Churches of Christ
Churches of Christ are a loosely connected world wide brotherhood of congregations. "Loosely" is descriptive because there is no governing body for Churches of Christ above the local congregation. Each congregation is autonomous, self-governing, and self-supporting. Each congregation interprets the scriptures for itself and is responsible to no one but the Lord for its life.

Southwest Central
The Southwest Central congregation has a rich heritage in Houston going back to 1918 when the Central Church of Christ began meeting downtown. Through its history, Central began a number of daughter churches, including the Southwest church in1956. In 1983, mother and daughter reunited at 4011 West Bellfort to begin a new era of ministry in Houston. Through the years, many exciting ministries have originated from these congregations: Christian Home for Aged, Christian Child Help Foundation, Southwest Christian Day Care and School, University of Houston Campus Ministry, and Churches of Christ Medical Center Chaplaincy to name a few. In addition, the church has maintained free apartments for patients in the Texas Medical Center, participated in Braes Interfaith Ministries, led with the Houston Campaign for the Homeless, fed and supported inner city ministries, provided medical supplies and physicians to the Nigerian Christian Hospital, and been actively involved in the Westwood Civic Club and Southwest Ministerial Association. We tutor neighhborhood youth on Tuesday evenings and teach ESL and Friendspeak to our neighbors on Wednesday evenings. We are a congregation with a strong witness for Jesus Christ in the Houston area.

A Brief History of Southwest Central Church of Christ 
Southwest Central is the product of the merging of two congregations in 1983, the Central Church of Christ, and the Southwest Church of Christ. 

Central Church of Christ 
In late 1917, several members of the Heights and First congregations first met to make plans to start a centrally-located congregation. Then on the first Sunday of 1918, the music hall of Thos. Goggan Co. became the congregation's meeting place. By 1923 they had selected a site at Drew and Albany streets for their first building. It was completed in 1924, at which time the congregation had 69 members. Within a few years, the new building was outgrown. By the late '30s, the elders were looking elsewhere for a site for a completely new church plant.

Central had many far-reaching ministries during the '30s. For example, work was begun with the students at Rice University, plans were adopted for helping the poor, and the first regular radio Bible class by churches of Christ was begun. By 1938 membership had passed 300.

In 1939, the congregation secured the entire 4100 block of Montrose for a badly needed new plant. Second, Burton Coffman, who was to become one of the brotherhood's best-known ministers, joined the work of the congregation. And the church branched out into missionary work as never before. In 1941 the congregation moved into its first building on Montrose. By1945, when membership passed 800, two separate services were necessary to accommodate the congregation on Sunday mornings. And crowds would swell even more at war's end.

In Houston, Central participated in church planting. First to come was the Riverside Church, later known as MacGregor Park, established in early 1950 by Central. In 1955, Central members played significant roles in starting another Houston congregation --Southwest. That congregation began worshipping in '56 with about 100 Central members among their number, including elders, deacons, and Paul Easley, Central's former associate minister.

After many months of planning, a lot was purchased for the Christian Home for the Aged in 1957. The first construction was filled almost immediately, and a 78-bed addition was on the drawing board. This addition was completed in December 1965. Later a further addition was constructed.

Another type of personal ministry -- the cottage meeting --was especially popular around 1957. A significant reason was the use of colored filmstrips prepared by associate minister Jule Miller. In less than 18months, 59 persons were baptized.

The Bering Drive church was started by Central in 1962. The Westbury congregation was formed a year later, and although Central was not responsible for its formation, one of its elders and several deacons and other members accepted the challenge of this new work. An extensive hospital visitation program was carried on by the church in the Texas Medical Center and the other hospitals in the city.

In 1964 works included the Drew Street Mission, the completion of the University of Houston's Religious Center, and the opening of a small student center near Rice University. Member workers in the Drew Street Mission taught daily Bible classes to different age groups and helped to provide clothing, food, furniture, medical attention, and counseling to residents. Many Central members, along with some from other Houston congregations, took part regularly. Central contributed $10,000 toward the construction of the A. B. Bruce Religion Center on the University of Houston campus, thereby securing the perpetual right for Churches of Christ to maintain an office and teach on campus.

Southwest Church of Christ  
Southwest Church of Christ had its origin as a mission project of Central. Planning began in 1954 for an expansion in the southwest part of town. A committee was formed to plan for, purchase land, and construct the facility.

In May, 1956, on a Wednesday night, the first meeting was held with members sitting on boxes in an unfinished auditorium, now the Fellowship Hall, illuminated by construction drop lights. 110 attended this first service. That first building included the current Fellowship Hall, kitchen, Room 111, and some storage areas. The congregation opened with 3 elders, 25 deacons, and Paul Easley as its first minister.

Growth was rapid. The first facility expansion began during that first year with the current office complex being constructed originally as classrooms. The membership in 1957 included an attendance of nearly 500. A two-story education building was constructed in 1958. In 1959 the membership required 3 Sunday morning worship services with 2 Bible class periods and 2 Sunday evening assemblies with an additional Bible class time.

