Topic(s):  Church

Todd Clippard

Ideas among our brethren on the continuity of the church from Pentecost to the present vary. Some (like me) believe the church has always existed in some form somewhere in the world. We believe this because the Scriptures have existed in relative abundance throughout the course of A.D. history. We believe the New Testament can be understood by the masses and that the church as God designed it could be established and maintained anywhere.

I don't know anyone among our brethren who believes Alexander Campbell started the church. In Earl West's Search for the Ancient Order, there is irrefutable evidence to show the church existed in the US while the Campbell's (and Alexander in particular) were still in Scotland. In fact, there were men all around the country, each unaware of the others, who were abandoning the trappings of denominational error and the shackles of the same, and embracing simple, undenominational, New Testament Christianity.

Also, a brother in the UK has done extensive research showing the church was in the UK in the 1500's.

Finally, there is evidence in the Vatican Library of 12th century Catholic persecution of those who were practicing believers immersion for the purpose of obtaining remission of sins. I would assume these were also our people, as none of the modern denominational bodies were even close to being in existence during that period.