A question....

[Akuma]

I don't want to start any contreversy but I must ask. Why are there so many classes of church? Why is there catholics and methodist and all that? Why can't we be simple Christians with no 'Hispanic churches' nor 'African American churches'? Is there a reason why we're segregated? I just feel as if God would want us to be One People, or something. I'm not trying to start anything, I just don't know a whole lot about church. God I know is real. A missions trip to Watts, L.A., and Mexico showed me that. How great he is! And now he's using me to write a novel filled with all sorts of symbolism. I just want to learn more about God. I don't want to hurt anyone.
Forgive me if I've offended anyone, I really didn't mean to.

Peace.

[BInC]

The reason their are so many denominations is because in the past people have argued about differences in the way they interpret the bible. There are really too many different denominations for me to expalin what exaclty each one believes and why they split off, so I think I'll leave that one to somone smarter than me;). But that is why I like being a Disciple of Christ (basically non-denominational). We agree on the fundamentals, and let eachother have freedom on the specifics.

[LynneClomina]

""You are WRONG and WE are RIGHT, so we're gonna go and do it the way we think is right, and you can stay here doing the wrong stuff......""

sometimes splits have been bad, sometimes they have been good.

[Bon]

It's because of Satan.

He is doing his darndest to stop what is inevitable. God's plan for us.

Anything that can bring humans against one another, to cause hatred and confusion and eternal death is his plan for us.

With thanks from Bon

[daveleau]

I agree. I think the divisions, whether based on social comfort or denominational lines (including Catholics and Othodox), are contrary to God's will.

[Svt4Him]

In the early 1500s, a German monk named Martin Luther was so conscious of his sins that he spent up to six hours in the confessional. Through study of the Scriptures he found that salvation didn’t come through anything he did, but simply through trusting in the finished work of the cross of Jesus Christ. He listed the contradictions between what the Scriptures said and what his church taught, and nailed his "95 Theses" to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Martin Luther became the first to "protest" against the Roman church, and thus he became the father of the Protestant church.

Since that split, there have been many disagreements about how much water one should baptize with, how to sing what and why, who should govern who, etc., causing thousands of splinter groups. Many of these groups are convinced that they alone are right. These have become known as Protestant "denominations."

Despite the confusion, these churches subscribe to certain foundational beliefs such as the deity, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "The foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his" (2 Timothy 2:19). Thomas Jefferson once wrote of a preacher, Richard Mote, who "exclaimed aloud to his congregation that he did not believe there was a Quaker, Presbyterian, Methodist, or Baptist in heaven, having paused to give his hearers time to stare and to wonder. He added that, in heaven, God knew no distinctions."

http://www.livingwaters.com/witnessingtool/whyaretheresomanydenominations.shtml

[Akuma]

I suppose I just find it sad that the church feels so seperated from one another. This site especially confuses me. Non-believers and believers alike bickering with one another. It just feels as if it shouldn't be this way.

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

It shouldn't, Akuma. But the demons don't stop, they are always working. There just aren't many people left who love and strive for unity. 1 Corinthians 13:

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

[DanielRB]

I don't want to start any contreversy but I must ask. Why are there so many classes of church? Why is there catholics and methodist and all that? Why can't we be simple Christians with no 'Hispanic churches' nor 'African American churches'? Is there a reason why we're segregated? I just feel as if God would want us to be One People, or something. I'm not trying to start anything, I just don't know a whole lot about church. God I know is real. A missions trip to Watts, L.A., and Mexico showed me that. How great he is! And now he's using me to write a novel filled with all sorts of symbolism. I just want to learn more about God. I don't want to hurt anyone.
Forgive me if I've offended anyone, I really didn't mean to.

Peace.
I agree with your observations. The Church is split along many lines--cultural, theological, etc. I yearn for the body of Christ to just acknowledge "one faith, one Lord, one baptism."

I was raised in a Christian Church (same as Disciples of Christ.) It began as an effort to cast aside all denomonational labels and unify on the person of Christ and His Word alone. I'm not saying that it was the best effort, but I'd like to see something like it continue today. No matter what Church I attend, I want to be known just as a "Christian"--not a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran or whatever. I love my brothers and sisters in every Church, and I wish we would acknowledge that unity more.

At the same time, I know that God works in different ways. Some people hear God's voice better in a liturgical service; others hear Him better in a Pentacostal tent meeting. Should we try to force an artifical conformity on this? Furthermore, there are some deep theological differences; can we overcome them? Can a staunch Calvinist listen to a Methodist minister and feel edified rather than argumentative?

Yet I still feel that sometimes instead of having the working body of Christ, we have churches full of eyes, others full of ears, still others full of feet. It would be nice to work together and not apart.

So I guess in the end, I see some good reasons to remain in denominations, but I also mourn our disunity. In the end, I don't think we'll all be singing from the same hymn book until we "cast down our golden crowns before that glassy sea."

In Christ,

Daniel

[Bon]

I agree with your observations. The Church is split along many lines--cultural, theological, etc. I yearn for the body of Christ to just acknowledge "one faith, one Lord, one baptism."

I was raised in a Christian Church (same as Disciples of Christ.) It began as an effort to cast aside all denomonational labels and unify on the person of Christ and His Word alone. I'm not saying that it was the best effort, but I'd like to see something like it continue today. No matter what Church I attend, I want to be known just as a "Christian"--not a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran or whatever. I love my brothers and sisters in every Church, and I wish we would acknowledge that unity more.

