Let The River Run - Christ Church Nashville

[CC1]

Dan Scott, Pastor of Christ Church Nashville, has just written a book about a period of tremendous growth and transformation at Christ Church a couple of decades ago.

During this time many ministries were birthed that continue today including Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace work / ministry.

The book will be for sale in printed form but is online free at the link I am pasting below. Below that link I am pasting a quote from the book pertaining to when Christ Church left the UPC. This is not the focus of the book but thought some here would find it interesting.

http://www.christchurchnashville.org...rRun_ebook.pdf


"It is difficult to tell the history of Christ Church
without including some of our reasons for separating from our
parent denomination. Like most such stories, this one
involved pain, and still looks different from the various
perspectives of those who experienced it.
It is not necessary to tell that story in detail, of course.
It would not even be helpful for our purposes here. What is
necessary is to explain that the denomination within which
our church was birthed went through a
number of political and doctrinal purges
in the nineteen seventies and eighties.
As a result, its original allowances for
local and regional differences were
replaced by an insistence on doctrinal
uniformity. During that period, it also
ended its historic tolerance for those
members with relationships to the
broader Christian world.

Because of our deep love and
respect for those Pentecostal leaders who brought us to faith
(and who mentored us in ministry), our church tried for
several years to maintain its formal connections with our
denomination.

By the early eighties however, Christ Church
had become increasingly embarrassing to the denomination‟s
newer leaders. This came to a head in 1986, when the
denomination asked Pastor Hardwick to cancel a speaking
engagement he had planned in a non-aligned congregation.
Because the event was less than a week away, he decided to
formally withdraw his membership.

It would be difficult to explain to those of younger
generations how traumatic this was at the time. Nowadays, it
is common for a church and its leaders to lack denominational
affiliation. That is a relatively new development though.
Throughout history, local churches have been expressions of
larger entities. These larger bodies – denominations – have
historically provided leadership, resources, and most
importantly, an identity for their affiliated local churches. For
these reasons, until the last few years, most pastors would
have thought it rebellious and irresponsible to minister
outside the corporate covering of a denomination.
That was certainly our anxiety. For example, we
wondered how we would ordain young ministers. Without the
visible succession to past ages that our denomination
represented, what authority would we have to ordain anyone?
How would we do missions work? Where would we find
fellowship with other believers in other places? Although we
knew other Christians in our area and other places, they were
“not quite the same as we." We wondered how we would fit in,
or whether we would even want to fit in.

Strangely enough, we might have never formed real
relationships with other kinds of Christians had our former
denomination not forced our hand. However, once we were no
longer affiliated with the denomination, its members were
discouraged from speaking in our church or from receiving us
in theirs. This act of corporate shunning forced us to make
new friends and alliances."

[Orthodoxy]

Wow, I had no idea Christ Church branched from the UPC... Interesting.

So, does Dave Ramsey have Apostolic roots?

[Hoovie]

Very interesting!

[Michael The Disciple]

Do they still teach that Jesus is God the Father? Do they still baptize in the name of Jesus?

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Do they still teach that Jesus is God the Father? Do they still baptize in the name of Jesus?

Yes they still baptize in Jesus name.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Do they still teach that Jesus is God the Father? Do they still baptize in the name of Jesus?

They baptize in Jesus name. They used to have their booklet about what they believe online but I don't see it now. I have a printed copy of it. In it they talk about the divisions concerning the godhead and I believe conclude the issue will never be resolved this side of heaven.

[CC1]

I found a post I made from a couple of years ago that has the Christ Church Nashville brief statement of belief (note the booklet that expands on it). I am pasting it below;

WE BELIEVE;

... in one God, revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

... that our Lord Jesus Christ was begotten, not created, very God of very God, truly God, truly Man. He was born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, died a vicarious and atoning death for the sins of the world, was resurrected bodily for our justification, and now reigns in glory until all things be put under His feet.

... in the absolute inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, given by the Holy Spirit without error, as He moved upon holy men of old. Furthermore, ... that the church has no authority to establish doctrine or practice contrary to these same Scriptures, which were subsequently accepted as canon by the early Christian Church.

... that man was made in the image of God and is the crown of creation. He is now, by reason of the fall, spiritually depraved and alienated from His Creator. Apart from God's grace he has no ability to attain to his high calling.

... that justification is by grace through faith in our Lord's sacrifice on Calvary.

... that all of God's people are to be buried with Christ in the waters of baptism, subsequent to conversion. While we freely embrace those of contrary opinion, we feel that this rite is scripturally administered "in the name of the Lord Jesus."

... that the Holy Spirit indwells all believers, conforming them to the image of Jesus Christ.

... that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is an enduement of powers subsequent to conversion, given by God to anoint the believer for sanctification and evangelism. It is our understanding that the supernatural charisms of the Holy Spirit are active within the body of Christ until the coming of the Lord. Furthermore, ... the development of these charismatic gifts ought to be encouraged under the guidance of local church authorities.

... in the Holy Christian Church, imperfectly represented on Earth by the various Christian institutions. Her unity is spiritual, her culture diverse and transitional, her mission eternal.

... that the calling of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher are functional within the Body of Christ until the Lord's return. Furthermore, these ministries are gifts to the church for the purpose of equipping the saints for the work of ministry, that the Body of Christ be edified.

... the identity of the Body of Christ on the Earth is primarily perceived through the local church. While encouraging the voluntary association of local churches, and recognizing the need of consensus on matters of fundamental doctrine and conduct, we strongly confess the local church to be sovereign and autonomous.

... in the right of local churches and ministries to form temporal institutions to assist them in carrying out the work of God. At the same time, we reject sectarianism and divisiveness as great evils.

... in the priesthood of the believer. That is to say all people born of God have equal status before, and direct access to their Lord.

... in the spiritual unity of all who are born of God. We confess even those with whom we disagree, those who do not confess us, and others whom we exclude because of our unwillful ignorance.

... that those who are called by the name of Christ should depart from iniquity. Understanding that salvation from the penalty of sin only begins the process of redemption, we acknowledge that one work of the Holy Spirit is to create in us the character of Christ.

... in the literal second coming of our Lord, the literal rule of Christ upon Earth, the resurrection of the regenerate to eternal life and the unregenerate to eternal damnation, and the ultimate victory of the eternal Kingdom of God.

[pelathais]

Thanks, sí sí juan. But, do they believe in the real® resurrection?

[Michael The Disciple]

Well if I were in the neiborhood I might drop in for a visit.

[CC1]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Well if I were in the neiborhood I might drop in for a visit.

A lot of traditional Pentecostals would not like it as it is not a revved up jumping and hollering type church.

You can check them out online as they archive their video webcasts. It is the complete service with praise and worship, choir, and preaching. Be sure and watch one that has Dan Scott or L.H. Hardwick as the speaker. I am pasting a link to their sermon page here;

http://christchurchnashville.org/sermons.htm