How do non-denominational Christians pick a church?

[jmcrae]

Hey, quick question that is off topic; my neighbor and her husband are renewing their wedding vows(they had a civil ceremony with a judge. They are planning this program at a catholic church; but were told that her sister cannot be the matron of honor, as her sister was not married in a catholic church What is the big deal with that???

She can’t participate in a Catholic ceremony because she is not in good standing with the Church. Remember that although Jesus forgave the adultress, He also told her to go and sin no more.

When she is ready to “go and sin no more” she will be welcome back to participate in the ceremonies of the Church.

 

[PRmerger]

Anybody can say “Jesus is Lord” but their must be the faith behind that. Then Jesus intercedes. While I would say everyone must follow steps 1 - 10 to become a Christian, we see some people going to paradise by simply having faith, no baptism, no communion, no any other external thing. Just an internal faith.

Amen!!

But if your Beloved has “set the stage” for an intimate union for His Bride, who are we to turn away from the normative means he has established for this union?

 

[Xavierlives]

Amen!!

But if your Beloved has “set the stage” for an intimate union for His Bride, who are we to turn away from the normative means he has established for this union?

Good thing I’ve already done that!

 

[PRmerger]

Good thing I’ve already done that!

I’m not sure what you mean.

The most intimate union we have as human creatures with each other is the One Flesh Union.

The most intimate union we have as human creatures with God is the One Flesh Union.

Are you saying that you participate in the Eucharist, in the One Flesh Union with Christ?

 

[Xavierlives]

I’m not sure what you mean.

The most intimate union we have as human creatures with each other is the One Flesh Union.

The most intimate union we have as human creatures with God is the One Flesh Union.

Are you saying that you participate in the Eucharist, in the One Flesh Union with Christ?

I was just saying that I have accepted Christ as my personal savior and have been baptized. That is required to participate.

 

[apromisemade]

For me personally the beauty of not being associated with a specific denomination is that I can go to basically any church that will have me, since I honestly don’t see any real difference between most of them. Heck, I’ve never even been baptised and I’ve been attending Catholic Mass for the past year or so because I’m going to a university who’s campus chapel offers evening Mass, so I can go to church without having to get up early .

That’s not the only reason I go though, I promise.

 

[PRmerger]

I was just saying that I have accepted Christ as my personal savior and have been baptized. That is required to participate.

Participate in what?

You do not have the most intimate relationship with Jesus if you do not enjoy the One Flesh Union with Him. That’s all I’m saying.

 

[Xavierlives]

Participate in what?

You do not have the most intimate relationship with Jesus if you do not enjoy the One Flesh Union with Him. That’s all I’m saying.

All I am saying is I was trying to avoid getting into a Catholic-protestant diatribe and saying I am satistied with my relationship with Christ. I recognize we have different ideas on how we become one with Christ, and while you might not recognize my faith, I’ll say that I can read John 8 and Hebrews 11 and see we have the same Father.

 

[Xavierlives]

For me personally the beauty of not being associated with a specific denomination is that I can go to basically any church that will have me, since I honestly don’t see any real difference between most of them. Heck, I’ve never even been baptised and I’ve been attending Catholic Mass for the past year or so because I’m going to a university who’s campus chapel offers evening Mass, so I can go to church without having to get up early .

That’s not the only reason I go though, I promise.

Interesting. You are non-denominational and have been going to Catholic services?

 

[PRmerger]

For me personally the beauty of not being associated with a specific denomination is that I can go to basically any church that will have me, since I honestly don’t see any real difference between most of them. Heck, I’ve never even been baptised and I’ve been attending Catholic Mass for the past year or so because I’m going to a university who’s campus chapel offers evening Mass, so I can go to church without having to get up early .

That’s not the only reason I go though, I promise.

Sounds like a provocative posting…but I’ll bite!

Is there really no truth to which you subscribe? Would you go to a church that worshipped many gods rather than one? What about a church that taught that women could not be saved? Where do you draw the line?

 

[PRmerger]

I recognize we have different ideas on how we become one with Christ, and while you might not recognize my faith, I’ll say that I can read John 8 and Hebrews 11 and see we have the same Father.

Indeed! And to the degree that you are united with His Bride, the Catholic Church, is the degree that I recognize your faith.

And by “faith” I mean your understanding of the Truths given to us by God’s Divine Word.

If by faith you mean love of God, then I cannot make any claim to know that whatsoever. You may have such a profound faith that it puts mine to shame. I wouldn’t know.

 

[1beleevr]

Indeed, 1beleevr, Indeed! :tiphat:

Well, it’s difficult to say without knowing the details, but if the sister is Catholic and was not married in a Catholic church, perhaps it’s because the CC recognized that she was not free to marry. Maybe she was* already *married and was now living an adulterous relationship with another man?

