Where to start? How do you choose a denomination ‘label’?

[whereloveandmercymeet]

Hi. I’m new. I’ve read thousands of threads on here but never posted before out of anxiety I guess. I have lots I want to post in many different areas but thought I’d go for something less... personal first to test the waters. A lot of the threads can get quite, agressive, animated, I don’t know how to describe it best, but reading them was certainly off putting at times. It’s hard to talk about yourself sometimes but the relevant parts to this question, which I promise I will eventually get to, would be that I’m not a ‘new’ Christian. I was baptised as an infant and accepted Christ (for myself, rather than my parents on my behalf) as a teenager. I’m now in my late twenties. I’m not looking for a church in the sense of looking for one to join, I belong to a church where I used to live, about 40 miles from where I am now. Despite many recommendations from fellow Christians at my church and not at my church, I have no desire to find one more local. I love my church. The congregation as people, and as Christians are wonderful. Both from an ability to ‘gel’ with them socially and their guidance and and love in my walk with Jesus. I do occasionally go to a local church when I’m not capable of the journey to my church but I would not wish to make a permanent change.

My church is absolute middle of the road Church of England, Anglican. Amongst the congregation it’s very accepting of people with different takes within it (differing opinions on homosexuality for example). I was brought up in my younger years within the Church if England, then as a teenager moved towards a Vineyard Church which felt more ‘me’ when I accepted Jesus on my own. I felt like my views fit there more in some ways I guess. I explored Catholicism for a while, because I found great comfort in a lot of the ritual and structure of it, before returning to a Vineyard church as I encountered conflict with some of the dogma. As an adult I then took more to study. From studying the Bible personally and with my bible group to reading about theology and different denominations core views and practices.

Now when I talk to people many people want to know what flavour of Christian I am. I don’t know. I interpret God’s word the best I can using my own mind and reading and listening to as many people as possible, both friends I respect and pastors and pretty much anyone who I can read. But that doesn’t answer their question and they want to know which school of thought I’m closest to. But I feel like a mishmash. I don’t know how to decide which of the labels I am closest to. In my eyes it doesn’t matter so much but I understand why they want to know, it makes understanding your viewpoint easier in discussion.

How did you decide? Where you ‘born into’ your denomination? Did you see how many of your fundamental viewpoints ticked which boxes? Did you accept the denomination label of the church you call home? Or do you not have a denomination ‘label’ either?

I’m not expecting a right answer as such if just really love different opinions and advice on how to choose a label, if I decided I would actually like one (not so much for me, but for making discussions a little easier).

I hope this makes sense to you. Thank you for your time. And patience, in me eventually getting to the point.

God Bless.

G

 

[HTacianas]

Hi. I’m new. I’ve read thousands of threads on here but never posted before out of anxiety I guess. I have lots I want to post in many different areas but thought I’d go for something less... personal first to test the waters. A lot of the threads can get quite, agressive, animated, I don’t know how to describe it best, but reading them was certainly off putting at times. It’s hard to talk about yourself sometimes but the relevant parts to this question, which I promise I will eventually get to, would be that I’m not a ‘new’ Christian. I was baptised as an infant and accepted Christ (for myself, rather than my parents on my behalf) as a teenager. I’m now in my late twenties. I’m not looking for a church in the sense of looking for one to join, I belong to a church where I used to live, about 40 miles from where I am now. Despite many recommendations from fellow Christians at my church and not at my church, I have no desire to find one more local. I love my church. The congregation as people, and as Christians are wonderful. Both from an ability to ‘gel’ with them socially and their guidance and and love in my walk with Jesus. I do occasionally go to a local church when I’m not capable of the journey to my church but I would not wish to make a permanent change.

