What exactly is a non denominational?

[Cis.jd]

They must have been working overtime to determine the best way to keep people from returning.

lol.

I am still confused on non-denominations exactly, i understand now that they are not part of an organized group. There have been other nondenoms i've been to that were a little bit different from one another.. the pamphlet says "non denomination" but then i read they are neo-pentecostal. So it just gave me a question.. how do you know if the non-denominational church is an actual denomination or a cult?

Upon trying to get some understanding on this, i am running into a lot of different "denominations" that i never knew were denominations; such as Evangelical denomination, then neo-pentecostal, etc etc..

 

[Sketcher]

Sorry for my huge ignorance. I remember going into a Pentecostal church and it was one of the scariest experiences i've had. I remember being brought in the center of a circle of church members and they were making sounds and faces as if they were going to puke on me.. they called it holy laughter. They also had a female pastor speaking in tongues and the whole area was just yelling. I did not see that in Hillsong church.

There's a pretty wide swath of Pentecostal-ish churches.

I am still confused on non-denominations exactly, i understand now that they are not part of an organized group. There have been other nondenoms i've been to that were a little bit different from one another.. the pamphlet says "non denomination" but then i read they are neo-pentecostal. So it just gave me a question.. how do you know if the non-denominational church is an actual denomination or a cult?

You would have to look at their teachings and practices. Aside from their statement of faith, there are some things to look out for:

- Is the church named after or extremely devoted to a person other than Jesus Christ? It's one thing to love your pastor, it's another to put him on such a high pedestal that he cannot be questioned or gets special privileges that most believers don't get, or literally gets rich, or after he has died, the church just listens to or watches recordings of sermons that he previously gave.
- Do they believe that they're the only ones who get to go to Heaven, and that the rest of the universal church is damned?
- How do they treat people who want to move away, or go to a Bible study on the side? If a congregant has a relative, let's say a Catholic relative, will the church have a problem if they go to their relative's Catholic wedding or funeral?
- Do they attempt to keep people away from their own family members, aside from domestic abuse situations?
- Does their teaching and practice concerning giving go beyond encouragement and into coercion?

 

[Radagast]

Every Nation is non denomination.... unless neo-pentecostal is an actual doctrine.

Every Nation is a denomination too: Every Nation Churches & Ministries - Wikipedia

I get the feeling that some denominations call themselves "non-denominational" as a sales tactic.

 

[BNR32FAN]

I’m nondenominational and I guess some would say I’m a mutt of Christianity because I have mixed beliefs. I’m not Catholic but I do believe many Catholic doctrines but some I don’t. I’m also not a Protestant because I don’t believe in many of their doctrines but some I do. I tend to try not to worry so much about theology and focus more on what the Bible tells me to do I tend to try not to worry about why I should do it or how or when I am saved. As long as I know what God expects from me that’s all that is really important. The rest will work itself out on its own.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Some congregations are independent and not linked to any organizational name.

 

[Spirit of Pentecost]

From what I know, non-denominational Christians are similar to Baptist in doctrine.

I've heard jokes that go along these lines: "Non-denominationals are Baptists, but with cooler websites."

Nonetheless, from what I know of most non-denominational churches, many of them can be loosely classified under the evangelical, Baptist, or Pentecostal/Charismatic banner. They are usually started, from my guessing, by a pastor or group of people that have been hurt by a specific organized denomination, or have had grown to have different ideas than those adhered to by their denomination. These churches they start, more often than not, have very similar doctrines and beliefs to the churches they split from, but with some minor differences.

All from what I gather and assume.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Nonetheless, from what I know of most non-denominational churches, many of them can be loosely classified under the evangelical, Baptist, or Pentecostal/Charismatic banner. They are usually started, from my guessing, by a pastor or group of people that have been hurt by a specific organized denomination, or have had grown to have different ideas than those adhered to by their denomination. These churches they start, more often than not, have very similar doctrines and beliefs to the churches they split from, but with some minor differences.

I think the other consideration is that sometimes a denomination will change something and if you are under that denomination you kind of have to follow like it or not unless a church would choose to uncouple with the denomination.

I think after seeing this happen, many churches like to be non denominational in that they are not involved in these types of issues if they would occur.

 

[Bobber]

I've attended non-Denominational in times pasts plus denominational. I suppose there are pros and cons to each type. Denominational well there's superintendents which Pastors have to somewhat be accountable to and it gives an outlet for a Pastors flock to express their concerns to if their Pastor is let's say seriously going astray. Non-denominational I will say I've liked my experience but one thing I will say if there's any tendency for a group to start following a man overly too much where it'd become almost cult-like I do think it'd be non-denominational. Freedom in Christ is great but with no accountability for everyone even a church leader I think it can go to their head.

 

[ToBeLoved]

lol.

I am still confused on non-denominations exactly, i understand now that they are not part of an organized group. There have been other nondenoms i've been to that were a little bit different from one another.. the pamphlet says "non denomination" but then i read they are neo-pentecostal. So it just gave me a question.. how do you know if the non-denominational church is an actual denomination or a cult?

Upon trying to get some understanding on this, i am running into a lot of different "denominations" that i never knew were denominations; such as Evangelical denomination, then neo-pentecostal, etc etc..

Evangelical and neo Penetostal are not denominations

 

[Tayla]

Nevertheless, I am still confused as to what is a non denominational church?

A non-denominational Church is merely a denomination that doesn't want to use that term because they think they are better than those. Sometimes they are not affiliated with anyone else, a single solo church under one leader or group of leaders. But often, there are multiple of them, just as with a denomination.

 

[ToBeLoved]

A non-denominational Church is merely a denomination that doesn't want to use that term because they think they are better than those.

This is a little insulting. We all have our own beliefs that we follow. I may think I’m correct, but that doesn’t mean I think I’m better than anyone else.

To be fair, we all believe we are correct or we’d be going somewhere else.

 

[Spirit of Pentecost]

Non-denominational churches may sometimes have teachings similar (or identical in some cases) to those of established denominations. For some reason(s), however, they choose not to identify as "Southern Baptist", or "Church of God (Cleveland)", or "United Methodist", or "United Pentecostal". These reasons often vary; sometimes it could be simply because they do not wish to operate under an organization, or because the organization in which they generally agree has shifted its views. Just because they use the word non-denominational, or Christian (which is what the Word calls us all to be), does not automatically make them self-righteous or holier than thou. A book should not be judged by its cover, nor should a church be judged by its sign.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

A free collection of individuals who agree with each other in ideology who reject the notion that the Church is a visible structure that has authority over the individual. This is why Non-denoms are free to move in and out between Churches, because being in communion with a particular Church is not necessary so long as you are counted in the true Spiritual Church.

 

[Ron Gurley]

What do they BELIEVE? Doctrine is IMPORTANT.

Doctrinal Statement | Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS)