Hey LOOk Here!----->

[TransformedByGrace]

Hey, I just wanted to tell yall about something kewl. You should visit other-denomination churches. It's a kewl experience! I go to a Charasmatic/Full Gospel church, and I visited a Southern Baptist church... big difference But, I noticed things about the way they knew Scripture better than most people at my church, just off the top of their head, and stuff like that. Just stuff that's kewl to see God working in other people's lives!
This is tricky sometimes... You need to visit churches that don't preach different ideas about salvation, heaven/hell, (major stuff like that) if you don't believe it. Minor doctrinal issues aren't to worry about, these, unfortunately are the reason there is a denominational difference between you. But, if they believe the same as you on major parts of Christianity (basically, if you would call them your brother in Christ), then we really do need to start coming together and fellowshipping as a BODY OF CHRIST, not just the "Pentacostal body of Christ", or the "Baptist body of Christ".

Disclaimer: If you are getting bashed about little doctrinal issues, like the tribulation coming before Jesus comes... You need to not do that. That is not fellowship, that's religious debate class. If you want to witness to another group of people SHOW GOD'S LOVE, not His wrath!

 

[SmileAndAHandshake]

[old, deleted]

 

[tulc]

I don't have a problem with all the other denominations just as I don't think everyone should be part of my Church, (though you all are welcome of course! ) I think they all have a place and fill different needs in people.
tulc

 

[TransformedByGrace]

In my experience, I've realized that non-denominational is a denomination in itself. To not be a denomination, one would have to be in a group of people that has no doctrine.

 

[Tony W]

Well I'm glad you enjoyed your Southern Baptist experience. I was raised as a Southern Baptist and still am to this day. I have been to churches of other denominations and I find that Southern Baptists are the most friendly and the most hospitable. Plus we make excellent covered dish casseroles.

 

[SmileAndAHandshake]

[old, deleted]

 

[TransformedByGrace]

What you said about there being no doctrine in a church being theoretically impossible was true, if you have no doctrine, you can't interpret the Bible for teaching. We weren't there watching the Bible events first-hand.

The Bible when taught to a group of people has to be interpretted by the one teaching it. It's a Book that can be taken wrong or twisted to say nearly anything. Your doctrine determines the curve that you interpret it by. If you have a doctrine, you fit into a denomination, unless your doctrine is different than wny other, in which case you, hypothetically, started your own denomination. Most every denomination says that they believe the Bible alone, and most do, but they read it, and when you try to comprehend a holy script, you relate it to what you already know. consider this example:
I ask you to explain...
Jack is a blind man that has fallen in the men's bathroom. His relative, hearing Jack's cries for help, rushes to the bathroom to help Jack up. Jack is helped up and rushed to the emergency room to treat his broken arm. During treatment, Jack asks who is in the room with him. The nurse responds saying that it is the relative that helped him in the bathroom, and the nurse, in the room with him.
Who was the relative?
Hints:
It was a member of Jack's immediate family.
It was not either of his parents.
Jack had no children or wife.
Jack has a twin brother named John.

The answer:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
It was his sister! You assume that because of the context and the place of the story (men's bathroom), that Jack's relative was male. This was not so. You were thinking on a curve away from the truth, not realizing that the outside ideas that you know, only men go in men's bathrooms, Jack's twin brother must have helped him, was determining how you interpreted the story. If I hadn't explained that Jack's sister had helped him, you would have probably gone on through life thinking that it was Jack's twin brother.
This type of example has to be applied in every aspect of a story that you had not seen first-hand, to completely understand the story. There are a lot of stories in the Bible! That's a lot of room for misinterpretation.
If you read the Bible, and somebody else reads the same scripture, you can both get something different from the scripture. This is the greatness of God! God made His Word alignable for every person's different situation! This wasn't a mistake or carelessness!
Non-denominational churches are not inept to curving God's Word to their understanding... ANY person who thinks or has had any prior life exprerience will unconciously do this.

Denominations need to connect and help eachother to understand God's Word in the context that God wants us to understand it.

 

[lostangel]

Yes it is cool to go to diff churchs! I belong (was baptized in and am a member of) a Mennonite Brethren Church, but also attend a Baptist church, and another one, that doesnt have a specific denom.