My church is absolute middle of the road Church of England, Anglican. Amongst the congregation it’s very accepting of people with different takes within it (differing opinions on homosexuality for example). I was brought up in my younger years within the Church if England, then as a teenager moved towards a Vineyard Church which felt more ‘me’ when I accepted Jesus on my own. I felt like my views fit there more in some ways I guess. I explored Catholicism for a while, because I found great comfort in a lot of the ritual and structure of it, before returning to a Vineyard church as I encountered conflict with some of the dogma. As an adult I then took more to study. From studying the Bible personally and with my bible group to reading about theology and different denominations core views and practices.

Now when I talk to people many people want to know what flavour of Christian I am. I don’t know. I interpret God’s word the best I can using my own mind and reading and listening to as many people as possible, both friends I respect and pastors and pretty much anyone who I can read. But that doesn’t answer their question and they want to know which school of thought I’m closest to. But I feel like a mishmash. I don’t know how to decide which of the labels I am closest to. In my eyes it doesn’t matter so much but I understand why they want to know, it makes understanding your viewpoint easier in discussion.

How did you decide? Where you ‘born into’ your denomination? Did you see how many of your fundamental viewpoints ticked which boxes? Did you accept the denomination label of the church you call home? Or do you not have a denomination ‘label’ either?

I’m not expecting a right answer as such if just really love different opinions and advice on how to choose a label, if I decided I would actually like one (not so much for me, but for making discussions a little easier).

I hope this makes sense to you. Thank you for your time. And patience, in me eventually getting to the point.

God Bless.

G

I was originally a Baptist. Long story short, I came to believe that what the Baptist church teaches contradicts the bible. I spent years studying "denominations", but all of them protestant. After I learned about the Orthodox Church I found that within it all my questions -questions I had for years that no one was to answer- were finally answered.

But I did not approach the Orthodox Church with a list of "boxes" that the Church needed to check off to satisfy me, but a list of boxes that I needed to check off to satisfy the Church.

During that time, I was searching for the truth, not something that made me feel good, or that appeased some opinion I may have held.

 

[salt-n-light]

Hi. I’m new. I’ve read thousands of threads on here but never posted before out of anxiety I guess. I have lots I want to post in many different areas but thought I’d go for something less... personal first to test the waters. A lot of the threads can get quite, agressive, animated, I don’t know how to describe it best, but reading them was certainly off putting at times. It’s hard to talk about yourself sometimes but the relevant parts to this question, which I promise I will eventually get to, would be that I’m not a ‘new’ Christian. I was baptised as an infant and accepted Christ (for myself, rather than my parents on my behalf) as a teenager. I’m now in my late twenties. I’m not looking for a church in the sense of looking for one to join, I belong to a church where I used to live, about 40 miles from where I am now. Despite many recommendations from fellow Christians at my church and not at my church, I have no desire to find one more local. I love my church. The congregation as people, and as Christians are wonderful. Both from an ability to ‘gel’ with them socially and their guidance and and love in my walk with Jesus. I do occasionally go to a local church when I’m not capable of the journey to my church but I would not wish to make a permanent change.

My church is absolute middle of the road Church of England, Anglican. Amongst the congregation it’s very accepting of people with different takes within it (differing opinions on homosexuality for example). I was brought up in my younger years within the Church if England, then as a teenager moved towards a Vineyard Church which felt more ‘me’ when I accepted Jesus on my own. I felt like my views fit there more in some ways I guess. I explored Catholicism for a while, because I found great comfort in a lot of the ritual and structure of it, before returning to a Vineyard church as I encountered conflict with some of the dogma. As an adult I then took more to study. From studying the Bible personally and with my bible group to reading about theology and different denominations core views and practices.

Now when I talk to people many people want to know what flavour of Christian I am. I don’t know. I interpret God’s word the best I can using my own mind and reading and listening to as many people as possible, both friends I respect and pastors and pretty much anyone who I can read. But that doesn’t answer their question and they want to know which school of thought I’m closest to. But I feel like a mishmash. I don’t know how to decide which of the labels I am closest to. In my eyes it doesn’t matter so much but I understand why they want to know, it makes understanding your viewpoint easier in discussion.

