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Home>TheMagazine>2004>March

An Unusual Church of Christ

Lucadohasbeenmakingsomecontroversialchanges
ByCindyCrosby / MARCH 1, 2004

MaxLucado'semphasisonsecondchancesispromptingchangesathischurch 38 tweet link

notleastshorteningitsnamefromOakHillsChurchofChristtoOakHills email print

Church.

"Somepeoplefindthenameof'ChurchofChrist'tobeaninsurmountable
barrier,"Lucadowritesinthechurch'snewvisionstatement."Scriptureurgesus
toremoveculturalhindranceswhileremainingscripturallytrue."Thename

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changeispartofabiggerplantobecomeamultisitechurchonechurch,many
campusesinthenexteighttotenyears.

Inaddition,OakHillsisoneofahandfulofChurchofChristcongregationsthat
includemusicalinstrumentsintheirSundayeveningservices,aswellasat"20to
30something"morningservices,whichOakHillsholdsinitsfellowshiphall.The
threeSundaymorningservicesinthemainworshipcenterwillremainacappella.

MostChurchofChristcongregationshaveusedonlyacappellaworshipmusic
throughouttheirhistory.Thedenomination,firstrecognizedin1906,isthemost
conservativeofthethreeRestorationiststreams(theothertwobeingtheDisciples
ofChristandtheChristianChurches).Otherdistinctivesincludeanemphasison
NewTestamentChristianity,congregationalindependence,weeklyobservanceof
theLord'sSupper,andthenecessityofbaptismforsalvation.Lucado,likemany
ChurchofChristministers,nolongerbelievesthatlastteaching.

TherecentchangesatOakHillshavedrawnmixedreviewsinthedenomination.
SomebelieveLucadoiscompromisingthedenomination'sdistinctives,even
thoughtheyunderstandhismotives.

SuchchangesarerareintheChurchofChrist,saysCharlesSiburt,associatedean
atAbileneChristianUniversity,whereLucadoearnedhisundergraduateand
graduatedegrees."Icanonlythinkofahandfulwhohavedoneso,"Siburtsays.
"WhilemostleadersinChurchesofChristdorecognizethatsomeofourchurches
considertheirChurchofChristidentityasanunnecessaryobstacletotheir
CURRENTISSUE
MARCH 2017

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3/1/2017 AnUnusualChurchofChrist|ChristianityToday

ultimatepriorities,wecannothelpbutfeelasenseoflosswhenaChurchofChrist TheBenedict
Option'sVision
choosesanotheridentitywhateverthereason."
foraChristian
Village
ThepresidentofAbileneChristianUniversity,Dr.RoyceMoney,saysheand GeneYang:A
Lucadoaregoodfriends,andherespectsLucado."TounderstandMax,onemust GraphicNovelist
realizethathehastheheartofamissionary.Hewilldowhateverhethinkswill CaughtBetween
TwoWorlds
reachthemostpeopleforChrist,"Moneysays."Ipersonallyregretthathischurch
IntheImageof
leadershavedecidedtochangetheirnameandworshipformat,butIunderstand
OurChoosing
theirrighttodosoasanautonomouscongregationofGod'speople."
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TAGS: MaxLucado

FROM March2004,Vol.48,No.3,Pg62
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