What is the difference between a baptist & a non-denominational Christian?

[bruceleejr]

Me & my family are baptists btw

 

[Vince53]

Baptists are honest about what they are.

 

[MatthewDiscipleofGod]

Non denominational churches can vary quit a bit. Some will hold to the Baptist Distinctives while others are no where close to believing what Baptists believe.

 

[regencygirl]

Non denominational churches can vary quit a bit. Some will hold to the Baptist Distinctives while others are no where close to believing what Baptists believe.

That's been my experience of nondenominational churches as well.

Some nondenominational churches embrace a sort of worship that's more Pentecostal in nature (or just attract people of that persuasion), which struck me personally as a bit disconcerting, i.e. speaking in tongues and rolling on the floor, etc...I understand that being "Spirit-filled" and speaking in tongues has Biblical origins, but the type I witnessed appeared more demonic than Biblical and made me very uncomfortable to even be near it.

To be fair, though, that might have just been my own experience of it, rather than Pentecostal worship as a whole - I don't know enough about Pentecostal Christians to say for sure either way.)

 

[trentlogain2]

Baptists are honest about what they are.

true. many non-denominational churches don't even have a statement of faith or a set of doctrinal stances they take/don't take.

 

[Ave Maria]

Well, there is a local independent fundamentalist Baptist church in my area which is listed in the Non-Denominational section of the Yellow Pages so I am not sure that there always is a difference.

 

[ChristianSamurai88]

That's been my experience of nondenominational churches as well.

Some nondenominational churches embrace a sort of worship that's more Pentecostal in nature (or just attract people of that persuasion), which struck me personally as a bit disconcerting, i.e. speaking in tongues and rolling on the floor, etc...I understand that being "Spirit-filled" and speaking in tongues has Biblical origins, but the type I witnessed appeared more demonic than Biblical and made me very uncomfortable to even be near it.

To be fair, though, that might have just been my own experience of it, rather than Pentecostal worship as a whole - I don't know enough about Pentecostal Christians to say for sure either way.)

I'm a non-denominational Christian and I don't follow Pentecostal beliefs.
We never "roll on the floor" or "dance in the aisles" in my church. Our main belief is "our church stands alone" and we don't answer to other churches. We believe in having a relationship with God and fellowship with other Christians. Anyone can become a non denominational Christian. We aren't exclusive, and we embrace the idea of coming to God, not "conversion" we don't force people to come, and we don't judge if they don't. We also believe that it's not what you wear to church, but what's in your heart. We aren't people who stand on a street corner and yell at people who don't know God. We love those who don't know, and tell them what is good about joining out church, not what is bad if they don't. And we don't just believe in one translation of the Bible. We believe in not adding or subtracting from the bible, whatever translation it may be. We believe Jesus died for our sins, and made us in his image. "We live in the world not of the world" and will not go to the world for our salvation, but to go to Jesus and follow in his word. We also don't believe in "if your father or grandfather was Christian, you're Christian too." No one is born Christian, it's a life long choice. We aren't of other churches. That is what a non denominational Christian stands for.

 

[MrJim]

You need to specify what kind of baptist--there are many and all believe they are interpreting the Scripture correctly but put a Reformed, Free Will, Southern, Independent, Primitive, and American Baptist all in the same room to put together a joint Statement of Faith and there will be interesting differences of opinion

 

[SharonL]

I consider myself non-denominational now - raised Protestant, married Catholic, tried doing both, met in the middle - Lutheran - Baptist & Nazrene were my background. Discovered the Spirit Filled life and no denomination comes close to a personal relationship with God, hand in hand with Jesus and led by the Holy Spirit. Legalism becomes unimportant. Doing God's Will is all that is important. No rolling on the floor and such for me. Just Love the Lord with all my heart and life with Jesus looks much different when you get away from all the legalism. Some churches are so busy telling you what you can't do - that they forget to tell you what God can do.

 

[Publius]

What is the difference between a baptist & a non-denominational Christian?

That's kind of a vague question, since non-denoms can vary wildly.

It's been my experience, though, that most non-denoms are very similar to Baptists, many being so similar that they're pretty much Baptists in everything but name.

 

[ForeverChristian777]

I attend a non denominational community church and we are pretty much the exact same as the northern Baptists. I go to my friends church fairly often, some Sundays and every Wednesday and they are Baptist. Everything I have learned there has been the same teachings as my regular church.

