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The History of
the Church of Christ – Lesson 7
The Spread of
Restoration Principles in America
In our ongoing
study of church history, we have traced the story from the Old
Testament prophecies of Isaiah, Joel, and others, to the New
Testament fulfillment of those promises in the establishment of the
church in Acts 2. We have seen its early growth and also the
apostolic warnings of departures from the faith, such as Paul’s
prophecy in Acts 20 that even elders would arise teaching error. We
have followed the development of unscriptural religious
organizations through the centuries—first the Roman Catholic Church,
then the Protestant Reformation—and noted how both diverged from New
Testament teaching.
In recent lessons
we have examined the 18th and 19th century reformers in Scotland
such as John Glas, Robert Sandeman, and the Haldane brothers. They
recognized that mere reform of existing denominations was
insufficient; what was needed was a complete restoration of the New
Testament pattern. While they did not always go far enough, their
work planted seeds. The same spirit was evident in America among
people who, without knowledge of one another, reached similar
conclusions simply by studying the Bible alone.
John Lien
and Early Alabama Churches
One such figure
was John Lien of Bardstown, Kentucky. In the late 1700s, while
Native Americans still inhabited the area, Lien studied his Bible
diligently. He refused to preach Baptist doctrine, choosing instead
to teach only what Scripture said. This stand brought him into
conflict with local Baptists. Hearing about Barton W. Stone’s
preaching, he traveled 80 miles to meet him, resulting in Lien’s
baptism.
In 1810, Lien
moved with his two married daughters and their husbands to north
Alabama. He began preaching in Huntsville, and in 1814 organized the
church there—the earliest known congregation in the area. One
daughter helped establish the Stoney Point Church of Christ in
Florence in 1824, a congregation that has met continuously ever
since. The other daughter helped start a congregation in Waterloo in
1826.
From
Alabama to Texas
The Waterloo
congregation mysteriously disappeared in 1835, its fate unknown
until a letter surfaced in the library of Texas Christian
University. Dr. Mansell Matthews, a member of the church, explained
that the entire congregation relocated to Texas under the guidance
of none other than Davy Crockett. Crockett, impatient with the
group’s practice of stopping for all-day worship each Sunday, left
them in Memphis before traveling to San Antonio, where he died at
the Alamo. The Waterloo members settled in Clarksville, Texas,
starting what appears to have been the first Church of Christ in the
state in 1836.
From this family
came Joseph Addison Clark and his sons Addison and Randolph, both
preachers. They established AddRan College near Thorp Spring, Texas,
which later became Texas Christian University. Sadly, division came
when the younger Clarks pushed for instrumental music in worship,
over their father’s objections. Despite petitions from most members
opposing it, a piano was brought into the building. Two-thirds of
the congregation, led by the father, walked out—an event remembered
for the phrase, “Play on, Miss Bertha.”
Independent
Restoration Movements
Movements toward
restoration appeared across the United States. In 1818, believers in
New York began calling themselves the Church of Christ and urged
others to be simply New Testament Christians. In Georgia, settlers
influenced by James O’Kelly began meeting in 1807, later interacting
with followers of Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell. By 1832, the
Antioch congregation had abandoned denominational names, calling
themselves Christians—just as in Acts 11:26.
In Tennessee, a
group south of McMinnville united on the Bible alone in 1805 or
1806. Some members later moved to Bridgeport, Alabama, establishing
a congregation still in existence today.
Arkansas
and Missouri Churches
Many early
congregations in Arkansas and Missouri were planted by Christians
who had migrated from Tennessee and Kentucky, often decades before
the Civil War. In Jonesboro, Arkansas, the Fisher Street Church of
Christ began with two men preaching on the streets, later renting
space in a Masonic Lodge before building their own facility.
Faith,
Sacrifice, and Persecution
The work of
these early Christians required immense sacrifice. Some preachers
traveled on foot for miles, holding meetings and starting
congregations without pay. In many cases, their preaching led to the
closure of denominational churches in an area. But persecution was
common—sometimes violent. In one tragic incident, a preacher was
murdered in a home where he was staying simply because the
homeowner’s father hated the Church of Christ.
These stories
inspire us today. They remind us that the restoration plea—returning
to the Bible alone for authority in faith and practice—spread not
through famous leaders alone, but through countless unnamed men and
women whose courage and devotion built congregations that still
stand today.
[The
History of the Church of Christ – Lesson 7 Sermon Outline]
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Introduction
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Review
of prophecy and fulfillment: Isaiah, Joel, John the Baptist,
Jesus, Acts 2.
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Warnings
of apostasy (Acts 20).
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Departure into Roman Catholicism and denominationalism.
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Protestant Reformation and its limitations.
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Restoration movement in Scotland and America.
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Key
Figures and Locations
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John
Lien – Bardstown, Kentucky to Huntsville, Alabama (1814).
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Florence, AL – Stoney Point Church of Christ (1824).
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Waterloo, AL – Relocation to Clarksville, TX (1836).
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Connection to Davy Crockett and the Alamo.
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Clark
Family and AddRan College
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Other
Restoration Efforts
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New York
congregation (1818) calling themselves “Church of Christ.”
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Georgia
congregations influenced by James O’Kelly, Barton Stone,
Alexander Campbell.
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Antioch,
GA – adoption of the name “Christians.”
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Tennessee to Alabama migration – Bridgeport congregation.
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Arkansas and Missouri
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Characteristics of the Restoration Movement
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Sole
authority of Scripture.
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Autonomy
of congregations.
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Weekly
observance of the Lord’s Supper.
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Baptism
by immersion.
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Opposition to Calvinism.
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Sacrifice and Persecution
Call to
Action
Let us be
thankful for the men and women who, at great personal cost, sought
to restore the New Testament church. Their courage should move us to
hold fast to the pattern of sound words, to love the truth, and to
share the gospel without compromise, even in the face of ridicule or
opposition.
Key
Takeaways
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The
restoration plea emerged in many places independently through
Bible study (Acts 17:11).
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Congregations often began in homes, rented halls, or public
spaces (Romans 16:5).
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Church
autonomy and biblical authority were central (1 Peter 5:2).
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Opposition
to innovations such as instrumental music was rooted in a desire
to preserve New Testament worship (Colossians 3:16).
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Faithful
Christians endured hardship and persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
Scripture
Reference List
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Isaiah 2:2–3
– Prophecy of the Lord’s house.
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Joel 2:28–32
– Outpouring of the Spirit.
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Matthew
16:18 – The church’s certainty.
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Acts 2 –
Establishment of the church.
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Acts
20:28–30 – Warning of apostasy.
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Romans 16:5
– Church meeting in a home.
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1 Peter 5:2
– Shepherding the flock among you.
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Colossians
3:16 – Singing in worship.
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2 Timothy
3:12 – Persecution of the godly.
Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at
Granby, MO
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The
church of Christ
