In the Bible, the New Testament book of Acts reminds us that the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) tell us about what Jesus “began to do and teach”. The ministry of Jesus was simply a beginning point for the work of God. The church is the continuation of the work and ministry of Jesus. This is why the New Testament speaks of the church as the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians. 12:27) of which Jesus is the head (Colossians 1:18).
J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings died in 1973. At his death his son, Christopher, put his father’s papers in order, and finished the book The Silmarillion. This analogy helps us understand the church – we continue what Jesus began to do and teach.
The church cannot do this ministry by its own power, but it must be done through the Spirit. For this reason, God poured out his Spirit on all people (Acts 2). It is the Spirit that gives the church both the strength and gifts necessary to continue Christ’s work.
The earliest examples of ‘church’ come from the New Testament. As a church, we look to those biblical examples to inform our decisions about how a church that looks like Jesus should act. We seek to do things in a right way (by following the Bible) with the right heart (a heart that loves God more than everything). The New Testament uses many metaphors for the church that help give us guidance as a church. Some of the most common images are: body of Christ, bride of Christ, family of God, God’s house, and temple of God. As a group of people, we all seek to work together for the common goal of becoming what God intends of the church.
Our desire is …
- We seek to live under the authority of the Bible as our primary guide in all elements of congregational life.
- We seek to use the examples of church in the New Testament as a guide to the kinds of congregations that please God
- We seek to live in a community that encourages each other to continue to grow stronger in our relationship with Christ.
- We seek to share the Good News message with those in need of that lifesaving Word.
A brief history of the Billings church of Christ
The Billings church of Christ has been in existence since 1932 and currently has about 200 members. Construction on the current church building at 10th and Alderson began in 1953. Some of the members that helped establish the church at this current location were Pete & Velma Boukas; Basil & Ilene Dreyman; Vee Fenter; Clifton & Oleta Hensley; Dorothy Laws; and Alice & Howard Treat, among others, including financial support from the church at Tipton. The original church building was located at North 24th and 6th Avenue; this building has since been relocated. Prior to holding worship services there, the members met in various homes in the late 1920’s.
