The pros and cons

[Gal328]

What, in your opinion are the Pro's and Cons of being Non-denominational?

could anyone think of any?

 

[HisKid1973]

What denomination did Jesus belong to?

 

[Tonks]

From a "con" perspective I do see a bit of a drift from orthodoxy when preachers are concerned. Things such as God as three persons with three essences, Mary as the mother of Christ and not the mother of God, that only Christ's humanity died on the Cross and not, in fact, God, the somewhat mystifying obsesison with finding signs of the End etc.

I think a lot of these groups mean well but have very little Christian theological expertise.

 

[ThreeAM]

God wants the Gospel to go to every nation. Ask yourself can a single church in a single town do that or will that have to be done with a church that has worldwide influence?

Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

 

[Tonks]

That is sort of what I was saying - though without the "worldwide influence" bit. Larger groups - whether I agree with them or not - are generally consistent in their doctrine.

 

[Gal328]

That is sort of what I was saying - though without the "worldwide influence" bit. Larger groups - whether I agree with them or not - are generally consistent in their doctrine.

Yes I agree . They are in conconsistent in thier doctorine and some of them have very little christian expertise.

 

[hlaltimus]

What, in your opinion are the Pro's and Cons of being Non-denominational?

could anyone think of any?

I have heard it said that to retire from a denomination that you have consistently supported financially has a great advantage in your access to that denomination's retirement facility. That would be a definite advantage.

 

[Celticflower]

What, in your opinion are the Pro's and Cons of being Non-denominational?

could anyone think of any?

Often Non-denominational churches act as if they are the only ones who are truly Christians or are better Christians than those of us with denominational/Catholic/Orthodox ties. A con that I deal with often.

 

[Asinner]

What, in your opinion are the Pro's and Cons of being Non-denominational?

could anyone think of any?

Have you thought of going PRE-denominational?

 

[eoe]

Con - The guy up front can say any manner of heresy and pass it off as Gospel and there is no one to stop him.

 

[ROGER459]

FIRST, you have to decide for yourself! The DENOMINATIONALISMS that make up the Churches in this country, USA, have been the Ruin of CHRISTIANITY!

PLEASE, allow me to illustrate? WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? I believe what my church believes! WHAT DOES YOU CHURCH BELIEVE? We believe what our pastor believes? WHAT DOES YOUR PASTOR BELIEVE? He believes what our church believes! WHAT DO YOU ALL BELIEVE? Well, we all believe the Same THING!

Most Churches, Do Not believe the SAME THING! FIRST, we may all speak about JESUS! But we may not ALL USE THE SAME DICTIONARY? = OR SHOULD I SAY, WE DO NOT ALL USE THE BIBLE!

Many churches preach and teach "CHURCH DOCTRINE!" which may or may not = BE WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES! One Major Denomination, what I will not mention, believes, that you must be Water Baptized to be SAVED! The Bible teaches no such thing = and yet that denomination believes that!

(Luke 24:45-to-48) Then opened He [JESUS] their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
(Luk 24:46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
(Luk 24:47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
(Luk 24:48) And ye are witnesses of these things.

WHEN WAS the last time you heard that the Gospel = INCLUDED REPENTANCE? Perhaps you never read, ACTS 17:30-31!

Thanks, Roger459

 

[kamikat]

Well. several here have already mentioned the big one. The pastor can teach anything he wants. The parish member just has to trust that he's a man of God and not a con artist. Or the congregation doesn't get clear teachings. This is why I left a non-denom church. I would ask the pastor for his opinion and the response would be "we believe the verse means such-and-such, but other people it means something else. Just pray on it and the Lord will tell you what it means". If he's the pastor and he's the one who went to seminary to leanr the bible, should he be able to give a clear meaning to the verse? Isn't it his job to guide his flock? How can he do that when he tells his flock that God might tell you something different. How can someone trust a pastor like that?
kamikat

 

[SweetLikeHoneyDew]

Jesus was a Jew I think

 

[vanshan]

Jesus didn't establish a denomination. He established the Kingdom of God among us, not a denomination (which by it's very meaning suggests something that has been broken into parts--none of which are the whole). Can the truth be divided? Can the Kingdom of God be divided? Let no one ever say that! Each time someone says they are part of a denonination or separate group, like non-denominational, they are inadvertantly saying that the gates of hell have conquered the single undivided Church Christ created.

Basil

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Well. several here have already mentioned the big one. The pastor can teach anything he wants. The parish member just has to trust that he's a man of God and not a con artist. Or the congregation doesn't get clear teachings. This is why I left a non-denom church. I would ask the pastor for his opinion and the response would be "we believe the verse means such-and-such, but other people it means something else. Just pray on it and the Lord will tell you what it means". If he's the pastor and he's the one who went to seminary to leanr the bible, should he be able to give a clear meaning to the verse? Isn't it his job to guide his flock? How can he do that when he tells his flock that God might tell you something different. How can someone trust a pastor like that?
kamikat

A young inexperienced minister just out of the seminary isn't expected to know the deeper meanings of scripture that only time can provide. Older members must be patient as he catches up.

Non-denoms have better pot luck lunches.

 

[Carey]

What, in your opinion are the Pro's and Cons of being Non-denominational?

could anyone think of any?

a non denomination is a denomination.......LOL

Its a label and has doctrines. It si the same as any
denomination that has man made doctrines but free to adhere to or create its own or ignore doctrines of other Nondenominational. Just less red tape in doing it.

 

[Momzilla]

Non-denoms have better pot luck lunches.

I'd dispute that one. Come to an EO lunch sometime. That's some good chow, brother.

 

[kamikat]

Non-denoms have better pot luck lunches.

You've never been to coffee hour at a Greek Orthodox Church (dolmathes, baklava, yum!) or an after Pashca dinner at a Russian Orthdox Church (pierogies and pashka, yum!).

kamikat

 

[QuantaCura]

Non-denoms are a misguided attempt to foster Christain unity by getting rid of labels--of course, they end up creating more disunity by having more and more diverse doctrines--it ends up being just another little sect. They become a denomination unto themselves. Although, at least from my experience, most non-denoms are basically Baptists

 

[The Prokeimenon!]

PRO: You're accountable to nothing except your own personal interpretation of Scripture, so you can do whatever you want and if anybody tells you you're wrong you can tell them to buzz off.

CON: You're accountable to nothing except your own personal interpretation of Scripture, so you can do whatever you want and if anybody tells you you're wrong you can tell them to buzz off.

Rdr Moses