What do you mean by non-denominational?

[1John5:3]

If non-denominational churches have:
organization
doctrines
pastors
seminaries
how are they different from denominations?

 

[ps139]

If non-denominational churches have:
organization
doctrines
pastors
seminaries
how are they different from denominations?

They do not have official ties to a church body. They are their own authority.
Think of a "denomination" (ex: Anglican, Baptist etc.) as a country, and each church (ex: the one at 123 Main Street) within it is a "state." Non-denominational churches are like their own country.

 

[Filia Mariae]

They do not have official ties to a church body. They are their own authority.
Think of a "denomination" (ex: Anglican, Baptist etc.) as a country, and each church (ex: the one at 123 Main Street) within it is a "state." Non-denominational churches are like their own country.

So essentially they are just a very small denomination?

 

[The Freak For Christ]

Non-Denominational Christians are usually very free in their churches, and usually have the beliefs of a charismatic church. We believe in speaking in tongues, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the healing power of Christ. (Among other things.) Most Non-Denominal churches are independant, unlike Methodist churches, for example, becuase they are all closely connected with eachother. However, my church is connected with three other independent churches, so I guess they aren't so independent!
Our church is very free in the way it is run... Sometimes we completely deviate from the original plan for a service. We do not 'dress-up' for church, jeans and a t-shirt are welcome.
I hope this helps a little bit!
God Bless You!
Leah

 

[Lotar]

So essentially they are just a very small denomination?

A true non-denominational church is completely independant from any denomination, so yes would be basically a one church denomination.

Many others that are "non-denominational" are basically denominations with more authority given to the individual churches.

 

[OpenMinded-Protestant]

A non denominational church is a church you attend when you cant agree w/ any of the current denominations and just want to study the BIBLE w/ no influence by people and their rules.

(the ones that are extremely charasmatic and speak in tongues and so on) are more like a denomination..they would be better classified as "spirit filled" churches...

Its really hard to find a good one...but, if you walk in and are greeted warmly and can just feel Gods Presence there...you probably found a good one... hope this helps...

this definition is simply my personal experiences w/ Non-denominationalism... (is that a word?!)

 

[Knight]

A non denominational church is a church you attend when you cant agree w/ any of the current denominations and just want to study the BIBLE w/ no influence by people and their rules.

(the ones that are extremely charasmatic and speak in tongues and so on) are more like a denomination..they would be better classified as "spirit filled" churches...

Its really hard to find a good one...but, if you walk in and are greeted warmly and can just feel Gods Presence there...you probably found a good one... hope this helps...

this definition is simply my personal experiences w/ Non-denominationalism... (is that a word?!)

I think this adequately explains it....

Though, as I said earlier, the charismatic thing is new to me.

 

[Filia Mariae]

A non denominational church is a church you attend when you cant agree w/ any of the current denominations and just want to study the BIBLE w/ no influence by people and their rules.

But...how can you not be influenced by anyone? You don't exist in a vacuum- you are surrounded by a culture and a personal history. So, aren't you essentially saying you want to just have your personal interpretation?

I also don't understand, if you want nothing to with people and rules, why bother joining a church at all?

 

[Dandey]

I suppose I go back a bit further than some but in 1950's and earlier non-denominational would apply to Plymouth Brethren assemblies where there is no central authority but all members contribute to the eldership. The idea of charistmatic groups being non-denominational seems a bit weird to me, particularly as they have "apostles"

 

[OpenMinded-Protestant]

the Non denom church i attend is all about the book of Acts.... We try to put all the past mistakes of "christians" (the Crusades...the Inquisition, witch trials, the Holocaust, ect..) and all the "church rules" that go along w/ those attrocitites behind us, and simply do our best to be a New Testemant Church, alot like the Early churches... just w/ some microphones and modern music and computers and so on... To sum this all up, we get alot of our vision from Acts 2. We do our very best to "Follow Jesus's Teachings" He told us to love one another, and that we would have to serve to save....so we are a service in the community type of church...

 

[Filia Mariae]

Okay, so your church is essentially a very small denomination with a focus on the second chapter of the book of Acts? I'm still not getting how a non-denominational church is any different than a small, Protestant denomination, other than the fact that it has no name besides non-denominational.

 

[Lotar]

Not really, non-denominational churches make efforts to participate with churches of different denominations. We share resourches, and have eachothers pastors speak at eachother's churches.

We had a crusade in Australia a month or two back. We had support from nearly every church in New Castle. The Anglican church there flew a banner from the top of their cathedral, even though their denomination is very much different than ours.

We give money to missionaries of other denominations, and give money to startup churches of other denominations.

One of the big points of non-denominational churches is to not let our small differences divide us. We are not all ever going to agree on everything, but we don't see that as a reason to not be united.

Non-denominational isn't really very much different than a denomination though.

 

[Filia Mariae]

Not really, non-denominational churches make efforts to participate with churches of different denominations.

So do many denominational churches. When I was Protestant, my church did a lot of work with the Methodist and Lutheran churches down the street.

As a Catholic (which is not a denomination), we work with a couple of Evangelical churches on pro-life stuff.

 

[Lotar]

So do many denominational churches. When I was Protestant, my church did a lot of work with the Methodist and Lutheran churches down the street.

I don't deny that. Non-denominational churches tend to make more of a goal though.

As a Catholic (which is not a denomination), we work with a couple of Evangelical churches on pro-life stuff.

Well this is probably the easiest way to explain non-denominational churches. They are non-denominational because they say the are non-denominational, just like Catholics say they are not a denomination. But by the definition of the word they both are.

 

[ej]

Then we should join in forces for more than merely small ventures

What a lovely dream...