This movement formed in the early 1800’s as a variety of men studied the scriptures and determined many church organizations were out of line with what Jesus and his apostles taught.  These churches tended to be guided by creeds and church dogma more than the scriptures. The desire was to restore biblical teaching.  As is common with such movements, initially they sought reform within their own ch...

One of my favorite preachers at my home church in Vandalia, MO (First Christian) was Jim Cook (whose son Tim would later become a close friend in Moberly, MO). One of the phrases I remember Jim Cook using over and over was to talk about the “habit patterns of your life.” Habits can be good or bad, depending on the habit and what it reinforces, or where it leads us. The habit of cussing, for exampl...

I’ve heard it said repeatedly within the Restoration Movement Christian Churches, “We are a people of the book!” The Restoration Movement was a “back to the Bible” movement of the early 1800’s that resulted in local churches (no denominational oversight) with elders, and the Bible as their lone guide for faith and practice. This book, the Bible, contains an historical account of God and his creati...