The video above was shown at a recent joint worship assembly of the New York City church and the Central Jersey church. My family wasn’t too thrilled about going into the city for church that day, and opted instead to pay a visit to the Freehold Church of Christ.  This presentation is very encouraging and challenging (such goals!), but I had two main concerns when I saw it initially. One was about the term, “Tri-State Region of the International Church of Christ,” and the second was the reference to “regional elders.”  I did some fact-checking and it turns out there was some misunderstanding on my part, so I provide the following explanation for anyone else who might be curious.

What I’ve been told is that this fellowship within the Stone-Campbell Movement is opting to be interdependent, rather than formally denominational (or more accurately, “sectarian,” as in the past, with a strict hierarchy above and beyond the local church) or (more-or-less) completely independent, as is the case with the a cappella Churches of Christ and independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ.

The “regional elders” refers to the regions of the New York City church, not to the “Tri-State Region” as a whole.  It has further been explained to me that there will only be cooperation in assuring that churches prepare and set apart qualified elders, not that there will be a council of elders external to the congregation.

That said, the plans, aspirations and objectives set forth are really inspiring. I’m proud that my family is a part of the Central Jersey Church of Christ, and for the first time really feel at home not only in the Restoration Movement as a whole, but within a particular segment of it.