what exactly *is* non-denominational?

[Julina]

i've been wondering about this for a long time, because to me it seems like non-denominational Christians are really close to protestants, such as the baptists or Pentecostals (even though i kno that those are not the same). can someone clear things up for me?

[Artificial Intelligence]

A denominational church is a church that submits to a central authority on matters of doctrine, ordination, and/or discipline and/or aligns itself with recognized body of churches under shared doctrine, ordination, and/or discipline. Churches such as the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, Assemblies of God, Baptist Conferences, and others who may not use the label of "denomination" yet fit the definition above are considered denominational for the purpose of this forum.

A non-denominational church is a church that may submit to an association for purposes such as resource sharing (such as the Willowcreek Association), but that association does not rule the decisions of the individual congregations and spans denominational lines.

[Julina]

ohh ok. so are they all different from each other?

[Artificial Intelligence]

Ummm yes and no. They can have the same beliefs, just that they are not under a single authority, other than God. There are of course different beliefs, but there are also many that have great similarities. You will find that many of the non-denom churches are somewhat Baptist, fundamentalist and/or Pentecostal type churches, but just don’t take orders from a centralized governing body outside the fellowship. What it comes down to, it is how a church conducts its ecclesiology.

Two things it doesn’t mean, as is often misconstrued, it’s not necessarily anti-denominational and it does not mean no-church or un-churched which would actually defeat the purpose of “non-denomination” by having no association at all to a church body since it is regarding how to actually conduct a church body be it meeting in a big building or a home fellowship.

[JCFantasy23]

i've been wondering about this for a long time, because to me it seems like non-denominational Christians are really close to protestants, such as the baptists or Pentecostals (even though i kno that those are not the same). can someone clear things up for me?

I'm in no way an expert on the history of the church, but recently started reading on it. There was the one church, then a split, The Great Schism, which resulted in the church becoming known as The Catholic Church after 1,000 years, and the eastern half becoming know as Eastern Orthodoxy. In the 1500s there came the Protestant movement, which resulted in Protestantism, and under that branched off into different denominations such as Baptist and Anabaptists, Lutherans, etc., all in different orders. The fundamental belief from the Protestant movement was the same, that people should seek God individually, which is where you may see so many similarities in denominations. Baptists had different thoughts on baptism from the bible though than say, Lutherans, who still believe in baptising infants. Baptists believed in adult baptism and it being a symbol, hence their name. Both Lutherans and Baptists basically see the bible as the word of God and without err. Lutherans see the Eucharist as the actual body of Christ while Baptists see as a symbol. Essentially a few differences between various denominations but as you can see, mainly similarities. That is why people can choose to be non-denominational and get along with mainly all denominational churches. I feel I'd fit in less with a Pentecostal type church with a lot of speaking in tongues as I'm not used to that, but I'm hoping you understand what I mean and that I've helped a little.

[LivingWordUnity]

Baptists believed in adult baptism and it being a symbol, hence their name.Churches or denominations who practice infant baptism also practice adult baptism. We don’t believe that it has to be either/or. But we believe that once a person is baptized, as long as it was done with the Trinitarian formula (in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit), that no other baptism should be done after. This is whether they were baptized as an infant or as an adult. It’s the same baptism either way because the Bible says that there is only one baptism (Eph 4:5).

I am Catholic, and I was baptized into the Catholic Church as an adult. But when an infant is baptized into the Catholic faith it's like how an infant used to be brought into the Old Covenant by circumcision based on a promise given by their parents to raise the child in the faith. We believe, as Saint Paul said in the Bible, that baptism is the new circumcision.

When someone is baptized as an infant they are expected to one day make a personal commitment to Christ when they do reach the age of reason. Catholics do this with the Sacrament of Confirmation. This is like how the Jewish have a Bar Mitzvah.



Lutherans see the Eucharist as the actual body of Christ while Baptists see as a symbol.I don't know if there are any Lutherans who believe that the bread itself actually becomes the actual body of Christ. There might be some Lutherans who believe this, but Luther taught that Christ's presence was present beside the bread but that the bread itself remained as bread.

This is not the same as the Catholic understanding that, although to our physical senses the outward appearances remain, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the essential substance of the bread itself actually transforms to become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ.

The following quote from Early Church father Ignatius of Antioch shows that the early Church interpreted scripture about the Eucharist in same way the the Catholic Church still teaches today:

"They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the Flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, Flesh which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His goodness, raised up again."
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7:1, AD 107

[BigNorsk]

A denominational church is a church that submits to a central authority on matters of doctrine, ordination, and/or discipline and/or aligns itself with recognized body of churches under shared doctrine, ordination, and/or discipline. Churches such as the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, Assemblies of God, Baptist Conferences, and others who may not use the label of "denomination" yet fit the definition above are considered denominational for the purpose of this forum.

A non-denominational church is a church that may submit to an association for purposes such as resource sharing (such as the Willowcreek Association), but that association does not rule the decisions of the individual congregations and spans denominational lines.

So then under that definition. Authority of the central body isn't the only criteria?

For instance, Vineyard congregations are certainly aligned as to beliefs. They even commonly share the name. So are they recognized as a denomination under the rule? They even got rid of the original Toronto Vineyard congregation from their cooperative grouping so they do seem to exert authority over each other.

How about Church of Christ? Again aligned in beliefs.

I am a member of a Lutheran Brethren Congregation, we are aligned with other like minded congregations to cooperate in matters of providing education through a seminary and school, to publish materials, and so on.

The synod does not have authority over the congregations, the synod may break fellowship but it cannot control or discipline the congregation.

The congregations are run under a modified presbytery. With each congregation governing itself.

Are we nondenominational? If not why?

I'm wondering because I've had nondenominationals tell me how evil we are and it seems to be just because we use a common name or maybe it's the Lutheran name which they have some incorrect image of what it means, I don't know. When I look at their organization that supposedly fixes the evils of denominationalism, it's the same as ours, so I don't understand.

Marv

[Laffy4Christ]

most non-denominational churchs believe the bible and follow it instead of certain church rules or doctrines that some churchs set. non denom dont do that the bible is the rule book and they speak highly of the holy spirit we consider our selfs Christians and dont need a denomination for that

[Madcap Mo]

A Christian is a Christian thats enough for me really :cool:
Doesn't matter what shape your cross is as long as you have faith in Jesus our saviour.

Group hug guys! :groupray:

[cowboysfan1970]

I think one area where we as Christians really fail miserably is that we are so fractured and at each other's throats so often. We pit one denomination against another or promote a single denomination as the "correct" one and demand that others either join up with it or face condemnation. I'm sure that God frowns on Denominationalism. How are we supposed to fight an effective war against the Devil and evil if we are fighting each other? A house divided against itself can not stand.

From a business standpoint I can see where it would be tough for a non-denominational church to get started up or survive in difficult economic times. Many don't have a support structure that can back them financially if and when things get tough. Many of them are more or less out there on their own.

[WuAgent]

my guess is that non-denoms believe and follow the bible, the WHOLE bible, and NOTHING BUT the bible, and that it is the very word of God wirtten by men inspired by the holy spirit of God.

[Julina]

my guess is that non-denoms believe and follow the bible, the WHOLE bible, and NOTHING BUT the bible, and that it is the very word of God wirtten by men inspired by the holy spirit of God.
that sounds like you're worshiping a book.