At the same time, I know that God works in different ways. Some people hear God's voice better in a liturgical service; others hear Him better in a Pentacostal tent meeting. Should we try to force an artifical conformity on this? Furthermore, there are some deep theological differences; can we overcome them? Can a staunch Calvinist listen to a Methodist minister and feel edified rather than argumentative?

Yet I still feel that sometimes instead of having the working body of Christ, we have churches full of eyes, others full of ears, still others full of feet. It would be nice to work together and not apart.

So I guess in the end, I see some good reasons to remain in denominations, but I also mourn our disunity. In the end, I don't think we'll all be singing from the same hymn book until we "cast down our golden crowns before that glassy sea."

In Christ,

Daniel

It's interesting isn't it? that we all have our own interpretations of scripture, when it clearly tells us that there is only one, Gods truth...

Satan sure is working his evil spell on us isn't he?

That is what this forum is all about. As Akuma said, this site especially confuses him/her? To be honest, I haven't been more confussed about certain beliefs since joining this forum either.

But it does get my brain working in overdrive...I can see how some of you have placed thousands of posts. It's addictive. My husband is starting to roll his eyes at me and I haven't even racked up 50 posts yet.

Anyway, that is getting off the track.

Different denominations cannot unite as you would wish them too, until they put aside their own 'church traditions' and returned to bible truth's only...and that is not about to happen anytime soon as each and every denomination proclaims that this is what they do.

Well someone has to be wrong dont they? How about ALL of them?

Food for thought :)

with thanks from Bon

[PaladinGirl]

The reason that so many denominations exist is because there are so many different interpretations of scripture.

[5Judges12]

I attend a Christian & Missionary Alliance Church and learned something new about the whole denominational thing from it. The Alliance started out non-denominational and over time (decades) grew to be so large that they needed to organize and incorporate to remain structured. They had to become another official denomination to incorporate under US law. We still invite all Christians to join us in study and prayer without asking or expecting that they join our 'denomination'.

Technically (are you ready?) we practice Orthodox Reformed Evangelical Covenant Theology. We know who we are and what we believe, but we fully expect when we get to heaven we'll find out we are wrong in some areas. As a matter of fact, we're certain every one is going to find that out to one extent or another.

I grew up in the Lutheran church. In those days, the church practiced a 'believe exactly as we do or go to hell' theology. They have since changed drastically. Everyone is invited to attend and even join in Communion provided they confess the Apostles Creed. I like this much better!:clap:

[BInC]

...Well someone has to be wrong dont they...
In the little things, of course. I am sure that once we get to heaven God will tell us "Thats not quite what I meant here," but he will also point out that we go tthis other section pretty much right. As individuals, we will never be able to agree on an exact interpretation of the entire bible. Trying to forsce people to is an infringement on their freedom, and also could be pretty bad if the intrepretation they were forced to was wrong. But the thing is, it doesn't matter if we disagree on the little things, as long as we don't fight about it. All the matters is the essentials, and if you have those right then we will have plenty of time to figure the rest out in heaven. ;)

[OrthodoxyUSA]

http://www.greerlawfirm.com/orthodox.htm

Forgive me...

[Bon]

In the little things, of course. I am sure that once we get to heaven God will tell us "Thats not quite what I meant here," but he will also point out that we go tthis other section pretty much right. As individuals, we will never be able to agree on an exact interpretation of the entire bible. Trying to forsce people to is an infringement on their freedom, and also could be pretty bad if the intrepretation they were forced to was wrong. But the thing is, it doesn't matter if we disagree on the little things, as long as we don't fight about it. All the matters is the essentials, and if you have those right then we will have plenty of time to figure the rest out in heaven. ;)

My instinct is to disagree with you right away BInC and say that the little things do matter, because it all belongs to God, and one part of His word is not any less important than another part.

BUT...... I keep hearing my sisters voice in my head, who always has the same reply to just about everything we discuss about God and His word....
"He knows what is in your heart".

And you know, sometimes I am so caught up in the rights and wrongs of scripture interpretation, that I forget all the things of the heart.

"Living it" is so important. More important than, studying how to live it.
Study takes time, and in the mean time...live it! right? :)

With thanks for your post BInC
from Bon

[BronxBriar]

Not to oversimplify but our divisions are often caused by our sinful nature. Man has a tendency to turn the 'assembly' into an 'institution' and that is never good. Always thinking bigger is better when it comes to serving the Lord churches often lose touch with the human element. At times, we are all driven by ego and the lust for power...and that happens to many so called church leaders as it does to corporate CEO's.

[Bizzlebin Imperatoris]

Not to oversimplify but our divisions are often caused by our sinful nature. Man has a tendency to turn the 'assembly' into an 'institution' and that is never good. Always thinking bigger is better when it comes to serving the Lord churches often lose touch with the human element. At times, we are all driven by ego and the lust for power...and that happens to many so called church leaders as it does to corporate CEO's.
I don't think you oversimplified it at all. Well said!

[Crispie]

A simple way to put it is...

"You know what, I dont agree with you, I'll make my own denomination"


I choose to follow no denominations just as the Original Church didnt, the way Christ intended it to be.