WHO ARE WE?
The Blue Hill Church of Christ is an independent, autonomous, non-denominational church, whose members have come from a wide variety of backgrounds and doctrinal persuasions. For most people, “non-denominational” means “no ties to any overseeing body – an independent local congregation.” That definition suits us well, but it doesn’t mean we are just one congregation. We have no official worldly “headquarters.” No governing body mandates with dictated doctrine or affiliations with the Boston Church of Christ and any other cults. And yet, we are very united in our attitude toward the Bible, in the way our congregations are governed, in our concept of the Christian life, and in the way we believe people become Christians. If you are unfamiliar with the teachings of the church of Christ, please visit our What to Expect resource page or view our beliefs below. If you already a member of the Lord’s church, we pray that this website will be a blessing to you.
OUR BELIEF?
Matthew 16:18 - Jesus said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” We are New Testament Christians, that is, we believe and follow the teachings of the New Testament. We do not add or take away from what the scriptures teach.
We believe Jesus promised to build his Church. It was intended to be the Body of Christ on earth. Just as Jesus was God, visible on the earth, Jesus intended that after his death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, His Church would be the visible Christ on the earth. Jesus never intended there be a host of religious bodies, all calling themselves different things, with conflicting doctrines, claiming to be His Church. God is not the God of disorder or confusion. He is the God of peace. Denominationalism is and has always been divisive.
We believe that God has eternally existed.
He is:
- Omnipotent — all-powerful.
- Omniscient — all-knowing.
- Omnipresent — everywhere present.
- Creator of heaven and earth and everything in them.
- Sustainer of our lives.
Gen. 1:1, Gen. 1:27
We believe that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. He is co-equal with God, the one and only Son of God who died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead. He offers us eternal life as a free gift. John 1:1, John 1:14
We believe the church is a community of men and women, free under Christ, following His orders when given and otherwise governing their own affairs.
- The church is the body of Christ. It is an organism, a living body. It is Christ's body and He is its head.
- The church is the bride of Christ.
- There is one body.
Believers are united to one other by their belief in the Bible. Ephesians 4:3-4
We believe that the Bible is the inspired written Word of God. And human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote it. It is the authoritative rule of faith and practice for Christians and the Church. Each person who approaches it with the same care that is used in interpreting any important literature can understand the Bible. We are scripture led and believe the Bible is the Word of God and the only reliable guide for our lives. For that to be true, the Bible cannot be open to just any interpretation – no matter how convenient or comfortable that interpretation might make us (though we admit, some of our people find themselves doing that from time to time). Our approach is to ask what each book of the Bible was intended by God to say to the original readers. It cannot say more than what it was intended to say to the original readers, and that is the limit of its interpretation for us.
God is love. God is all-powerful. Therefore, God's love moved him to communicate his will in a way that the object of His love can understand it. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Pet. 1:23, Rom. 10:17
