Questions and Answers

How am I saved?

First, it is because of God's grace and love that we are saved. ‘For it is by grace you have been saved’ (Ephesians 2:8). And ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son’ (John 3:16).

Jesus of Nazareth, God’s Son, came to give his life as a sacrifice for our sins. So that we can be forgiven and saved. People in the Bible heard this good news (Romans 10:17);  believed that Jesus is the Son of God (Mark 16:16); repented of their sins (Acts 2:38); confessed Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9; Acts 8:36-38); and were baptised for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16). You can do the same.

How do you become a member of the church?

We believe that God adds a person to His church. If someone wants to follow Christ - believes in Him as God's Son and Saviour of the world, confesses, repents and is baptised - then that person is added to God's church. We welcome that same person into our local congregation if the believer wants to join our fellowship of believers in Christ.

What is expected of me as a member?

That you will serve Christ in the activities of His church, by discovering your gifts and talents and using them to serve Him.

Who is the leader of the church of Christ?

Christ himself is the head of his church (Colossians 1:18). In a local church, elders, deacons and evangelists may serve alongside the members. There is no hierarchy of believers in the church of Christ, no head office or central organisation.

What is the doctrine of the church of Christ?

The church of Christ has no doctrine other than what the Bible teaches. In the church of Christ, we believe that every person can come to an understanding of God's truth by studying the Bible for themselves, perhaps with the help of another believer, but with the help of God's Spirit.

Is it important to be baptized?

Baptism was important for John the Baptist and his followers. John preached ‘a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ (Luke 3:3). It was even important for Jesus to be baptized, to: ‘fulfill all righteousness’ (Matthew 3:15).

Baptism was also important for the first Christians: ‘Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins’ (Acts 2:38); ‘be baptized and wash your sins away’ (Acts 22:16); ‘baptism that now saves you also’ (1 Peter 3:21); ‘Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved’ (Mark 16:16). As you can see here, baptism is connected to the forgiveness of sins and salvation. This is very important.

Do you use musical instruments during worship service?

We use our voices to sing to God:

‘singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord’ (Colossians 3:16)

‘Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:19)

How many churches of Christ are there in the Netherlands?

There are seven churches known as ‘churches of Christ'. They are located in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Groningen, Haarlem, Maastricht, The Hague and Zoetermeer.