What does "Non-denominational church" mean?

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Ok, for the most part, most of these posts have been negative views of non-denominational churches. To be fair, let me offer another perspective (although I am not a non-denom). I think that non-demominationals are very aware of the fractured nature of Christ’s body and embarrassed by it. One of the aims of the non-denominational movement was to avoid the sectarianism of denominationalism by going to what they believe to be the simple and local nature of the 1st century church. So, a non-denominational Christian might say “let’s not be divided along lines of Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, etc. but, instead, give up those labels and divisions and be united simply be Christians”. This is not what I believe personally, but you should try to see the issue of church governance through their perspective as well.
 
rr1213 said:
Ok, for the most part, most of these posts have been negative views of non-denominational churches. To be fair, let me offer another perspective (although I am not a non-denom). I think that non-demominationals are very aware of the fractured nature of Christ’s body and embarrassed by it. One of the aims of the non-denominational movement was to avoid the sectarianism of denominationalism by going to what they believe to be the simple and local nature of the 1st century church. So, a non-denominational Christian might say “let’s not be divided along lines of Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, etc. but, instead, give up those labels and divisions and be united simply be Christians”. This is not what I believe personally, but you should try to see the issue of church governance through their perspective as well.
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I have been non-denominational most of my life, but I was trying to show the pros and cons. I guess I wasn’t strong on the pros. The pros are a focus on Unity. rather than the focus on the things that Divide us as Christians we focus on the things we all agree on.
 
Syele said:
I have been non-denominational most of my life, but I was trying to show the pros and cons. I guess I wasn’t strong on the pros. The pros are a focus on Unity. rather than the focus on the things that Divide us as Christians we focus on the things we all agree on.
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I didn’t see your post…we were posting at the same time.
 
rr1213 said:
Ok, for the most part, most of these posts have been negative views of “non-denominational” churches. . One of the aims of the “non-denominational” movement was to avoid the sectarianism of denominationalism by going to what they believe to be the simple and local nature of the 1st century church.
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I don’t know where they come up with the idea that the 1st century church to have a “simple and local nature”. Anyone who actually takes the time to read the Early Church Fathers, will quickly be disabused of that idea. The church had right from the begining Bishops, including the Pope, the bishop of Rome. The church did not start out like the Baptists or church of Christ only to become the Catholic Church out of nowhere, and the Baptists or other so called “non-denominationals” had to restored back into existence.

The so called “non denominational” denominations to put it simply do not exist. They are all Protestants, sectarians, all Evangelicals sectarians, overwhelmingly fundies sectarians, and usually Baptists who are a denomination, and most often charismatic/pentecostals, all of these are names and descriptions of sects, denominations.

These people can call themselves whatever they want, it’s a free country, but they lie. They are denominations no matter what they call themselves, realistic people know this.
 
boppysbud said:
I don’t know where they come up with the idea that the 1st century church to have a “simple and local nature”. Anyone who actually takes the time to read the Early Church Fathers, will quickly be disabused of that idea. The church had right from the begining Bishops, including the Pope, the bishop of Rome. The church did not start out like the Baptists or church of Christ only to become the Catholic Church out of nowhere, and the Baptists or other so called “non-denominationals” had to restored back into existence.

The so called “non denominational” denominations to put it simply do not exist. They are all Protestants, sectarians, all Evangelicals sectarians, overwhelmingly fundies sectarians, and usually Baptists who are a denomination, and most often charismatic/pentecostals, all of these are names and descriptions of sects, denominations.

These people can call themselves whatever they want, it’s a free country, but they lie. They are denominations no matter what they call themselves, realistic people know this.
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You are being unfair and uncharitable. Some of the most Godly people I’ve known have belonged to non-denominational churches. They may or may not be right about their understanding of the early church, but they are sincere in their beliefs, trusting in Christ and living their lifes for Christ, and to say that “they lie” is to suggest an intentional deception that for the most part does not exist. Second, you’ve lumped together many faith groups that usually do not have anything to do with each other…like the Baptists and charismatics. Baptists tend to be evangelical or fundamentalist, not charismatic. Finally, many of these terms apply to various communities within the Catholic Church itself, including evangelical and charismatic Catholics.
 
rr1213 said:
You are being unfair and uncharitable. Some of the most Godly people I’ve known have belonged to non-denominational churches. They may or may not be right about their understanding of the early church, but they are sincere in their beliefs, trusting in Christ and living their lifes for Christ, and to say that “they lie” is to suggest an intentional deception that for the most part does not exist. Second, you’ve lumped together many faith groups that usually do not have anything to do with each other…like the Baptists and charismatics. Baptists tend to be evangelical or fundamentalist, not charismatic. Finally, many of these terms apply to various communities within the Catholic Church itself, including evangelical and charismatic Catholics.
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Multitudinous amens. By definition, you can’t make blanket statements about non-denoms, but it appears that most of them genuinely desire Christian unity. I do fear that their desire depends on a certain cavalierness toward important doctrine–not wanting to “major on the minors,” as they put it, they tend to dismiss as secondary (when they’re even conversant with them) issues such as ecclesiology, apostolicity, the Real Presence, &c., that are absolutely central to many Christians, and not just Catholics.

None of this, though, argues against their good intentions or against their standing as the sort of brothers in Christ that Lumen Gentium once described. We can fault their intellectual and theological rigour, but they could teach the occasional accusant soul on this thread a thing or two about goodwill, irenicism (doubt they’d call it that), and Christian charity.
 
Syele said:
Non-denominational means that they don’t believe division in the church is good.
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How about thinking what you wrote. They believe Division is not good, but they have divided themselves away into a separate and isolated unit so they can have the freedom to believe what they will instead of what they should.
 
JoeyWarren said:
How about thinking what you wrote. They believe Division is not good, but they have divided themselves away into a separate and isolated unit so they can have the freedom to believe what they will instead of what they should.
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How about you don’t ask me to lie. The question was not, “Is the definition of non-denominational logical?” It was what is it?
I told you the reasoning behind it and some pros and cons of it. No matter how much I “think about what I wrote” it’s still the truth of the belief of non-denominational churches.
 
Reposted from the now defunct – Non-Catholic Religions> Such a thing as Non denominational??? thread from last year:

I’d like to put in my 2 cents worth on the non-denom question. I believe it was put best by a fellow named Matthew Gallatin who pastored a “Non-Denominational” congregation and is now Eastern Orthodox.
He said,“There is no such thing as a non-denominational church, they are all multi-denominational.”
hmmm…

Peace,
+Nathan
 
rr1213 said:
You are being unfair and uncharitable. Some of the most Godly people I’ve known have belonged to non-denominational churches. They may or may not be right about their understanding of the early church, but they are sincere in their beliefs, trusting in Christ and living their lifes for Christ, and to say that “they lie” is to suggest an intentional deception that for the most part does not exist. Second, you’ve lumped together many faith groups that usually do not have anything to do with each other…like the Baptists and charismatics. Baptists tend to be evangelical or fundamentalist, not charismatic. Finally, many of these terms apply to various communities within the Catholic Church itself, including evangelical and charismatic Catholics.
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What I am being is honest. Putting it at is most basic truth is There is no such thing as “Non-denominational”. I have no doubt that many of them are Godly, but there is still No such thing as “Non-denominational”. All of those faith groups have something to do with each other, they are all Protestant, and none are Catholic. Catholics are the one and, and we have the history, we are the only “non-denominational” church to exist, we may have charismatics, we don’t have Evangelicals who just “get saved” without the sacrament of Holy Baptism, we are all Catholics.
 
Mickey said:
In my observation, most NDC’s have a primarily baptist flavor. But that doesn’t hold true for all.
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Ahhh! I guess thats why my family is fine with my one sister going to a non-denominational church!

I know my mom’s thinking “Why couldn’t she(me) just do that instead of joining those…those…Catholics!”😛
 
A Baptist flavor? What in the world you mean by that? every non-denominational church I ever visited was charasmatic and pretty far from being Baptist.
 
maurin said:
This is a serious question.

What does it mean, and how many different “Non-denominational” churches are there? Are they all united in doctines, or are they fragmented?
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Having grown up in one, and been around many, they are generally Protestant Evangelical Churches with a Charismatic slant. The biggest variances are not really in doctrine, but in polity. Most members would fit the mold of an orthodox protestant.
 
Kuriakos said:
Having grown up in one, and been around many, they are generally Protestant Evangelical Churches with a Charismatic slant. The biggest variances are not really in doctrine, but in polity. Most members would fit the mold of an orthodox protestant.
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…except that most protestants are not charismatic.
 
Kuriakos said:
I’m not sure what you are trying to say…
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Sorry, I wasn’t too clear here. What you had pointed out was non-denoms tended to be evangelical with a charismatic slant and, also, orthodox protestants. I think that’s probably correct. I was simply saying that most orthodox protestants are not charismatic.
 
franksv said:
😃 👍 ;)/quoteI think franksu has hit the nail on the head,in my city its about all the Baptist that got in fight with the church they had been going and now with the pastor and other started what they are calling ND.
Most here in town are made up with Baptist from another Baptist church.
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Syele said:
A Baptist flavor? What in the world you mean by that? every non-denominational church I ever visited was charasmatic and pretty far from being Baptist.
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Have you been to non-denoms outside of New Mexico? Here in Alabama, most are of the Baptist Flavor, if you went to BaptistBoard.com(another forum) you will see that a lot of them there are Independent Fundamentalist Baptists or some type of Non-denom which due have a Baptist flavor.
 
Iwhen I want answers about faith, I’d really rather look to the Pope and the Magesterium, who have a bit of experience and learning in these matters than to Rev. Ricky Bobby who was working at Wal-Mart last week before he “ordained” hisself.
 
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