There are many non denominational church groups in the United States and other countries of the world. Anywhere that two or more believers gather together fits the biblical definition of a place of worship, and the actual 'church' is the body of believers, the body of Christ in the world. Non-denominational fellowships owe no deference to a central governing body. They set their time for gathering, the way they worship, and the rules the group will follow.
Denominations are national or international governing bodies that determine doctrine for their members, craft by-laws, and set procedural rules. For example, Catholics have communion at every service, while protestant churches often do this celebration once a month. The central group may function mostly in an advisory and dispute-settling capacity, or they may actually appoint ministers, regulate the size of fellowships, and even issue dietary guides. They often supply local groups with literature, provide funds, and host conferences for ministers and elders.
In the news in recent years have been inter-denominational disputes about doctrine and property issues. Such things as the ordination of women or homosexuals have caused church groups to split from their parent organization. A divergent congregation may find itself without a home, if their property actually belongs to the parent group.
Many people like the structure of a denomination, either because they were raised in that system or because they find spiritual satisfaction there. America has many large groups of this nature; Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Southern Baptist, Assembly of God, Presbyterian, and more. Others are casually known as Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Christian Scientist, Amish, Mennonite, and Adventist. Each has its own rules, order of service, hymnals, and perhaps its own translation of Holy Scripture.
The simplest division is Catholic or protestant. Protestant refers to those who left the Roman Catholic rule during the Reformation, based on the teachings of Martin Luther, and off-shoots of them that developed later. All Christian churches can be traced back to the first gathering of believers under the Apostles in Jerusalem after Jesus ascended to Heaven. Catholic monasteries devotedly preserved and copied sacred texts for centuries before the printing press made the Bible available to the masses.
Those who prefer to rely only on scripture might choose to find a group that has no denominational structure. They look for a Bible-believing congregation and expect the minister and the elders to give their devotion and obedience to the Word of God. This can be found in a gathering in a private home or in many large sanctuaries that attract hundreds to every service.
The charismatic form of vigorous praise and worship, with musical instruments and songs based on Psalms from the Bible, has become popular with many unstructured congregations. Some have Pentecostal overtones, with speaking in tongues and corporate prayer. Most of them claim to be Bible based and Spirit led and claim divine inspiration for their order of service, rather than man-made rules or traditions.
Of course, the true church is the body of believers, who make up the corporal body of Christ according to Scripture. All doctrinal and procedural differences should defer to the essential truth of Jesus as the way to salvation from sin and eternal life with God in Heaven. A non denominational church should support these truths.
Denominations are national or international governing bodies that determine doctrine for their members, craft by-laws, and set procedural rules. For example, Catholics have communion at every service, while protestant churches often do this celebration once a month. The central group may function mostly in an advisory and dispute-settling capacity, or they may actually appoint ministers, regulate the size of fellowships, and even issue dietary guides. They often supply local groups with literature, provide funds, and host conferences for ministers and elders.
In the news in recent years have been inter-denominational disputes about doctrine and property issues. Such things as the ordination of women or homosexuals have caused church groups to split from their parent organization. A divergent congregation may find itself without a home, if their property actually belongs to the parent group.
Many people like the structure of a denomination, either because they were raised in that system or because they find spiritual satisfaction there. America has many large groups of this nature; Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Southern Baptist, Assembly of God, Presbyterian, and more. Others are casually known as Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Christian Scientist, Amish, Mennonite, and Adventist. Each has its own rules, order of service, hymnals, and perhaps its own translation of Holy Scripture.
The simplest division is Catholic or protestant. Protestant refers to those who left the Roman Catholic rule during the Reformation, based on the teachings of Martin Luther, and off-shoots of them that developed later. All Christian churches can be traced back to the first gathering of believers under the Apostles in Jerusalem after Jesus ascended to Heaven. Catholic monasteries devotedly preserved and copied sacred texts for centuries before the printing press made the Bible available to the masses.
Those who prefer to rely only on scripture might choose to find a group that has no denominational structure. They look for a Bible-believing congregation and expect the minister and the elders to give their devotion and obedience to the Word of God. This can be found in a gathering in a private home or in many large sanctuaries that attract hundreds to every service.
The charismatic form of vigorous praise and worship, with musical instruments and songs based on Psalms from the Bible, has become popular with many unstructured congregations. Some have Pentecostal overtones, with speaking in tongues and corporate prayer. Most of them claim to be Bible based and Spirit led and claim divine inspiration for their order of service, rather than man-made rules or traditions.
Of course, the true church is the body of believers, who make up the corporal body of Christ according to Scripture. All doctrinal and procedural differences should defer to the essential truth of Jesus as the way to salvation from sin and eternal life with God in Heaven. A non denominational church should support these truths.
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