How did you decide? Where you ‘born into’ your denomination? Did you see how many of your fundamental viewpoints ticked which boxes? Did you accept the denomination label of the church you call home? Or do you not have a denomination ‘label’ either?

I’m not expecting a right answer as such if just really love different opinions and advice on how to choose a label, if I decided I would actually like one (not so much for me, but for making discussions a little easier).

I hope this makes sense to you. Thank you for your time. And patience, in me eventually getting to the point.

God Bless.

G

I grew up (and still attend for the time-being) in a Pentecostal/Charismatic church that my parents were in. I use to be just accepting of what anything goes really. But in recent years as I more read the Word and be more engaging with people and asking questions, it had led me to see myself be more of a non-denominational. When I visit other non-denominational churches, I tend to feel more at home, because of how they usually approach the Word.

But such denominational terms can only be related with how you chose to express your faith and thus how you feel most comfortable in operating in relation to the assembly. To me, although nothing is wrong with how perhaps a different denomination chooses to structure their church and their services, or having rituals, it shouldn't be the driving force or core of what Christians ought to do as a whole.I was just reading this passage, and it stopped me in my tracks. I felt like James wrote this to be a challenge to those who tend to focus on denominational superiority.

James 1:26-27
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

So I feel however you label yourself denomination wise, if you are able to do those two things (which really falls into Love God, and love others as yourself), then you are in the right place. Of course that would naturally cancel out those assemblies that serve as a stumbling block to doing one or both those things, but also keeps us in check individually when we are addressing questions about denominations.

I guess to answer the question, if you are picking an assembly, look more closely on if it is a place that will help keep you unspotted from the world, and if it is a place that gives opportunity to serve others. If you find it, you're free to adopt whichever label feels appropriate to you.

 

[whereloveandmercymeet]

Thank you both for your insights. It's nice to have answers that aren't loaded with 'right' ways to do things. It made me feel safer about posting here after some of the more troubling threads I have read.

 

[Dansiph]

I was originally a Baptist. Long story short, I came to believe that what the Baptist church teaches contradicts the bible. I spent years studying "denominations", but all of them protestant. After I learned about the Orthodox Church I found that within it all my questions -questions I had for years that no one was to answer- were finally answered.

But I did not approach the Orthodox Church with a list of "boxes" that the Church needed to check off to satisfy me, but a list of boxes that I needed to check off to satisfy the Church.

During that time, I was searching for the truth, not something that made me feel good, or that appeased some opinion I may have held.

Hi, sorry this doesn't properly contribute but, as someone else without a demented denomination and leaning towards Baptist... Why do you believe what the Baptist church teaches contradicts the Bible? CEMENTED* not demented

 

[whereloveandmercymeet]

Aspzan, I think it contributes nicely because you're effectively asking how someone decides against a denomination, which would be part of the process of deciding on another denomination

 

[HTacianas]

Hi, sorry this doesn't properly contribute but, as someone else without a demented denomination and leaning towards Baptist... Why do you believe what the Baptist church teaches contradicts the Bible? CEMENTED* not demented

The very first controversy I encountered in Christianity was the idea of "once saved always saved". People kick that around and around in these forums every day, but it is certainly not new to me.

The new testament teaches salvation as belief, baptism, chrismation, perseverance, and eventually salvation. Many commentaries of the apostles teach of "being saved" in the past tense, but it has the meaning of "entering in to salvation" rather than that salvation is something we achieved in the past.

Over the many years I have spent studying Christianity I have found for myself a handful of doctrines I find to be essential to the Christian faith. When I hear someone disregarding or contradicting those essentials I simply stop listening to them.

 

[HTacianas]

Aspzan, I think it contributes nicely because you're effectively asking how someone decides against a denomination, which would be part of the process of deciding on another denomination

You're right in that. Sometimes process of elimination is the best means of doing it.

 

[Sabertooth]

I got saved through the outreach of a Baptist church, while on vacation. When I came back, my Methodist church seemed so shallow (though I have been in others which were not). Someone invited me to a non-denominational church that was modeled on Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa. It later became a Vineyard.

Vineyard has been my preference ever since. When I lived in places that didn't have a Vineyard or a Vineyard-like non-denom, many of the Assemblies of God had a similar feel.

 

[Paidiske]

I suspect that in some ways this is a very Anglican dilemma. From its very beginning, the C of E had influences from a variety of different traditions and strove to hold them together. I absolutely understand what you say about none of the labels really fitting, because I feel the same way.

I came into the church as a young adult, though, and really got to Anglicanism after thoroughly inspecting and rejecting the church my parents had lapsed from, but wanting "more" than I could have on my own. And for me the diversity is part of the invaluable richness of the church, part of the blessing God gives to us by establishing us in community.

 

[Richard T]

Thanks for taking the step to post. Hopefully in the future you will not be to shy to respond to other threads as I am sure you can lend some help to many of the topics.

I imagine most people feel your dilemma. There is no perfect denomination, or a Pastor/Priest that is right all of the time. While Jesus is the only way to God, many of the other dogmas of various churches are often man made. I would just study the word of God the best you can and let the Holy Spirit teach you. Approach God with a clean heart, trust Him to lead you and I am sure He will keep you on the path. I would be wary of believing in something that was obscure or different from the bible but I do think it is OK to mix denominational beliefs about non-crucial things.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hi. I’m new. I’ve read thousands of threads on here but never posted before out of anxiety I guess. I have lots I want to post in many different areas but thought I’d go for something less... personal first to test the waters. A lot of the threads can get quite, agressive, animated, I don’t know how to describe it best, but reading them was certainly off putting at times. It’s hard to talk about yourself sometimes but the relevant parts to this question, which I promise I will eventually get to, would be that I’m not a ‘new’ Christian. I was baptised as an infant and accepted Christ (for myself, rather than my parents on my behalf) as a teenager. I’m now in my late twenties. I’m not looking for a church in the sense of looking for one to join, I belong to a church where I used to live, about 40 miles from where I am now. Despite many recommendations from fellow Christians at my church and not at my church, I have no desire to find one more local. I love my church. The congregation as people, and as Christians are wonderful. Both from an ability to ‘gel’ with them socially and their guidance and and love in my walk with Jesus. I do occasionally go to a local church when I’m not capable of the journey to my church but I would not wish to make a permanent change.

My church is absolute middle of the road Church of England, Anglican. Amongst the congregation it’s very accepting of people with different takes within it (differing opinions on homosexuality for example). I was brought up in my younger years within the Church if England, then as a teenager moved towards a Vineyard Church which felt more ‘me’ when I accepted Jesus on my own. I felt like my views fit there more in some ways I guess. I explored Catholicism for a while, because I found great comfort in a lot of the ritual and structure of it, before returning to a Vineyard church as I encountered conflict with some of the dogma. As an adult I then took more to study. From studying the Bible personally and with my bible group to reading about theology and different denominations core views and practices.

Now when I talk to people many people want to know what flavour of Christian I am. I don’t know. I interpret God’s word the best I can using my own mind and reading and listening to as many people as possible, both friends I respect and pastors and pretty much anyone who I can read. But that doesn’t answer their question and they want to know which school of thought I’m closest to. But I feel like a mishmash. I don’t know how to decide which of the labels I am closest to. In my eyes it doesn’t matter so much but I understand why they want to know, it makes understanding your viewpoint easier in discussion.

How did you decide? Where you ‘born into’ your denomination? Did you see how many of your fundamental viewpoints ticked which boxes? Did you accept the denomination label of the church you call home? Or do you not have a denomination ‘label’ either?

I’m not expecting a right answer as such if just really love different opinions and advice on how to choose a label, if I decided I would actually like one (not so much for me, but for making discussions a little easier).

I hope this makes sense to you. Thank you for your time. And patience, in me eventually getting to the point.

God Bless.

