Why are there 217 different denominations in the US?

Because it's really all about "man" and not God. Having organizational control over the hearts, minds and money of others is what being a god is all about. Remember, Adam wanted to be God, which is why he ate the fruit. We're all descendants of Adam.

The apostles never went around talking about this organization or that. They addressed the Body of Christ, because there was only one in those days. They did forewarn us of the Anti-Christ spirit, though, that was prevalent even in those days.

because mankind can be a disagreeable lot .

but there is coming a time .almost upon us that we will believe stand and die ..or run
we will all be united then

Kings servant said:

How can the Body of Christ work together for the Kingdom when each member is at war with the other!

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War? Do the Baptists burn your church down? Do the Catholics put snipers in the tree near your parking lot? Do the Methodists vandalize your sanctuary?

I am active in several ecumenical movements and there is no war. I serve alongside people of a half-dozen denominations all the time. We have so much in common, with minor doctrinal differences. Even the things that are a critical issue in our own church (infant baptism, sprinkling, women clergy, etc) become a non-issue when we serve the Lord together.

I would urge anyone who thinks that denominations are tearing the body of Christ apart to join an ecumenical movement such as Via de Cristo, Walk to Emmaus, Kairos, Kairos Outside, Matt Talbot, etc and experience Christian life with those who don't agree with you 100%.

You learn a lot about yourself when you encounter one of those doctrinal issues (such as only being offered wine at communion when you are a Wesleyan) and the only person that is bothers is YOU.

I also encourage anyone who is brave enough to read Christianity, the First Three Thousand Years (Amazon.com: Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years eBook: Diarmaid MacCulloch: Books ).

It is a huge book and gives a detailed account of the evolution of the church since the Resurrection. You'll discover that all of Christianity has split off from the One True Church.

Different strokes for different folks. It is only when some choose to major on the minors that it becomes a problem.

When is the last time you had a conversation with a Valley Girl? A Goth? A Biker? A rodeo cowboy? A drummer in a rock band? A construction worker? An Olympic contestant? A professional auto racer? A Carnival worker? A probation officer? A homeless beggar? A military pilot? A watch maker? A movie producer? A goat herder? A Duck Dynasty Redneck?

Do you really think you ever will?

But someone who relates to individuals in those esoteric vocations will easily identify with them, and the way they see things around them. They will be drawn to each other.

It's all the same, exact world that they all live in, but they do not all understand identical experiences the same way. It's no different with how we see religion in our lives.... as we each, individually, know those lives, and live them the way that works for us.

There are different denominations because there are different people. And many of the different types will never, ever cross paths. If you had to depend upon me evangelizing the kind of people at your church... do you see much chance of it happening?

If they are nothing like me in how they understand God, of course not... and vice versa.

And, frankly, I think God planned it that way.

Willie T said:

And, frankly, I think God planned it that way.

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So do I. If we only had the One True Church, just imagine how corrupt it would be by now.

Willie T said:

And, frankly, I think God planned it that way.

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I have heard it put this way.

All believers are the one true Church, but the denominations make up all the different parts of that Church, or Body of Christ.

I don't see that God planned for us to be divided and governed by different denominational factions that believe in different gospels. There is one gospel- "The Cross" and all that entails Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. In fact, I don't think God even intended for churches to be run the way they are now.

The Catholic Church had a lot to do with this, beginning in 312 A.D. when Roman Emperor Constantine institutionalized Christianity as a State religion and made a show of it. The Church became a form of entertainment and government to exert more control over the masses. People became subjects and followers instead of doers walking the walk.

God never told us to be pew warmers, or to have an elite priesthood. He called us to be ministers of Christ. And that means all of us! Thus, the term "Christ-ian".

1Pet.5:5- "... Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."

1Corin. 11:3- "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."

I don't see the words "denomination", "Church" or even "Pastor" in the above scripture. Do you? This is why the Church is so screwed up. We follow man and not God. In the book of 1Samuel8, the Israelites wanted a King instead of following God. So God gave them a King with all of the negative aspects of being ruled over by one. What's the difference between then and now?

Bobinator said:

I don't see that God planned for us to be divided and governed by different denominational factions that believe in different gospels. There is one gospel- "The Cross" and all that entails Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. In fact, I don't think God even intended for churches to be run the way they are now.

The Catholic Church had a lot to do with this, beginning in 312 A.D. when Roman Emperor Constantine institutionalized Christianity as a State religion and made a show of it. The Church became a form of entertainment and government to exert more control over the masses. People became subjects and followers instead of doers walking the walk.

God never told us to be pew warmers, or to have an elite priesthood. He called us to be ministers of Christ. And that means all of us! Thus, the term "Christ-ian".

1Pet.5:5- "... Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."

1Corin. 11:3- "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."

I don't see the words "denomination", "Church" or even "Pastor" in the above scripture. Do you? This is why the Church is so screwed up. We follow man and not God. In the book of 1Samuel8, the Israelites wanted a King instead of following God. So God gave them a King with all of the negative aspects of being ruled over by one. What's the difference between then and now?

