What is Non-denominational?

[Ave Maria]

I have always understood non-denominational to mean that one does not officially or formally affiliate themselves with any particular denomination.

 

[Stinker]

Merrian Webster's Collegiate Dictionary 10th ed.

Denomination- NAME, DESIGNATION, a general name for a catagory 4. a religious organization uniting local congregations in a single and administrative body.

Denominationalism- 2. the emphasizing of denominational differences to the point of being narrowly exclusive: SECTARIANISM

 

[fiveinjuly]

non denominational is a is a denomination, or atleast closely resembles one *cough Baptist *cough

I know of nondenominational churches that resemble AOG. Reallly all of the nondenoms that I know of are like that. Even one that used to be baptist.

 

[CJ.23]

Actually I was baptised in an independent church, and which used Anglican liturgy, believed in some dispensationalist ideas and practiced infant baptism while being very vaguely English Baptist in worship style. I believe it may hev also from time to time had Methodist Preachers. It was however, quite clearly, not in any sense, what Americans would call 'non-denominational'.

As far as I can see non-denominational is a 'movement' of independent churches, not formally affiliated, but which share a broad trend of worship and theology, and are in effect if not actually on paper a denomination, in that a person from one non-denominational church will probably feel more at home in another n-d church than in say a Catholic cathedral, a Mennonite Church, a Quaker meeting hall or a Greek Orthodox Church, which one might expect, but also more at home in another non-denominational than in a Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostalist or Adventist Church.

I may well be wrong I usally am.

cj x

 

[Toms777]

Actually I was baptised in an independent church, and which used Anglican liturgy, believed in some dispensationalist ideas and practiced infant baptism while being very vaguely English Baptist in worship style. I believe it may hev also from time to time had Methodist Preachers. It was however, quite clearly, not in any sense, what Americans would call 'non-denominational'.

As far as I can see non-denominational is a 'movement' of independent churches, not formally affiliated, but which share a broad trend of worship and theology, and are in effect if not actually on paper a denomination, in that a person from one non-denominational church will probably feel more at home in another n-d church than in say a Catholic cathedral, a Mennonite Church, a Quaker meeting hall or a Greek Orthodox Church, which one might expect, but also more at home in another non-denominational than in a Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostalist or Adventist Church.

I may well be wrong I usally am.

cj x

Not true at all. Non-denominational means just that - without denominational attachment. The theologies can differ quite significantly within the realm of orthodox Christian doctrine.

I am non-denominational and have travelled and moved a lot. I have attended many different types of churches and have felt entirely at home in churches which were non-denominational and of a variety of denominations - the common factor between those in which i felt comfirtable was that they were all sound in doctrine and all were Bible believing - past that, they followed a variety of theological heritages.

 

[CJ.23]

Is there such a thing as a Church which is not Bible Believing though? (genuine question). I can only think of two completely unaffilited Churches - one believes in the Rapture, the other is part Preterist (Christ has already returned in Spirit, the events of Revlation happened in the late Roman Empire.) Both have a strong basis in the Bible. Actually I just thought of two more - one is Charismatic to the point where it always reminds me of a voodoo ceremony, with folks slain in the spirit etc, etc and shaking like possessed folk do everywhere, and the other one is an independent Evangelical which preaches after Spurgeon that the age of miracles is over and denounces so called Gifts of the Spirit as ungodly. That is the four unaffiliated Churches I have experience of - technically I believe the Evangelical I partof a larger Evangelical organisation, but the congregation elect their minister etc and function fully independently - and there is no common culture. Yet by the definition provided all would be Non-Denominational. All have sound doctrine, in their respective 'flavours' of the Church.

Or does that phrase have a certain meaning. OK, I respect your experience, it is a lot better than my empty theorising! Still I suspect there is more in common with non-denominational Churches in culture than just lack of affiliation. I must say though if i was in America, I may well be non-denominational, for theological reasons. Either that or become a Ctaholic or Orthodox. Not sure which!

cj x

 

[fiveinjuly]

I think that with the non-denominational churches (at least in my part of the country) you are more likely to find the excersising of spiritual gifts and/or contemporary music. There are some churches here and there that are nondenom taht were churches taht were tired of their affiliation with a certain convention or something and decided to go nondenom, but are still whatever there former denom was in doctrine.

 

[fiveinjuly]

Has anyone caught onto the fact tha tyou can spell demon-ination wtih the word DENOMINATION?

 

[Toms777]

Is there such a thing as a Church which is not Bible Believing though? (genuine question).

Yes, indeed. Unfortunately there are many. I have actually been in a discussion with a person who professed to be a Christian, was a member of a major denomination and got quite nasty if I used the Bible at all. That is just one example, but I could give many more where inddividuals and indeed pastors either do not use the Bible as their basis or downplay the use of the Bible. In the ministry that I am involved with, this is becoming fairly common in some areas. I was even at a church where they prayed to a native American Indian god.

I can only think of two completely unaffilited Churches - one believes in the Rapture, the other is part Preterist (Christ has already returned in Spirit, the events of Revlation happened in the late Roman Empire.) Both have a strong basis in the Bible. Actually I just thought of two more - one is Charismatic to the point where it always reminds me of a voodoo ceremony, with folks slain in the spirit etc, etc and shaking like possessed folk do everywhere, and the other one is an independent Evangelical which preaches after Spurgeon that the age of miracles is over and denounces so called Gifts of the Spirit as ungodly.

Some charismatic churches have gone into the occultic or cultic realm. There is also the United Methodist which deny the trinity in favour of modalism (similar to William Branham's views mentioned earlier, though Branham's doctrine went even further off the rail, and those churches still exist even though he has died). I suspect that the reason why the person mentioned Branham is that Branham thought denominations were evil.

 

[Toms777]

I think that with the non-denominational churches (at least in my part of the country) you are more likely to find the excersising of spiritual gifts and/or contemporary music. There are some churches here and there that are nondenom taht were churches taht were tired of their affiliation with a certain convention or something and decided to go nondenom, but are still whatever there former denom was in doctrine.

I think that it is important not to generalize on non-denominational churches. They very widely. That may be true in that area, but perhaps if you go to another area, as someone suggested earlier, they may look more like Baptist churches. There are probably historical reasons why this happens

 

[CJ.23]

Yes, indeed. Unfortunately there are many. I have actually been in a discussion with a person who professed to be a Christian, was a member of a major denomination and got quite nasty if I used the Bible at all. That is just one example, but I could give many more where inddividuals and indeed pastors either do not use the Bible as their basis or downplay the use of the Bible. In the ministry that I am involved with, this is becoming fairly common in some areas. I was even at a church where they prayed to a native American Indian god.

That is simply terrifying!



cj x

 

[Toms777]

That is simply terrifying!



cj x

Luke 18:8 shows us how bad things will become before Christ's return.