G

Frankly, I refuse to accept a denominational 'label.' And from what I can tell, so did the Apostles of Christ.

....no, it's probably better to just take in all of 2,000 years of Christianity and consider yourself a lucky post-modern person of Inter-denominational status, whether your fellow Christian compatriots from each of the other denominations like it.......or not.

 

[royal priest]

Most denominations have a formal confession of what they believe doctrinally and ecclesiastically. You could look for one that aligns closest to your own convictions. This exercise might also help you to better understand those convictions and their implications.

 

[Sabertooth]

Labels like "Charismatic" do not represent a specific denomination, but a category.

Other such labels would include:

• Protestant,
• Liturgical,
  
• Fundamental (usually Cessationists),
• Evangelical,
• Neo-Charismatic,* and
• Pentecostal.

*Neo-charismatic is the middle ground between Evangelical & Pentecostal. Historically, "Charismatic" has been a movement within older denominations, but it is also used interchangeably with "Neo-charismatic."

 

[Original Happy Camper]

Hi. I’m new. I’ve read thousands of threads on here but never posted before out of anxiety I guess. I have lots I want to post in many different areas but thought I’d go for something less... personal first to test the waters. A lot of the threads can get quite, agressive, animated, I don’t know how to describe it best, but reading them was certainly off putting at times. It’s hard to talk about yourself sometimes but the relevant parts to this question, which I promise I will eventually get to, would be that I’m not a ‘new’ Christian. I was baptised as an infant and accepted Christ (for myself, rather than my parents on my behalf) as a teenager. I’m now in my late twenties. I’m not looking for a church in the sense of looking for one to join, I belong to a church where I used to live, about 40 miles from where I am now. Despite many recommendations from fellow Christians at my church and not at my church, I have no desire to find one more local. I love my church. The congregation as people, and as Christians are wonderful. Both from an ability to ‘gel’ with them socially and their guidance and and love in my walk with Jesus. I do occasionally go to a local church when I’m not capable of the journey to my church but I would not wish to make a permanent change.

My church is absolute middle of the road Church of England, Anglican. Amongst the congregation it’s very accepting of people with different takes within it (differing opinions on homosexuality for example). I was brought up in my younger years within the Church if England, then as a teenager moved towards a Vineyard Church which felt more ‘me’ when I accepted Jesus on my own. I felt like my views fit there more in some ways I guess. I explored Catholicism for a while, because I found great comfort in a lot of the ritual and structure of it, before returning to a Vineyard church as I encountered conflict with some of the dogma. As an adult I then took more to study. From studying the Bible personally and with my bible group to reading about theology and different denominations core views and practices.

Now when I talk to people many people want to know what flavour of Christian I am. I don’t know. I interpret God’s word the best I can using my own mind and reading and listening to as many people as possible, both friends I respect and pastors and pretty much anyone who I can read. But that doesn’t answer their question and they want to know which school of thought I’m closest to. But I feel like a mishmash. I don’t know how to decide which of the labels I am closest to. In my eyes it doesn’t matter so much but I understand why they want to know, it makes understanding your viewpoint easier in discussion.

How did you decide? Where you ‘born into’ your denomination? Did you see how many of your fundamental viewpoints ticked which boxes? Did you accept the denomination label of the church you call home? Or do you not have a denomination ‘label’ either?

I’m not expecting a right answer as such if just really love different opinions and advice on how to choose a label, if I decided I would actually like one (not so much for me, but for making discussions a little easier).

I hope this makes sense to you. Thank you for your time. And patience, in me eventually getting to the point.

God Bless.

G

True seekers of the truth use GOD'S word to determine what is truth.

If you are interested in what GOD'S people will look like at the end of this conflict between sin and righteousness look to these verses.

Exodus 25:16
And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

So what was in the ArK?

Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Verse 17 above is one of the reasons why I left the Baptist denomination and joined the SDA denomination.

If you can find another denomination that fulfills verse 17 above please share it with me.