit the sick and the poor, be present when male officials of the church met with women members, teach younger women, and assist in the baptism of women. But this DOESN'T prove that there WERE deaconesses in FIRST century churches any more than you can prove, using the New Testament, that there were NOT any deaconesses in FIRST century churches. I think this issue must be considered in the area of OPINION, where Christians are free to decide what they believe on this issue. Each congregation should be free to decide whether it will have deaconesses or not. Perhaps the problem is that we have chosen to translate "diakonos" as "deacon" in the first place. Actually, it is NOT a translation at all, but rather the converting of a Greek word to an English word by putting an English ending on the word---a process called "transliteration." “Diakonos" actually means "attendant, waiter, servant, helper." The best translation of "diakonos" would be "servant." We need to stop seeing "deacon" as an office in the church. It is actually a WORKER'S POSITION---a position of service to other church members. I doubt that men in our churches would have any opposition to women serving as "servants" in the church, if we used the word "servant" instead of deacon. If I had my way, we would cease using the term "deacon" altogether and use "servant" instead. Some, however, would argue that women can't be deacons because of what 1 Tim. 3:8 says: "Deacons, likewise, are to be MEN worthy of respect . . ." (NIV) But the Greek word for "men" doesn't appear in the Greek text at all and the Greek word translated "wives" in 1 Tim. 3:11 can also be translated "women."

DECISION: WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO SERVE AT WCC, BUT NEITHER A DEACON OR A DEACONNESS WILL SERVE ON THE CHURCH BOARD!

Summary
(1) Given the list of women's roles in the N.T. it is not reasonable to think Paul was asking women to be absolutely silent in church (after all, how then could they pray and prophesy [1 Cor 11]). Women are therefore encouraged to use their gifts to honor God. If a woman can sing on the praise team then a woman can also pray or lead the congregation to worship our creator.

(2) Most of the discussion about women's roles in relation to men, in my estimation, is specifically about husbands and wives. The context of most passages makes this clear. Thus women are not to submit to all men, nor are they forbidden to teach any man (otherwise Priscilla was out of line in Acts 18 with Apollos). Rather, women are not to be the primary teachers of their husbands.

(3) We are in a global war with the Evil one. If I'm to err, I would rather err or liberating women to join the fray than tying up over half of our soldiers. I am not a feminist, nor is it my intention to "set women" free. My goal as a preacher is to proclaim our unmitigated bondage to Jesus. Nevertheless, we need to ask first, "What is the Holy Spirit calling me to do?" not, "What is my gender role." I find throughout the Bible notable exceptions to women's traditional roles. I have no problem with the Spirit guiding a woman in ways that are unique and even extraordinary.
Dr. Mark Moore, New Testament Studies, Ozark Christian College

Helpful books on the subject:
• Jack Cottrell, Feminism and the Bible, College Press, 1992. Ultra right-wing, conservative view, updated in: Headship, Submission & The Bible: Gender Roles in the Home, 2008.
• Craig Blomberg & James R. Beck, Two Views on Women in Ministry, Zondervan, 2001. (Balanced view). Updated by a less notable scholar in Two Views on Women in Ministry, 2005.
• In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins, by Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza (New York: Crossroad, 1994) This is a classic feminist text and may be all you need to read from a liberationist perspective to get a handle on the classic feminist hermeneutic (or one strand thereof).
• Women in the Earliest Churches, by Ben III Witherington (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1988). Witherington is a good Methodist scholar. Though more to the left than what you may be comfortable with, his historical research is superlative in generally conservative. He is a key player in gospels research.

Westerville Christian Church does not practice “speaking in tongues” in our corporate worship services. We do not believe that speaking in tongues is necessary to prove the presence of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). However, we do not withhold membership from those who believe they have been given this gift, if they agree to exercise their gift privately. Below is a brief explanation of this issue from our perspective.

The Greek New Testament word often translated "tongues" literally means "languages." Acts 2 describes "speaking in tongues" as a miraculous gift given to the disciples so they could communicate the Gospel in foreign languages. Jews from many different nations heard the disciples speaking "in their own native language" (Acts 2:8). The disciples were not babbling or communicating in an unknown angelic language, but rather speaking intelligible languages they had never studied. The miracle had a two-fold purpose: 1) to more quickly spread the Gospel to those of different languages; and 2) to prove the reliability of the apostles' message. (Since the New Testament hadn't yet been written, there was nothing to verify the apostles' bold claims about Jesus Christ.)

However, unlike the Acts 2 example, the "speaking in tongues" practiced today is usually not understandable in any language. It is often called a "prayer language" or an "angelic language," only understandable by God. Some charismatic Christians say that the ability to speak in tongues is a test of one's faith or a test of the true filling of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that all Christians will receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), but that not all Christians will speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).

Other Christians claim the practice of speaking in tongues is ungodly and that those who advocate it are teaching a "false doctrine." They oppose speaking in tongues because the miracle cannot be verified since the individual is claiming to speak in an "angelic" or "unknown" tongue. To the opposition, these unsubstantiated “miracles” seem to devalue the original Acts 2 miracle, which was verified by people from different languages. Also, the pagan religions often practice "babbling," where the worshipper makes strange, uncontrollable utterances to their god. "Speaking in tongues" seems to some people like nothing more than an imitation of this practice. Since God is a God of order and truth, speaking in uncontrolled, incomprehensible utterances seems ungodly.

However, in 1 Corinthians 14:2, Paul mentions the type of "prayer language" that charismatics claim to be speaking. He says, "For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit." He takes three chapters, 1 Corinthians 12-14, to explain how we should view the supernatural gifts, especially the gift of speaking in tongues, and how they should be used in worship. He asks that we not all speak in tongues during corporate worship lest the world think we are out of our minds (1 Corinthians 14:23), and that we do all things decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). He says that intelligible words are more beneficial to the church, ("... in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Corinthians 14:19), but we are not to forbid speaking in tongues. He emphasizes that the spiritual gift of love is the "greatest gift."

We should not flippantly assign the term "miracle" to something that is not. Yet neither should we put God in our box and claim that He can only work the way we think He should. Some will try to point to Paul's claim in 1 Corinthians 13:8 that "tongues... will be stilled" as proof that "speaking in tongues" was a temporary spiritual gift to verify the Gospel message before the New Testament was written. This ideology states that since we now have God's Word, we no longer need the miraculous or supernatural gift. (The same is said of the supernatural gifts of prophecy and healing.) It is true that those gifts are not needed to verify the message of the Gospel because the New Testament is sufficient. (See also Hebrews 2:3-4.) But if God wants to allow someone to speak in an angelic tongue or a foreign language, He can do that as well today as He could in the New Testament.

Throughout 1 Corinthians, Paul repeatedly emphasized that the spiritual gifts should promote unity in the church rather than disharmony. Because this is not a clear-cut biblical issue, we do not forbid ministry partners to speak in tongues. However, to maintain unity and harmony at WCC, we ask that they agree to do so privately, that they not interrupt the worship service in exercising their gift, that they refrain from encouraging others to speak in tongues, and that they not use their gift as a test of faith. Romans 14:22 might be wise advice in this matter: "So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves."