Come to 2722 East Oakland Avenue in Johnson City, Tennessee, and you’ll find the Central Church of Christ – sometimes. True, the building is always there, but the church only gathers at that address at certain times through the week. The church itself is, of course, not a building, but a family, a group of loving and dedicated Christians trying simply to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Central Church of Christ traces its Johnson City roots to November of 1940 (see photos below). That was when a group of about 20 adults and their families began meeting in the Columbus Powell School. Much has changed since those early days; we now have an average of around 400 who attend Sunday morning worship assemblies, and we meet in a large and comfortable building in North Johnson City. But much remains the same as it was in those early days. Our mission is the same: To restore New Testament Christianity. We remain firmly committed to the principles and ideals that have traditionally characterized non-instrumental Churches of Christ.
A Biblical phrase that well describes our mission is found in Ephesians 4:15: “speaking the truth in love”. When it comes to matters that are clearly taught in the word of God, we aim to speak the truth, whether that truth is popular or not. But in all matters, we aim to speak and to act out of love. If “God so loved the word” (John 3:16 ), then so should we. That’s why we try hard to make every visitor to our assemblies feel welcome, and why we reach out to help those who need assistance.
Much could be written in an attempt to define the Central Church of Christ. But the best way to know who we are and what we are about is to actually come and see for yourself. We put no pressure on visitors, and we don’t single out anyone. We think we know what a first-time visitor would like: To be able to witness and participate in a worship service without being made to feel uncomfortable.
It is our fervent hope that you will decide to visit with us at one of our worship or Bible study assemblies. If you have questions or comments, please contact us at (423) 282-1571, 283-HOPE, or by e-mail at Tim@GraceMine.org.
