THE “INTERNATIONAL CHURCH OF CHRIST”

ALIAS “THE BOSTON MOVEMENT”

By Bob L. Ross

The “main-line” Church of Christ developed from an original “reformation”/”unity” effort inaugurated by Thomas Campbell in 1809.  The original group formed “The Christian Association of Washington, Pennsylvania” and at first sought “communion” with the same Presbyterian Church Synod which had earlier “censured” Thomas Campbell for his diversions.

After being spurned by the Presbyterians, the “Christian Association” decided to “assume the character of an independent Church,” and this was accomplished on May 4, 1811 at Brush Run.  A short time later, under the leadership of Alexander Campbell, the son of Thomas, the majority of the small church arranged for immersion in water on June 12, 1812, and the act was performed for seven members by a Baptist minister, Matthias Luce, in Buffalo Creek.

Thus the “order” of the beginning of this church was-first, they formed the church organization; second, they were immersed.  As for their “gospel,” this was to come several years later:  the theory was first presented in 1823 by Alexander Campbell in a debate with W.L. McCalla, but the practice did not arrive until 1827 when Walter Scott, a disciple of the Campbells, immersed Mr. William Amend on November 18.  This was supposedly the “restoration of the ancient gospel” of baptism “for (in order to obtain) the remission of sins.”  Amend later joined the Mormons.

All of the foregoing historical details are from the MEMOIRS OF ALEXANDER CAMPBELL and are also related in CAMPBELLISM, ITS HISTORY AND HERESIES by Bob L. Ross, published by Pilgrim Publications, Box 66, Pasadena, Texas 77501.

This movement grew thru the means of proselyting Baptists, Presbyterians, and others and its leaders began calling it the “restoration movement.”  They claimed they were “going back to the Bible” to the “ancient order of things,” restoring the New Testament church.  Although it spoke of “unity,” it was never very strongly unified.  Some of the members left to join the Mormon movement of Joseph Smith and took the “baptismal remission of sins” heresy with them.

Another “splinter” followed after John Thomas and called itself the Christadelphians, and they also taught the “baptismal remission” theory, adding the necessity of “understanding” the “purpose” of baptism for the act to be “scriptural.”  Alexander Campbell, who did not hold to the “baptismal remission” theory when he was immersed in 1812, wrote articles against the view of John Thomas and published them in his MILLENNIAL HARBINGER magazine in 1835 and afterwards.  Campbell himself claimed a conversion “experience” before he ever came to America, long before his immersion (MEMOIRS, Vol. 1, pp. 48, 49; 2, pp. 111, 112).  He had no use for the Thomas theory.

The movement divided in an even more significant development in the mid-1800’s over two issues:  The Missionary Society and Instrumental Music.  As a result of the division over these issues, the “Church of Christ,” as known in the 1900’s, took its form and substance, primarily molded by David Lipscomb and his associates thru THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE magazine and publishing house.  There was a relatively solid unity in the anti-instrument church until the mid-1900’s when the “institutional” issue became a divisive factor.

“Anti-institutionalism” involved opposition by many to the use of church monies for the support of orphan homes and other “man-made organizations.”  Magazines were started to oppose institutionalism and several debates served to magnify the differences.  The result was two “churches of Christ” - THE GOSPEL ADVOCATE variety (pro-institutional) and THE GOSPEL GUARDIAN variety (anti’s).

“Crossroadsism”

In the 1970’s, a new and an aggressive “evangelism” began to assert itself under the leadership of Chuck Lucas at the Crossroads Church of Christ in Gainesville, Florida.  There was a special emphasis toward the student body of the University of Florida.  This new approach attached more importance to pre-baptismal and post-baptismal “discipleship.”  To accomplish its purpose, there was more regimentation of both the leadership and those being “discipled.”  Methodology (technique, procedure, etc.) became of utmost importance, necessitating “seminars” and “manual” type instruction.

“Crossroadsism” eventually collapsed along with the ministry of Lucas, but not before it was absorbed and transplanted to Boston, Massachusetts by Kip McKean and his associates, in 1979.  They have effectively used the basics of “Crossroadsism” and added a few touches of their own, creating the current “International Church of Christ,” or as it is commonly called, “The Boston Movement.”

McKean is committed to the Campbellite “restoration-of-the-church” ideology, plus he has added a “reconstruction” ideology.  The latter is the term used for proselyting “churches of Christ” already existing, covering “re-baptisms” of those who are deemed to need such baptism.  He also has developed a “pyramid” structure of church “government” whereby the “hierarchy” at the “top” has control over the whole movement.  This is on the order of Romanism and other cultic organizations which are dominated by one or more primary leaders.  This system engenders “loyalty” and “mind control” on the lower stratas of the “pyramid.”  But these matters have to do with organizational format, not the “soteriology” (doctrine on salvation) of the movement.

Both “Crossroadsism” and “Bostonism” are basically the “Campbellism” or “Church of Christism” of former times, teaching the “baptismal remission of sins” theory.  The methodology and regimentation are more innovative, but the doctrine on “baptismal remission” and “conditional” salvation thereafter are the same.  From our perspective, their doctrine is “salvation by works.”

For a thorough refutation of “Church of Christ” theories and practices, the following titles are available:

CAMPBELLISM:  HISTORY AND HERESIES

ACTS 2:38 AND BAPTISMAL REMISSION

THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT

BAPTISM & “RESTORATION MOVEMENT”

SALVATION:  GRACE VS. RESTORATIONISM

TRACTS ON CAMPBELLISM (Collection)

Pilgrim Publications

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Publishers of C. H. Spurgeon’s Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit. 

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