This was also a period of expansion for the church in Houston as Southwest sent members to help start the Sharpstown church in 1960 and Westbury in 1963.

In 1962, there were 8 elders and 49 deacons. Southwest envisioned growth in the Northeast United States, so it supported Bob Scott to begin a church in Albany, New York. Several members moved to Albany to assist in the new work. Southwest had a part in the formation of the Clear Lake church in 1963. During this time, 95% of those attending Sunday morning worship also attended Bible class!!

A highlight of 1965 was the formation of the Christian Child Help Foundation in conjunction with other congregations, lead by Central and Southwest Churches. Bob Cogswell was the chairman of that formative meeting.

The current teen room was built as the Service Center. It was originally constructed as a place to store and renovate donated goods in order to offer relief to victims of crises such as hurricanes. Through the years it has served in a variety of capacities, including being classrooms for our Elementary School grades, medical mission storage, and currently as a teen facility.

In 1972, Southwest began a ministry to the neighborhood known as the Southwest Christian Day Care and School. This Day Care ministry continued until 1987, and at one time was the largest licensed Day Care in Harris County, serving 140 children each day.

Southwest Central Church of Christ  
In March, 1983, Mother and Daughter, Central and Southwest, joined forces to form the Southwest Central church. The idea of a merger had been discussed for the previous 4 years as the philosophies of the two congregations were compared and numerous studies were conducted concerning their futures. Precipitating the final decision was the resignation of Southwest's preaching minister and the sale of the Central church property to retire the debts of the Christian Home for Aged. The merger of the two congregations seemed an ideal solution to the needs of the both groups.

The new congregation's immediate outreach was the Churches of Christ Medical Center Chaplaincy, now called Lifeline Chaplaincy , an outreach which has become the premier chaplaincy ministry of Churches of Christ. The seed was planted in 1982 by Southwest, with the first chaplain arriving in August, 1983. Through its ministry we care for the spiritual and physical needs of patients and are instrumental in providing training to ministry students from Christian universities. In 2005 the ministry spread to Dallas.

In 1984 the church embarked on a new journey transferring ministry responsibilities from deacons to Ministry Teams. Over the next 5 years this transition resulted in the church having no formally recognized deacons but a host of hard working empowered volunteers who serve according to their giftedness. At the same time the Elders began moving more to shepherding responsibilities, establishing a Finance Team and an Administrative/Legal Team to handle those details.

Concerned with numerical decline, a church growth analysis was conducted with a leading expert in the field. However, the recommendations to move and be a homogeneous suburban church was rejected in favor of becoming more like and ministering to the neighborhood.

The church opened its eyes to the masses who live at its door, who may not share its own cultural background, but who need the Lord regardless. The strongest ministry the past few years has been toward the southwest neighborhood. The church has come a long way toward being a "color blind" congregation extending the grace of God to all. It has accepted the challenge of urban ministry.

The church has offered Neighborhood Enrichment Seminars to spread the aroma of Christ across the area. It has hosted Alcoholics Anonymous, exercise programs and weight loss programs. It participates with area churches in the Braes Interfaith Ministries, an interfaith food pantry. Members volunteer with the Hospitality Apartments to provide free housing to patients and their families who are in the Texas Medical Center for an extended stay. Members support the inner-city ministry of the Impact Houston Church .

The 1990s were an era of outreach to neighborhood youth. The Southwest Central youth ministry provided mentoring, tutoring, jobs, and an intergenerational summer camp in Colorado known as Rock Cleft. A scholarship fund was established for youth who would otherwise be unable afford higher education. It was in this decade that the church came to look like the neighborhood.

Since 2003 Wednesday night assemblies have been centered around Café Grace. The foyer becomes a fellowship center where individuals share their lives, pray together, and study together. English as a Second Language classes on two levels and FriendSpeak, a program to help new English readers develop their reading and pronunciation skills attract immigrant students from the neighborhood and Texas Medical Center.

Discussions concerning the ministry of women in the Kingdom of God have been going on among the membership for many years. Former elder Roy Willbern wrote a small book in 1977 entitled Who's In Charge Here Anyway? that asked questions about leadership and concluded with a chapter seeking greater involvement by women. Minister Steve Sandifer published a book, Deacons: Male and Female? in 1989 which documented the roles of female deacons in the early church and the supportive attitudes of restoration leaders toward female deacons. Church ministry teams have utilized gifted women since the 1980s. After many years of Bible studies and discernment, the church began using women in worship services in early 2004.

Many other things about this church could be mentioned - the countless cups of water offered, the random acts of kindness, the letters and calls of encouragement, the VBSs, the mission trips, the Homecomings - but these serve to highlight the 90 years of ministry in the name of God.

Southwest Central is a special place made up of special people who love the Lord with all of their hearts and who seek His will in their lives.