Holgate Street Church of Christ
A Healthy Church That is Making a Difference
brief
History
The Holgate Street Church of Christ had its beginnings in the late 1960s as discussions began of a merger between two smaller congregations in Central Seattle. The merger occurred and a new building was built and occupied in 1971 on the corner of South Holgate Street and what is now Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. The church has been an active and stable element in the community over the years and continues to seek to be “a healthy church that’s making a difference.”
who are
the
church of christ
Churches of Christ are a worldwide body of believers who are tied together by their common belief in the Lordship of Jesus Christ and their view of the authority of the Bible.
We seek to base our doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically, Churches of Christ in the United States were recognized as a distinct movement by the U.S. Religious Census of 1906. Prior to that we had been reported in the religious census as part of the movement that had its roots in the several independent movements that occurred through the leadership of people such as Thomas and Alexander Campbell, Walter Scott, and Barton W. Stone, all of whom were first associated with the Presbyterian Church. They were active in American frontier settlements and cities. Those leaders had declared their independence from the denominations, seeking a fresh start to restore the New Testament church, and abandoning human creeds. Historically, their collective activities gave rise to what is referred to as the Restoration Movement.
Because Churches of Christ have no central governing authority, identifying numbers of members and congregations is a bit challenging. It has been estimated that there are over 5 million members of Churches of Christ worldwide in over 40,000 congregations of believers.
Two key values have historically given Churches of Christ their distinctiveness. The first is the belief that the New Testament should be the authoritative basis for the life and practice of the church today. The second is that all who call on the name of the Lord should be united and that there should be no divisions among believers.
There are several practices of many congregations of Churches of Christ that are observed by some to be distinctive.
Church Leadership.
The local churches are led by elders, preachers and deacons. The concept of the priesthood of all believers is practiced. Therefore, no distinction is made between clergy and laity.
Worship Assemblies.
Worship on the Lord’s Day is simplistic, participative and includes a weekly celebration of the Lords’ Supper and congregational singing. Preaching of the Word is emphasized.
Baptism of Believers by Immersion.
Churches of Christ immerse individuals who have decided to follow Jesus and who have confessed their faith in him. It is believed that this immersion in water symbolizes and results in the forgiveness of sins and therefore is essential to one’s salvation.