Should there be so many denominations?
Last year I moved and had to find a new church. During the search process, I found that the members of each congregation I visited were eager to share the foibles and history of their church. A simple question like “What’s the history of this church?” could easily lead to the full backstory of the building, pastoral staff, and denominational issues.
I’ve learned that every church split and denominational difference has a unique and sometimes complicated history behind it. When viewed from an outsider’s perspective, the reasons behind a particular distinction might seem trite or overinflated, but at the time there was a clear doctrinal or theological difference whose only solution seemed to be a new church or denomination.
The existence of different denominations within the global Christian church poses an obvious problem for a faith that values fellowship and unity. A denomination provides structure for believers who hold to similar doctrines to worship together. However, as this article at gotquestions.org observes, true Christian denominations never compromise on the basic doctrines of our faith:
As believers, there are certain basic doctrines that we must believe, but beyond that there is latitude on how we can serve and worship; it is this latitude that is the only good reason for denominations. This is diversity and not disunity. The first allows us to be individuals in Christ, the latter divides and destroys.
In the past six years I’ve been a regular attender at five different churches from five different denominations. Despite differences in style and practice, each of them has been fully committed to the Gospel. There are many minor issues that can separate members of the Church universal, but it is the core of our faith that binds us together, not our personal tastes.
Do you think there should be fewer or more denominations? Do you think they’re useful or harmful?
It’s confusing for new believers, I believe.
The number and variety of denominations (traditions) is really not so much of an issue. The real issues center around biblical truth and doctrine. Denominations that embrace the Word of God, as it is written are ones that I embrace. ( I once aasked a church to qualify what they believe by putting it in words and publishing it. The response was: “First, let’s see what other churches believe.” WHAT A SAD STATE FOR A CHURCH TO BE IN!) I find that within denominations there are individual churches that do adhere to doctrinal truths and others that do not. That being said, we need to be very careful to know WHAT WE believe. Traditions that want to change the WORD to better fit today’s societal demands should be avoided completely. To use a secular expression – the dog wags the tail; the tail does not wag the dog. God’s Word is to be society’s standard – societal standards shall not alter the ETERNAL WORD OF GOD.
Denominations are an issue to me. There are so many people who go to church. They may have a different denomination but if they still believe in God, there is no issue. As long as they do what they are supposed to do there is no problem with them.
Our faith is established by the teachings we believe.So,there should be one which is non denominational.
This is a thoughtful article and I agree with the central premise that there needs to be latitude in certain areas and this has resulted in so many denominations. Sadly, most denominations I believe become entities unto themselves and Jesus gets very much lost in the mix. Apart from division and strife, I believe this is the saddest reality of all when it comes to having so many denominations.
I do not believe that the number of denominations are important; what I do believe is that all christians (no matter the denominations) should all come to common terms and that is it doesn’t really matter how you address our God; Jehovah, Allah, Messiah, Father in Heaven, etc., there is only “One” God and he created everything, owns everything, he is the beginning and the end.
I believe Nadirah Islam’s post above says it best! …. there is only “One†God and he created everything, owns everything, he is the beginning and the end.
Yes there is one God and we know this becasue of Gods word. If you believe this then you should also believe there is one church becasue this also is Gods word. Also Nadirah Islam’s said it doesnt really matter how you address our God. I do not agree with this becasue God tells us it really does matter how we address Him. The sons of Aaron thought it didnt really matter how they addressed God but God was not pleased with how they did address Him. Read Lev. 10:1-2
Denominations are unbiblical. WE ARE CHRISTIANS. I do believe in different ministries, different activities, and different manifestations of the Holy Spirit. I do see where Jesus rebuked his disciples by telling them ‘not to stop or speak poorly of other groups proclaiming his name’, and we see where there were disagreements in the new testament with Paul/Barnabas and other examples. If this is our backing for man made denominations for differences in theology or the color of the carpet, i believe this is incorrect.
Look, we are a Holy people of God, that is, set apart. If you were a non-christian from another country and walked into 10 different churches in some random city, you would see different groups of ununified people who didn’t even know eachother. How is that a church community coming together for the common good? If all denominations got together, served together, washed each others feet, learned from each other, shared happiness and mourned together, i would say okay! But the sad fact is that is 99.9% untrue.
I’m am sorry to be pessimistic, but the church is struggling in America. We are so concerned with our interpretations on spiritual gifts, the rapture, baptism, and communion, that we have forgotten to Love Neighbor as Self. The Idea of denominations is so contrary to the heart of the Gospel. It loses its child-like, learners spirit. Have we forgotten that wisdom comes only from God? His name is Yaweh. He is the denomination! Why would you even ask someone what denomination they are?
Christ’s blood on the cross has reconciled all things in heaven and on earth. His resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit is our glory, and the Father’s eternal plan. Our response to a loving God, by loving him with every ounce of our being is the only issue. All the law and prophets are fufilled in loving neighbor as self. Why are we stuck on issues that divide and cause dissension and untruth? Matthew 25 states specifically what Jesus Christ will say to us who enter Heaven, and what real Faith is suppose to look like. Amazingly it has NOTHING to do with the theologies and beliefs in the denominational differences! Absolutely Nothing.
