The Strand Study Bible

JOHN

JOHN

1730

Church of God folks, for the most part, believe in a literal eternal Hell.

Church of Christ (1900’s) - Men “ working ” to save themselves ( Eph 5:19 )

The Church of Christ Movement, due to their objection to musical instruments being played in church, officially withdrew from the Disciples of Christ Movement in 1906. Both movements, of course, had their roots in the Stone-Campbell “baptismal regeneration” Movement that took place back in the middle 1830’s. Its first leaders (Walter Scott, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone) were Presbyterian in doctrine and so were “Calvinistic” in theology. However, eventually they all came to reject their “Calvinistic” roots. Scott in favor of an evangelistic agenda that called for a response of faith, Campbell in the light of his definition of faith, and Stone in the context of his revivalism. Although the Church of Christ does bow down to God as a Trinity, they don’t serve God’s great interest by teaching salvation by “grace.” The Church of Christ Movement believes in salvation by “works.” They believe in “baptismal regeneration” and living their lives in a godly manner in order to gain Heaven. The Church of Christ has a current membership of approximately 2.5 million followers. They believe in a literal eternal Hell.

Church of the Nazarene (1908) - God “ working ” to save men (Jn 3:16)

A break-off of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, most Nazarene churches do bow down to God as a Trinity and most serve God’s great interest by teaching salvation by “grace.” Nazarenes, for the most part, believe in a literal eternal Hell. United Church of Religious Science (Ernest Holmes - 1927) - Men “ working ” to reincarnate themselves into something better.

A break-off of Hinduism , the United Church of Religious Science is based on Pantheism (all is God). Their modern magazine is called Science Journal . The United Church of Religious Science neither bows down to God as a Trinity nor serves God’s great interest by teaching salvation by grace. The United Church of Religious Science believes in Hinduism’s “karma.” According to Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz, in World Religions & Cults 101 , the Mind Sciences (minus New Age) have a current membership of about 1 million followers. 5 They look for compassionate, spiritually sensitive people who desire to feel better about humanity and the world. They make people feel better about life by creating an alternate reality (denying the reality of a personal God while substituting the notion of an impersonal force, (StarWars).

Worldwide Church of God (1933) - Men “ working ” to save themselves

The origin of the Worldwide Church of God can be traced back to Herbert W. Armstrong, who held to many unusual doctrines. Thankfully, over the years, Armstrong’s successors, Joseph W. Tkach and his son, Joseph Tkach, Jr., have tried to reform the Worldwide Church of God and bring it back in line with orthodox Christianity. The Worldwide Church of God is now a member of the National Association of Evangelicals and has a current membership of approximately 42,000 followers. The United Pentecostal “Oneness” Movement is a mixture of three other movements: 1. The Stone-Campbell “baptismal regeneration” Movement (1830’s) 2. The Apostolic Church (1832) 3. The Word of Faith Movement , started by Kenneth Hagin (1917-2003) and famed healer William Marrion Branham (1909-1965) Called the “Oneness” Movement, United Pentecostals neither bow down to God as a Trinity nor serve God’s great interest by teaching salvation by grace. The United Pentecostal “Oneness” Movement believes in salvation by “works.” They believe one has to be baptized in the name of Jesus, speak in tongues, and live their lives in a godly manner in order to gain Heaven. The United Pentecostal “Oneness” Movement, called the UPCI, was formed from a merger of two “Oneness” Pentecostal Churches in September 1945 in St. Louis, Missouri. However, their “Oneness” doctrine originated from a sermon given by R.E. McAlister in 1913 on Acts 2:38 ( II Tim 4:3 & 4:20 and Mk 16:18 ). The United Pentecostal Movement has a current membership of less than 1 million followers. Their modern magazine is called ‘ The End Times’ , produced by Irving Baxter. They believe in a literal eternal Hell.

United Pentecostal (1940’s) - Men “ working ” to save themselves ( Eph 5:19 )

United Church of Christ (1957) - Men “ working ” to save themselves

The United Church of Christ came into being with the union of two Protestant denominations: