Who are we?

 To put it positively: We are simply Christians. We want to be no less than Christians, and no more than Christians. We simply want to imitate the faith, character, and practices of the early Christians using the “blueprint” that consists of the New Testament.

“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” Philippians 3.17 NASB

“For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.” 1 Corinthians 4.17 NASB

“If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.” 1 Corinthians 14.37 NASB

 To put it negatively: We have no “creed book” (unless we may call the New Testament itself our creed). We have no earthly headquarters, we have no human, earthly leadership who decides how we will live or worship or to whom we swear allegiance. We do not call ourselves by the name of any human religious leader. We have no organization apart from our church, and we are not obligated to uphold any human religious tradition. If we are different from other religious groups for these reasons, so be it. If we do not include some common religious practices among our own, or if we do some things that seem unusual from the average church, it is only because our investigation into the nature and character of the early church of Jesus Christ has led us to our conclusions and convictions.

 We do not consider ourselves to be perfect, and we have no quarrel with anyone. Hopefully, we will have the honesty to examine ourselves, our beliefs, and our practices continually to make sure that we are truly imitating the pattern of the New Testament. We do not consider ourselves to be morally superior to others. We are simply believers in Jesus, Christians, who are trying to live according to the teachings of Jesus in the hope that he will bring us to heaven to be with him one day.

“We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,  since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel” Colossians 1:3-5 NASB