Forgive me if i’ve offended your stance or personal belief, but the topic is posted for truthful, biblical responses. I am complete;y open to rebuke or knowledge on the subject, but please do so with scripture. I Love you all
Nadirah, I agree that we need to come to common terms whole heartedly!! But if it doesn’t matter how we address God, why did the great ‘I Am’ give his personal name YAWEH to us? It would be like someone calling me whatever name they wanted.
Denominational division is quite harmful to the cause of Christ. What does the non-believer see? Thousands of denominations each saying they have the true faith, but how can an unbeliever believe that any of them are right in what they say when they all seem to preach different messages? If they can’t apparently agree with each other as to what to believe, how is someone who is seeking the Truth even take it seriously that Christianity and the Bible is the only true religion and the only path to God and Heaven? Sure, it is normal for different groups to have different opinions on non-salvation issues, but to separate and form sects isn’t right Biblically (1 Corinthians 1-4). We need to pull down our distinctive church names and just put on the sign “Non-denominational Church”, commit to agreement on the basics, and oppose splitting over opinions. Non-denominationalism with unity on the basics is a good thing, and ‘dividing Christ” is not.
There is only one God and He consists of the Father,Son and Holy Spirit. A CHRISTian denomination accepts and believes this. To say one GOD could mean meaningless idols, Budda, Mother Earth or the Islamic Allah (who only accept Jesus as a prophet). Unfortunately denominations tend to focus on their interpretation of the rest of God’s word and forget the main Gospel that GOD THE SON(Christ)didn’t just die but rose from the grave and is seated at the right hand of GOD THE FATHER. He(THE SON) will intercede for us on judgement day. So no worries if you are a CHRISTIAN. Denominations are for good order but they do not trump the gospel. Denominations are the flavor of the church but they do not make the church. You like basketball; I like full contact lawn bowling. We can still hangout and share victories or disappointments together.
In 1996 God gave me a vision that there would be a time when all denominations would come together. He said he did not create denominatiuons and for me to look at the names of churches and take out the description and I started saying The First Baptist Church, The First Methodist Church, The this and the that, he said take out the middle and what do you have left…The Church. He revealed to me that in the end time that He needs all of us to be in one accord because he needs a great army. As long as we believe in the one True God, He sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins and He is coming back for us, and He left us the Holy Spirit, then what denominations shouldn’t matter. I just want to be in a church where they are not playing church and is not for just socialization. We all need to be in one accord right now and pray for our country and that We Need God in America.
Its about the Father,Son,Holy Ghost they should be preaching and teaching that (John 3:16)
Seek ye first the kingdom of God! thats what every denomination is doing in there own way adjusting to what they feel is right, in my opinion if each denomination would reach out and fellowship with other denmonation and express love that is in every denomination, I believe this question would not have to be asked. Just my opinion and thought…
I definitely think that denominations causes division in the body of Chirst along with confusion. God is he author of peace.
When I learned of God and His Son Jesus Christ I learned from a book called “the Bible” and it was shown to me by familly and friends thoughout my life. When I accepted the truths of the Bible I believed in the salvation provided through Jesus Christ. I also believed in the example of Jesus and His Apostles as being they examples of entering into that salvation. As I entered into the faith so I will live and teach that same faith. No reason to lessen any event or example in the bible unless I want to move away or move others away from that faith. Christs’s Church is not a building with a name on it or a copyrighted title of a group of individuals. Christ’s Church is within each believing Christian. We gather together to Glorify God, Remember our Savior Jesus Christ and support and pray one another for the strength of Christ’s Church and then we go home to be a good neighbor and be an example to others so they might have the posibilities to become a part of Christ’s Church. It’s not a question of whether or not denominationalism is right or wrong it is a matter of if you are following God’s Word or not.
1 John 3
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. 9 Those who are born of God will not continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Those who do not do what is right are not God’s children; nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters. 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a fellow believer is a murderer, and you know that no murderers have eternal life in them. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. 17 If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who keep his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
As Christians we all know that there is “One Lord, One Faith, and One Baptism” Eph.4:5. We also know that the Lord does not discriminate, there is only one that dominates all and that is Chritianity, those that are for Christ and Christ only. These different denominations are only because of tradition, they believe what they want to believe and they only follow in the Bible what suits them. I feel that denominations are unnecessary if we are for Christ then to be a Baptist,Catholic, Muslium, etc. is uncalled for. Christ sees us all as one. We are to be unified and not seggregated.
i would have to say no. This is because confusion is not a God thing neither is a kingdom principle
Man’s original sin was a choice. A choice between the Tree of Life with God and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil with the world. When man was sent from the garden and away from the Tree of Life the journey began to bring man back to God, but still under mans choice. Christ died and was risen to provide the same choice as was offered in the garden. The Tree of Life with God through the Churches of Christ or the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil through the doctorine (denomination) of men.
There is a stark contrast between the “church” and the “kingdom”. I say divorce the church and marry the kingdom, this will in like manner disintergrate the need for religous denominations and traditions which stand in the way of men entering the kingdom of God.
I believe there should not be denominations. The early church was one and they all belived the same and worshiped the same. Over the years men have changed that. The bible warns us of false teachers and doctrines. 2nd Peter 2:1-2 warned that false teachers would rise up from the church and lead many away from God. The only way to make sure that we are not following a false teacher and are worshiping right is to do everything the same as the early church. If there was only one church then we should have only one church now. If Paul and other inspired men did not use instrumental music then we shouldnt now. So on and so on. Denominations come from man and not God.