The removal of the ICOC superstructure in 2003 proved to be difficult for the member churches in the movement. Smaller churches no longer had the administrative or spiritual resources available to assist them. Missions and para-church organizations (HOPEww, .NET Sector, NEEM, etc…) could not count on funding from congregations. The lack of contractual certainty hampered missions work, charity and nascent church development. Although this seems a unique scenario to us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Our brothers in the Restoration Movement (RM) have experienced this before us and continue to deal with the very same questions. Let us imitate, cooperate and in some instances integrate with what already exists within the churches of Christ and Independent Christian Churches / churches of Christ (ICC/COC).

Breaking free of Myths
There are certainly challenges to any inter-congregational cooperation (ICOC-ICOC, ICOC- ICC/COC, mainline-mainline...) without a denominational structure. The level of cooperation affects the degree of difficulty in working together. If the involvement requires a level of authority beyond the participating congregations, strife may ensue. However, a common goal through an (independent) para-church organization or a “point-man” church without (structural) authority over another may prove acceptable. Relational influence can take the place of the structural authority and overcome the challenges of inter-congregational cooperation.

In order to consider cooperation with our brothers, there are five areas of comparison we should consider; theology, core (salvation) doctrine, peripheral doctrine, tradition / history and culture.

The moderate and conservative branches of the Stone-Campbell movement share the same foundational view of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. A unified deity of the Old and New Testament, holy, merciful, sovereign, a judge, etc… The post-modern god of relative morality without punishment is rejected by the Restoration Movement. The ICOC, churches of Christ and ICC/COC have the same God and the same view of that God.