Of the 866 churches in San Antonio is the Church of Christ Valley Hi. This church seeks to serve God. It works for justice and peace. The church respects all faith traditions. It desires to be known for love.
The Church of Christ Valley Hi sits at 4302 Southwest Loop 410. This location places it in a vibrant part of San Antonio Texas.
Around the world there are 15000 Churches of Christ. These churches have an estimated 2 million members. A cappella singing is a distinctive style. It is how they worship just like in the New Testament.
The Church of Christ believes in a loving God. This God has a plan for mankind. He wants people to spend eternity with Him. This plan is available for everyone. God gives directions in the Holy Scriptures.
The Church of Christ in Texas has a rich history. It grew from the Restoration Movement. This movement wanted to restore first-century Christianity. The Bible was used as the only religious authority.
In 1832 two groups joined together. They were the “Christians” of Barton W Stone. The “Reformers” were led by Alexander Campbell. Besides the Church of Christ there are other fellowships. These are the Christian Church and the Churches of Christ.
Collin McKinney signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. In 1824 he became a member of the Church of Christ. William P DeFee was the first minister to preach in Texas. He started the Antioch Church of Christ around 1836. Mansell W Matthews started the first Church of Christ on wheels.
Many early immigrants to Texas came from Kentucky. They also came from Tennessee and northern Alabama. Jose Maria Jesus Carbajal was the first native Texan member. He lived with Alexander Campbell. He brought Campbell’s writings back to Texas.
Early Texas Churches of Christ came from converted Baptist congregations. Thomas Washington Cox gets credit for these conversions. During the republic the Church of Christ grew. It expanded west beyond the Colorado River. After statehood immigration increased membership.
By 1860 there were over 100 ministers. They preached on weekends. They also preached during the summer months. Few churches had their own buildings. They met in homes and schoolhouses. They also met in courthouses or at camp meetings. John Henry Moore built the first permanent church.
By 1860 the church had 2500 members in Texas. They were in 53 congregations. These congregations were along the frontier. The Civil War did not hurt the churches much. The churches kept growing through evangelism.
In 1872 Carroll Kendrick started a state cooperative effort. In 1886 a division happened in Austin. Progressives started a Texas Christian Missionary Society. Conservatives felt that this had no scriptural basis.
In 1906 the United States census divided the groups. They became the Churches of Christ and the Disciples of Christ. The Churches of Christ stressed restoration. The Disciples were more ecumenical.
By the mid-twentieth century Texas accounted for 35 percent of members in the United States. There were 2215 congregations in the 1990s. The greatest church growth happened in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Today the Church of Christ Valley Hi continues this legacy. It is a place of worship and community. It is a place of love and service. It is a place where people can connect with God.