OUR
HERITAGE
Get We trace our American History back to the
early 18th century. During
this time a number of religious leaders called for Christians to do
away with creeds and confessions of faith, and simply return to New
Testament Christianity. Instrumental in what soon came to be called the
Restoration Movement were men like Barton W. Stone in Kentucky, Thomas
and Alexander Campbell in Pennsylvania & Virginia, Walter Scott
in
Ohio, and others.
These preachers combined their efforts around two foci: the unity of
all Christians and an unswerving commitment to the authority of the
Bible. The Movement enjoyed tremendous growth as groups from different
states began to join one another. However, by the time of the Civil War
controversy had erupted within the Movement causing division. In 1906,
this division was officially recognized in the U.S. Census.
The division splintered the Movement into two groups: the Churches of
Christ and the Disciples of Christ. Unfortunately, in the mid-1920s a
second division occurred within the Movement. Following this division,
there were now three groups that had once been united: the Churches of
Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and the Independent Christian
Churches/Churches of Christ. The primary issue involved in the first
division centered around biblical interpretation. Some claimed that
silence in Scripture is prohibitive while others claimed that such
silence is permissive.
Today there is limited action between the three groups. There are
annual unity meetings as well as other efforts to recognize our common
heritage.
THE AIRLINE DRIVE CHURCH OF CHRIST
The Airline Drive congregation was started in 1960 as an
outreach of the Creswell congregation in Shreveport. The first church
of Christ building in Bossier City was built at the corner of Bennett
and Ogilvie Streets and a group of thirty Christians first met in that
building in 1948. The group began to experience significant growth and
in April 1953, the congregation (known as the Bennett Street Church of
Christ) decided to have two Sunday morning worship services. The group
then obtained a little more than three acres of land located along
Airline Drive.
The first meeting of Christians at the new location of 2601 Airline
Drive occurred Sunday, May 1, 1960, when sixty members gathered to
worship. Airline Drive continued to experience growth and grew to 247
members within the first year. A second building project took place in
1966; additional seating was placed in the auditorium in 1968; a third
building project took place in late 1972 and a bus ministry was begun
in 1974. During this time Airline grew to more than 700 people in
attendance on Sunday mornings.
God continued to bless Airline Drive in the '80s as the congregation
enjoyed a string of 100+ baptisms for six consecutive years. Airline
undertook more leadership in supporting world mission efforts as well
during this decade. Also during this decade was the creation of a
foster care program called Bossier K.I.D.S.
The '90s also proved to be an exciting time in Airline
Driveís history. Our largest local outreach effort, Bible
Alive, was started and Airline continued to become more and more
involved in our community.
Currently, we are building a new multi-purpose center and additional
classrooms. As we continue to navigate into the future, we cannot even
Imagine what God can and will do through the Airline Drive Family. We
forge ahead realizing that we exist to turn faithless people into
faithful followers of God. So saddle up your horses because the great
adventure has begun!