Disciples of Christ is a Protestant denomination in the United States and Canada. Its full name is the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The church observes two ordinances—Communion, or the Lord’s Supper; and baptism. Communion is observed every Sunday as the central part of the worship service. The standard form of baptism is by immersion (submerging a person in water) for adults. Most congregations of the church, however, accept into membership people who have been baptized by other forms.
The denomination developed during the early 1800’s. Its founders included three men of Presbyterian background—Thomas Campbell and his son Alexander in Pennsylvania and Barton W. Stone in Kentucky. Today, the church’s headquarters are in Indianapolis.
