By Jerry Harris
In the eight years I’ve served as publisher of Christian Standard, the request I’ve received more than any other is to define what it means to be “The Restoration Movement.” I’ve provided a number of different answers to that question over the years, often sharing our distinctives out of the gate. It seems we gravitate to our differences first—and often to some unproductive conversations; but a recent conversation changed both my view and approach to answering that question.
Recently a good friend was invited to speak at our church and I had the opportunity to show him around and share a view of the ministry of The Crossing. I had come to know him after he was invited to share in a special fellowship we have with leaders of churches with attendances of over 5,000. My friend wasn’t originally affiliated with the Restoration Movement, as he was raised in a denomination; but the church he led had become non-denominational. I took him to our location in Hannibal, Missouri because of the opulent Orpheum Theater we purchased and restored for our church location there, all the history regarding Mark Twain, and our particular history in the Restoration Movement.
After touring the church, we stepped outside from the entrance that faced Central Park. I was excited to tell him that one of the first pioneers of the Restoration Movement, Barton Stone, started the first church in Hannibal just about 100 feet from where we were standing. I told him that Stone died just a few hundred yards away from us on 1st Street at his daughter’s house, and that his wife is buried on Cardiff Hill, directly in front of us about a half mile away. Expecting him to be impressed by that, I scanned his face only to be greeted with a blank stare. I gave words to what his expression made obvious. “You don’t know who Barton Stone is, do you?” He nodded and said that I had hit the nail on the head. I responded, “You fellowship with this group of Restoration Movement leaders. Would you like to know what we believe?” He said he would.
I explained that our distinctives as a movement come from Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17. In that prayer, Jesus prayed that his Father would protect and direct his disciples into three things: truth, unity, and evangelism. In verse 17, he prayed that they would be sanctified in the truth and exclaimed, “Your Word is truth.” I told my friend that we believe the Bible is God’s Word, infallible, inerrant, and authoritative. “You believe that too,” I said, and he agreed. Second, in verse 21, Jesus prayed that his disciples would be one even as he is one with his Father. These two realities are in tension with each other as truth without unity is sectarianism and unity without truth is universalism. I shared that we reach out in grace but only as far as truth will let us. Finally, in verses 22-23, Jesus prayed that the outcome of the first two would allow the world to know that God had sent his Son into the world—Evangelism. “This is our mission!” I said. “We passionately seek unity while standing on truth as the catalyst for evangelism! Everything we seek and believe is downhill from that!” I finished my explanation by saying, “And you believe every one of those things as much as I do, don’t you?” He passionately agreed.
No one will argue with Jesus’ words in this prayer. It cuts through all the noise of confusion, pride, and division. We need to discuss our distinctives under and after this. Literally, everything we do needs to exist under these three core understandings. My friend brought up some of the differences between his understanding and what he knew of our movement. I shared the Scriptures where those positions came from. I didn’t expect him to change his way of thinking, but a sturdy bridge had been built from John 17 that gave us both a place to stand and discuss those differences without pride or division.
That’s the same bridge The Solomon Foundation stands for and stands on. It exists to be a ministry partner for Restoration Movement churches and a catalyst to introduce non-denominational churches to these principles. And why is that? Because it’s what Jesus prayed for. And when we pursue unity without compromising truth, God blesses our ministry and his kingdom grows. The Solomon Foundation is all about growing that kingdom particularly through the evangelism and discipleship that happens in healthy, growing churches that are able to reach their dreams with a partnership that helps them get to the next level.
We encourage you to check out what’s going on at thesolomonfoundation.org to see how you might be a part of growing God’s kingdom while receiving a great return on your investment; or become acquainted with the churches of our movement that have broken through ceilings, changing communities and regions for the cause of Christ!
Jerry Harris is publisher of Christian Standard.
Contact us at cs@christianstandardmedia.com
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