The Whitmore church of Christ is an undenominational body of Christians who seek to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

In saying we are “undenominational,” we are simply saying that we wish to be identified only with the church Jesus built (Matthew 16:18), for which He shed His blood on the cross (Acts 20:28), and therefore do not conceive of ourselves as a denomination. The church belongs to, and is identified with, Christ alone (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18).

What is Our Message?

The early church boldly presented the message of Jesus Christ crucified (I Corinthians 1:23). The fact that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected three days later is the good news we proclaim (I Corinthians 15:1-4). Salvation is in His name (Acts 4:12). Christ and His teaching, presented personally by Him in the gospels and through the apostles in the New Testament writings (Acts 2:42), forms the body of our preaching and teaching. We believe the Bible to be God’s inspired word and the basis for what we preach, teach and practice (II Timothy 3:16-17).

How Do We Worship?

You will find simplicity to our worship. We celebrate the Lord’s Supper (communion) every Sunday, seeing this memorial as an integral part of the early Christian’s gatherings as Jesus instructed (Luke 22:19-23; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 11:23-28). We sing praises and spiritual songs a cappella – that is, without the accompaniment of musical instruments (Colossians 3:16-17; Ephesians 5:19). Scripture is read from and preached (I Timothy 4:13; II Timothy 4:2). Heart-felt prayers are led in each assembly. And, we take a free will offering from our members to support our ministry (I Corinthians 16:1-2; II Corinthians 9:6-7).

How Does One Become a Member?

When we speak of being a member of the church, we use this term in the New Testament sense that Christians are members of Christ’s body which is His church (Romans 12:4-5; I Corinthians 12:13-14). In the New Testament we learn that when people were saved, the Lord added them to His people (Acts 2:47). When a person is united with Christ in baptism, they are “baptized into one body” (I Corinthians 12:13).

In the book of Acts, people who believed in Jesus and wished to follow Him were called to repent of sin and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 8:35-39; Acts 16:23-34; Acts 22:16). Repentance and baptism were decisions and acts done in the Bible by those who came to believe personally in Jesus (Mark 16:15-16).

These were added to Christ’s church without any condition other than their desire to faithfully serve Him throughout their life. Salvation then belongs to:

One Who:

  1. Believes that Jesus is the Son of God and the only hope for salvation.
  2. Repents of sins by exhibiting godly sorrow for what he/she has done against God, recognizing that there is not any power to remove sins from oneself, and that one must be forgiven by God, ready to seek God’s help, and will strive not to sin.
  3. Asserts the belief that Jesus is God’s Son who can remove sins.
  4. Is buried with Christ to rise again with new hope. The engagement of this burial is immersion baptism which is the apparent evidence of one’s duty to God and submission to His will. At the time of his/her commitment through baptism, God will wash away sins and help in fulfilling their obligation to Him by giving them His Holy Spirit to dwell in them. The Spirit will guide and protect the believer through the Word. In baptism you not only die to your old sinful self, but you also undertake a new life of hope and reliance in Christ.