Churches of Christ

great Britain. Also called Disciples. They began in sporadic reform movements in the eighteenth century, with Glasites, Baptists, Haldaneites, and Sandemanians all contributing to their formation. The first known church was at Dungannon, Ireland (1804), the second at Auchtermuchty, Scotland (1807). They have been organized since 1842, when there were fifty congregations and 1,300 members. They practice weekly breaking of bread and believers' baptism. Church government is congregational. They have an ordained ministry trained since 1920 at Overdale College, Birmingham. Both sexes can be locally ordained as deacons and elders. They have been responsible for missions in India and Africa. The church is a member of the World Council of Churches. Latest figures available show 119 congregations and 7,000 members. Since 1825 they have maintained contact with the Churches of Christ in the USA,* receiving ministerial and financial help from them in recent years.