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The initial damage was already done by 312 AD. Even in the epistles, we hear of denominations (the cults of Paul and Apollos, the divisions between Paul and Peter, the Jews and Gentiles and their interpretations of scripture).

The Imperial Church of Rome was the organization that set about to crush all the denominations to force all of Christendom into that one church and they failed almost as fast as they started as the Constantinople Church began to diverge. As soon as they destroyed one "heretical church", two more appeared.

So, there has never been a time since they walked out of the Upper Room where the church was not divided. If God did not intend the church to divide, yet retain the core doctrine of scripture, then God is not in control of his church. I don't accept that. I believe that the church has been very successful as the divided (but not fragmented) body that it has been for almost 2000 years.

Many denomination churches are simply dead....but I suppose its not so much the denomination as it is the people or pastor. Their were 12 tribes of Israel also, not just one. I think so many denominations started popping up because some Christians attending them saw how dead they were and wanted more, thats not to say that those denominations are still growing. For example, I visited a "Friends" church, they came from the Quakers. I looked up how the Quaker denomination came about, it was a Christain tired of the deadness of the "church". He found that a personal relationship is what was missing and taught on finding that, that started another denomination and people wanted to grow and find that. The problem is when one "church" begins to think and show lack of love for others in another "church". I came from a Methodist background as well as pentecost and there can be great desention and even hate coming from the same denominations in the same area.....and thats not right no matter what group you belong too.....so its not so much the "tribe" or "church" but how each follows Christ in their own walk. I do ask myself what if all of us could come together under the same roof though.....instead of 120 churches not even filled to half capacity, and some much less, what if we were all under one roof? I guess we would have to learn to love each other and hear different views.....perhaps even learning from each other. I think of Pauls words..."I'm afraid of you, ye separate, ye divide....." But perhaps its not so much the denominations doing this as it is some of the people and pastors who are seeking their own ways.....?

Kings servant said:

My observation. People would rather believe a lie or a half truth because the actual Truth of His Word goes against how they want to live and what they want to believe. Does the Bible say that the Body of Christ should be in one accord, one mind or does it says that it's OK for the Body to be in many different minds in regards to worship, beliefs and service?

We don't serve the Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Catholic or what every church. We as Children of God serve the one true church. Christ's church, the one that some day, He will return for. But that's not the church that people are concerned about these days. They worry more about those churches started with and or because of man made doctrines but give little or no thought about the one that Jesus started some 2000 years ago!

How can the Body of Christ work together for the Kingdom when each member is at war with the other!

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I think because people don't know where to go. Which denomination is correct? Are they all? Which one is following the Bible in it's entirety?

it is very easy to have many denominations, the bible is a guide, the top rules are clear, love God with all you have, love your neighbors as yourself. However when people start to Digg way too deep they sometimes lose focus and starting to focuse on things that only God knows
, and they try to be experts on that. One example is a friend of mine heard two women arguing if a baby would go to hell or not upon premature death.

Kings servant said:

Why are there 217 different denominations in the US?

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Because a bunch of people (mis-)interpreted the Bible for themselves and formed 216 non-RCC denominations.

Bobinator said:

The Catholic Church had a lot to do with this, beginning in 312 A.D. when Roman Emperor Constantine institutionalized Christianity as a State religion and made a show of it. The Church became a form of entertainment and government to exert more control over the masses. People became subjects and followers instead of doers walking the walk.

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Huh? Under what decree did Constantine make it the state religion? In 312 he was not even emperor, no?

I don't see the words "denomination", "Church" or even "Pastor" in the above scripture. Do you? This is why the Church is so screwed up. We follow man and not God. In the book of 1Samuel8, the Israelites wanted a King instead of following God. So God gave them a King with all of the negative aspects of being ruled over by one. What's the difference between then and now?

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I do find the words bishop, presbyter (which became priest in English), and deacon in the bible. Do you have those?

Kings servant said:

I see it like this.
There is only one Church - as it says in the Bible,the one Christ will return for.
There is only one truth - as it is written in the Bible.
There is only one body of Christ - as it says in the Bible, the one that follows Christ's instructions to the letter.

If every church was following Christ, The Truth and in one body as the Bible says then there would not be a division of faith. Because every one would be of one mind and one accord in worship, beliefs and service. But that's not the way it is. People are far more concerned about being politically correct ( don't offend anyone, fill the seats,do just enough but not to much ) than what thus saith the Word of God!

But....that's just the way I see things.

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There is only one Church. All of the denominations and congregations make up that Church. There is no "division of faith". There is only different ways of viewing the same faith.

If Jesus had intended his church to be bound to a fixed set of rules, as God did with Israel, he would have given us a book of laws to be followed to the letter. Instead, he gave us parables, two simple commandments, and a Great Commission. He gave us the inspired word of apostles to set boundaries. But, he did not explain in plain language what the exact church must think and do.

Any church that preaches "Love God, Love Others, Tell the World" is part of the one Church.