Christian Church

The heritage of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Erie, Kansas, goes back to an early nineteenth century American frontier movement that we may call the Stone-Campbell movement.

Barton Stone led both the great 1802 camp meeting revival at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, and “the Christians” who emerged from that revival. Shortly later, Alexander Campbell and his father Thomas Campbell, first in Washington, Pennsylvania, and then in Bethany, West Virginia, founded a group aiming to restore New Testament simplicity to the church, a group that became known as “the Disciples of Christ.”

Based on Acts 2:36-39, Disciples of Christ evangelist Walter Scott, in the 1820’s Ohio, developed a classic expression of how to enter Christian life that is called the Five-Finger Exercise:
1. Faith
2. Repentance
3. Baptism
07/24/2009
4. Forgiveness of Sins
5. The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Stone’s Christians and Campbell’s Disciples crossed paths and grew rapidly through Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The two groups differed in style and on some points of theology, but they shared a commitment to restoring the church to New Testament simplicity, and on that basis they united during a series of meetings in Georgetown and Lexington, Kentucky, 1831-32.

Both groups were Bible-based. Barton Stone wrote, “I pay deference to the judgment of the great and [good leaders] who have lived before us, or [who are] contemporary with us. But great and good [leaders] have differed. Therefore from the Bible I wish to draw my sentiments, and by the Bible to have them judged.” Alexander Campbell wrote, “We take the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, as he foundation of all Christian union and communion.” Both groups focused on the clearly revealed essentials, while leaving room for differences of opinion on matters that are not clearly revealed.

Both groups were Christ-centered. The defining essential for membership in their churches was faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Lord and Savior of the world. Baptism of believers into Christ was required, and baptism was understood to point toward subsequent ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ.

Both groups were Spirit-led. Although the experience-oriented Christians and the reason-oriented Disciples recognized the work of the Holy Spirit in different ways, both understood the work of the Holy Spirit as vital to new life in Christ.

Both groups were mission-oriented. They believed that the church was called by God to spread the gospel of salvation and transformation in Jesus Christ, and they sought to remove anything from their practices that stood in the way of their calling.

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Erie, Kansas was founded in 1869, less than 35 years after the Stone and Campbell movements joined. In the early summer of 1869, nine ladies who had been members of the Church of Christ before coming to Kansas, called at the house of my father, Dr. C. F. Stauber, to talk over the matter of having Christian or Disciple Church services in Erie, and asked him to make some kind of arrangement to that end and that he would preach the Word. As a result of this consultation, it was decided to hold services in his house, no other place being available; and announcement to that effect was made. This was the original place of worship. By 1870 or 71, the little band being strengthened by more people moving into the place, decided to build a Church house. There was very little ready cash available to be used in building, but by getting donations of some logs, lumber, and other material, and donations in work, a comfortable, commodious - though very plain - house (the first Church house in Erie) was built on the corner where the Methodist Church, 3rd and Butler, now stands.

It was sometime late in 1920 under the capable leadership of Rev. & Mrs. C. O. Wilson, the pastor, who came to Erie in 1919. The membership decided they had outgrown their old frame building that had been their Church home for many years, and on January 11, 1921 started the planning for the new church. On January 29, 1922, the new building was dedicated by George L. Snively. The building is still standing on the corner of

first and Grant and is the home of the 1st Baptist Church. The new church stands on Hwy 59 where it was dedicated on March 25th 1979.

True to the Stone-Campbell heritage, the congregation is marked by the practice of believer’s baptism by immersion (note: people baptized in other Christian traditions are received into membership without requiring their rebaptism), weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper, and a strong tradition of lay leadership in the church.

Many lives have been touched by First Christian Church in its 140 years. A new phase of the journey began in August 1st of 2008 with the calling of the Rev. Paul I. Elliott as the new pastor and his wife Mary Elliott. Pastor Paul has pledged to mentor the members of First Christian Church in identifying and pursuing their personal and congregational missions. He and Mary are also committed to helping build a community of faith where members are continually learning to do things “The Jesus Way” By its calling of the Rev. Paul I. Elliott to this position, the church family signals its desire to take responsibility, member – by – member, for fulfilling its divine calling.

Pastor Paul’s Thoughts, “In our time, the dominant images of churches are divided between the legalistic and the permissive. Jesus holds higher and more challenging standards than legalistic churches, but also is more gracious, redeeming, and empowering than permissive churches. So what are the marks of an effective church? (1.) The right focus: Jesus. (2.) The right commitment: the reigning of love and the power of God. (3.) The right question: How will the Erie community look more like the kingdom of God because First Christian Church is here?

I believe the disciples of the First Christian Church want to break out of the two dominant molds and to walk in The Jesus Way. I also believe this Church Family is read to grow in effectiveness. I want to help all do this and am excited to be part of what God is doing.”

First Christian Church of Erie will be giving fresh expression to its historical commitments as it reaches new people for Jesus and finds new ways to help the new members reach out in turn.