 

[TransformedByGrace]

that's cool lostangel! I definitely think it's great to share and be a part of eachothers churches

 

[Missy7303]

Hey, I just wanted to tell yall about something kewl. You should visit other-denomination churches. It's a kewl experience! I go to a Charasmatic/Full Gospel church, and I visited a Southern Baptist church... big difference But, I noticed things about the way they knew Scripture better than most people at my church, just off the top of their head, and stuff like that. Just stuff that's kewl to see God working in other people's lives!
This is tricky sometimes... You need to visit churches that don't preach different ideas about salvation, heaven/hell, (major stuff like that) if you don't believe it. Minor doctrinal issues aren't to worry about, these, unfortunately are the reason there is a denominational difference between you. But, if they believe the same as you on major parts of Christianity (basically, if you would call them your brother in Christ), then we really do need to start coming together and fellowshipping as a BODY OF CHRIST, not just the "Pentacostal body of Christ", or the "Baptist body of Christ".

Disclaimer: If you are getting bashed about little doctrinal issues, like the tribulation coming before Jesus comes... You need to not do that. That is not fellowship, that's religious debate class. If you want to witness to another group of people SHOW GOD'S LOVE, not His wrath!

I agree! I grew up as a Jehovah Witness but know I am a Pentacostal. My husband grew up as one(Pentacostal) so thats what I am now.(But I do not agree what Jehovah witness are) But I Agree that we should fellowship as a BODY OF CHRIST not just the Pentacostal body of Christ or Baptist body of Christ!!

 

[dbaryl]

People who are non-denominational believe in the Bible as the Word of God. Period. That in itself is a teaching, being put forth as being true, and therefor doctrine.

I'd like to know how that's different from the belief of any other denomination Seriously, I've always found it funny when people said they were non-denomenational. I'm guessing it means they don't associate themselves with any particular group...

Back on topic - I've actually recently done what TransformedByGrace talked about - I'm Pentacostal myself, but went to a couple of different churches and really enjoyed it.

Here in the Seattle area there are many slavic (Russian, Ukrainian, etc) churches. I'm a part of a church where most of the members are from Moldova, and church services are held in Russian (with English translation). What I enjoy about our (slavic) churches is the unity, there's a lot of interaction in between us and people attend someone else's church at least once a week. That is, say, you go to your own church for the morming Sunday service, and then visit a different church in the afternoon. It's really great!

 

[TransformedByGrace]

dbaryl, that's pretty kewl how your church is uniting with other churches, I think that is the main thing God is looking for, is HIS body of Christ.

 

[Blessedone_74]

The closest I have ever come to doing this is an actual chuch function. Once every two-three months we have a district meeting. All our sister churches meet at one church for about 4 hours. The hosting church will put on a show (which is always great) there's a meeting about updates in all the churches and there is also a sermon. I like this cause it gives me the chance to hear another preacher. Don't get me wrong, I love mine. I just like to here how other men preach sometimes. I know my post isn't really about the topic but I wanted to post it anyways, lol. I have been invited to a friends church which is a little different to mine, but I haven't gone. I would like to do but I feel my place is in my church. I guess I'm afraid of what I'll miss if I'm not there. It kinda sounds strange, I know

 

[linuxChique]

In my experience, I've realized that non-denominational is a denomination in itself. To not be a denomination, one would have to be in a group of people that has no doctrine.

Thats a great point. It has almost become a fad to call oneself non-denominational. Its fine not to identify with one denomination, and I myself do not attend churches that belong to one particular denomination. But I do not limit myself to non-denominational churches. My only denomination is Christianity.

 

[TransformedByGrace]

I guess I'm afraid of what I'll miss if I'm not there. It kinda sounds strange, I know

I know exactly what you mean, I have felt that way since... hmm... I started coming to my church. Tommorow night, I'm staying at my church because Dr. Dino Jr.(Kent Hovind's son) is coming, but I waaaas.... planning on going to Brownsville Assembly... I guess, I feel like I don't want to miss anything at my church. At the same time, I have friends that will come to meafter Brownville, and tell me how powerful it is. No use crying over spilt milk, God gives me what I need, wherever I am.

 

[momof3blessings]

The denomination of the non-denominational...

I suppose that means having a lack of doctrine is doctrine in itself..*giggles* Actually though, I don't think its possible to have "no doctrine" ... the word doctrine simple means "a principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief" ... or, a better way of saying it, "That which is taught; what is held, put forth as true" (I particularly like this one)...

People who are non-denominational believe in the Bible as the Word of God. Period. That in itself is a teaching, being put forth as being true, and therefor doctrine.

One non-denominational church info I came to on the net had the following statement of purpose:

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"To be focused on God through worship, teaching the Word of God and presenting the Good News of Jesus Christ using our gifts and abilities. We will encourage each other to live in a way that pleases God and share God's purposes for our lives by meeting spiritual and physical needs in our community and world."[/font]

tada... doctrine. lol

Ahh the ironic paradoxes though *scratches her head* hehe

I agree. I'm non-denominational.
One thing that needs to remembered is man made denominations not God.