 

[oldandslow]

The Baptist Church I attend believes in...

Salvation by Faith
Believer's Baptism
The Lord's Supper
Perserverence of the Saints (once saved always saved)
The Bible is the inspired Word of God
Missions
Evangelism
The Trinity
Church Authority (no outside hierarchy making decisions for the local Church)

I think these are the major areas that are inherent in most Baptist Churches.

Hope this helps.

O&S

 

[Pootis2]

Difference? We baptists have a cool website. That's it.

 

[Cush]

true. many non-denominational churches don't even have a statement of faith or a set of doctrinal stances they take/don't take.

Mine does or rather the Church I have moved away from. I moved to another state, but love my church. I think the greatest statement making us non denominational is the lack of emphasis on doctrinal differences. However, after my move, I am now in an evangelical church that proclaims in most part to be non denominational also.

What We Believe

Calvary Chapel has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe the only true basis of Christian fellowship is Christ's agape love, which is greater than any of our differences, and without which we have no right to be called Christians.
We believe that worship of God should be...

• spiritual. Therefore, we remain flexible and yielding to the leading of the Holy Spirit to direct our worship.
• inspirational. Thus, we use music in worship.
• intelligent. Therefore, our services are designed with great emphasis upon the teaching of the Word of God. We do not allow interruptions during the teaching of the Word (e.g. loud speaking in tongues or prophecy), as we do not believe that the Holy Spirit would interrupt Himself - nor should anyone else.
• fruitful. Thus, we look for His love in our lives as the greatest sign that we have been truly worshiping Him.

We believe that...

• the Scriptures (both Testaments) are the inspired, inerrant Word of God.
• God is eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that He is the personal, transcendent, and sovereign Creator of all things.

• Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human, that He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, provided the only means for the atonement of our sins by His vicarious death on the cross, was bodily resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit, ascended back to the right hand of God the Father, and ever lives to make intercession for us after Jesus ascended to heaven, He poured out His Holy Spirit on the believers in Jerusalem, enabling them to fulfill His command to preach the gospel to the entire world, an obligation shared by all believers today.
• all people are by nature separated from God and responsible for their own sin, but that salvation, redemption, and forgiveness are freely offered to all by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. When a person repents of sin and accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, trusting Him to save them, they are immediately born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all their sins are forgiven, and that person becomes a child of God, destined to spend eternity with the Lord.
• the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures are valid for today so long as they are exercised according to Scriptural guidelines.
• we are to covet the best gifts, seeking to exercise them in an orderly fashion and in love, that the whole body of Christ might be edified.
• love is more important than the most spectacular of gifts, and without love all exercise of spiritual gifts is worthless.
• church government should be simplistic rather than a complex bureaucracy; we depend on the Holy Spirit to lead, rather than on fleshly promotion.
• We await the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, and we believe that the second coming of Christ with His saints to rule on the earth will be personal, pre-millennial, and visible. We are motivated by the above to holy living, heartfelt worship, committed service, diligent study of God's Word, regular fellowship, participation in baptism by immersion, and Holy Communion.

We reject:

• The belief that true Christians can be demon possessed.
• "5-point Calvinism"- a hyper-Calvinistic view that leaves no room for free will; specifically, we reject the belief that Jesus' atonement was limited (we believe He died for all people), and we reject the assertion that God's wooing grace cannot be resisted or that He has elected some people to go to hell (we believe that anyone who wills to come to Christ may do so).
• "Positive confession"- the faith movement belief that God can be directed to heal or work miracles according to man's will.
• Human prophecy that supersedes the Scripture.
• The incorporation of humanistic and secular psychology and philosophy into Biblical teaching and counseling.
• The over-emphasis of spiritual gifts, and experiential signs and wonders to the exclusion of Biblical teaching and sound doctrine. We seek to teach the Word of God (both expository and topically) in such a way that its message can be applied to an individual's life, leading that person to greater maturity in Christ, and equipping them for ministry.

 

[faroukfarouk]

We believe in not adding or subtracting from the bible, whatever translation it may be. We believe Jesus died for our sins, and made us in his image. "We live in the world not of the world" and will not go to the world for our salvation, but to go to Jesus and follow in his word. We also don't believe in "if your father or grandfather was Christian, you're Christian too."

Sounds similar to the independent church my wife and I attend. Blessings.