]

Okay, for the sake of argument, let’say that the sister was a Protestant, married by a minister in a Protestant church, and was asked to be the matron of honor; still no go?

 

[1beleevr]

No. I’m talking about your doctrine of “it doesn’t really matter what you believe as long as you profess that Jesus is Lord.”

There is only one faith, one baptism, one church, and to profess anything contrary to that One Faith is to separate yourself from Christ.

Amen! That is a very Catholic thing to profess!

]

Even us non-denominationals know that there is one faith, one baptism(whether full immersion, sprinkled or water poured over) and of course all who are in Christ Jesus are part of the Bride of Christ! I am anxiuosly awaiting for my Bridegroom to return and whisk me away to my eternal home!

 

[PRmerger]

]

Okay, for the sake of argument, let’say that the sister was a Protestant, married by a minister in a Protestant church, and was asked to be the matron of honor; still no go?

Nope, it would be a yes go!

Protestants are not bound to be married by Catholic norms. Their marriage is indeed recognized by the Catholic church, provided, of course, that they were free to marry each other in the first place.

 

[PRmerger]

]

Even us non-denominationals know that there is one faith, one baptism(whether full immersion, sprinkled or water poured over) and of course all who are in Christ Jesus are part of the Bride of Christ! I am anxiuosly awaiting for my Bridegroom to return and whisk me away to my eternal home!

Amen, dear brother, as am I.

Fortunately, I am privileged to meet my Beloved intimately, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, each time I attend Mass and receive the most sublime and intimate gift of the Eucharist.

 

[apromisemade]

Sounds like a provocative posting…but I’ll bite!

Is there really no truth to which you subscribe? Would you go to a church that worshipped many gods rather than one? What about a church that taught that women could not be saved? Where do you draw the line?

Maybe I just haven’t been around much, but I’ve never heard of a Christian church that was polytheistic or taught that all women go to hell. I wouldn’t literally go to any and all churches, you wouldn’t catch me at the Westboro Baptist Church for instance. All I meant was I don’t pick my churches based simply on denomination, that’s not important to me.

 

[1beleevr]

All I am saying is I was trying to avoid getting into a Catholic-protestant diatribe and saying I am satistied with my relationship with Christ. I recognize we have different ideas on how we become one with Christ, and while you might not recognize my faith, I’ll say that I can read John 8 and Hebrews 11 and see we have the same Father.

]

This is really the most important issue for any Christian, is where are they n their relationship with Christ? It is not about what church you attend, rather are you following your King, and do you have that rich, satisfying, intimate relationship with Him?

 

[PRmerger]

Maybe I just haven’t been around much, but I’ve never heard of a Christian church that was polytheistic or taught that all women go to hell. I wouldn’t literally go to any and all churches, you wouldn’t catch me at the Westboro Baptist Church for instance. All I meant was I don’t pick my churches based simply on denomination, that’s not important to me.

Oh, so you’re a follower of Christ, then? I just thought you were going to any church that was convenient and that it didn’t matter what they professed as True.

So what would be important to you in picking a church–if you don’t pick your “churches based simply on denomination.”?

 

[1beleevr]

Amen, dear brother, as am I.

Fortunately, I am privileged to meet my Beloved intimately, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, each time I attend Mass and receive the most sublime and intimate gift of the Eucharist.

]

Fortunately for me, my Saviour is available 24/7, and makes house calls:thumbsup: I feel His presence most deeply when I am fasting! Thanks to His supreme sacrifice, the veil was torn from top to bottom and we were allowed to bldly enter the throneroom of grace! Hebrews 4:16!

 

[apromisemade]

Oh, so you’re a follower of Christ, then? I just thought you were going to any church that was convenient and that it didn’t matter what they professed as True.

So what would be important to you in picking a church–if you don’t pick your “churches based simply on denomination.”?

In a very general sense, it doesn’t make a lot of difference to me. The way I see it, they are all trying teaching the same thing, which is the Gospel of Christ. At the end of the day, what matters most is what is inside my heart, not the heart of the guy preaching to me. My faith is between my heart and God. I would get the same spiritual experience attending the Methodist church down the block that I would going to the Catholic Mass and my schools church, for the most part at least. Like I said, I’m speaking very generally.

I was going to a church a few miles away over the summer but stopped going there when they got a new priest who I felt was very repetitive, basically preaching the same thing every Sunday. And I go to Catholic Mass on Sunday because, as I said, it’s offered at my university chapel. But as I also said, that’s not the only reason. It’s just stuff like that that influences my decisions.