History
The word “church” in the New Testament means, “called out ones.” It’s important to note that “the church” is about people, not buildings . . . it’s an organism, not an organization.
The Churches of Christ/Christian Churches have their roots in 19th Century Scotland, when believers, distressed with legalism and human opinions, began calling the church back to the authority of Christ and the pattern of the New Testament. This was the beginning of a movement to restore New Testament Christianity to the churches.
There are about 5,000 congregations like WLCC, with over a million members, found in every part of the world. Each church is independently governed by its elders chosen from its own membership. We do not call ourselves a denomination, because we believe that such terminology tends to divide people instead of bringing them together under Christ. WLCC believes we are not the only Christians, but Christians only. Our plea is for the unity of all God’s people in the spirit of Jesus’ prayer as recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 17.
The West Lansing Church of Christ (WLCC) was established in 1951 through the inspired vision of the First Church of Christ (Holmes and Eureka Streets) and Evangelist Virgil Felton. Worship services were first held in a building at 4025 West Saginaw Avenue. In 1953, the growing congregation, needing a larger place to worship, moved to the campus of Great Lakes Bible College until land could be found and a new building constructed. In the spring of 1964, WLCC moved into its new building at our existing site of 5505 West St. Joseph Street. In 1983, an addition was built on the east side of the church that contains our multipurpose/fellowship hall, kitchen and classrooms.