ladypeartree Posted November 14, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 37 Topic Count: 542 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 33,064 Content Per Day: 5.06 Reputation: 23,893 Days Won: 239 Joined: 06/21/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/23/1953 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Not every believer is at the same point in their journey..not every believer will reach the same point in their journey...not every believer is focused in prayer in the same way as all others so maybe we need these divisions to help us ????? I was asked to join a local church after I moved home, it is a wonderful church full of God loving people who reach out to a lot of very deprived people, it preaches Jesus as Gods son and salvation through His grace ...but I cannot become a member because they love loud "pop" type music in worship ...they have high energy worship meetings and the message is bible led but in such an energised way that although it reaches so many people it leaves me feeling lost, exhausted and confused ...( no remarks about being too old thank you )...I find a more peacful, slower service helps me to get my mind focused on God far more than all the jumping and singing type of service so although I have every admiration for those who have the energy to keep up with this church I need to find one that is better suited to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightofJesus Posted November 14, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 7 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 362 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/19/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/04/1955 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Denominations do nothing but split the church. Every great move of God another denomination seems be born. I do believe that God will bring us to point of becoming a whole body. I also believe that all these great moves were to bring us together not split, He was jsut showing us another aspect of Himself each time and all we did was make it as if this is how he is in each move and He has ended showing anymore attributes of His being. I'm not real knowledgable on the great histories of all the denominations, but what I see is that different denominations just focus on one attribute of God and call it as if that is all God is or can do. He is so many things that to box Him up into a denomination has limited God and the church. I truly believe in my heart God is about to break every box we the church has put God into and we shall know the whole truth and truly be free to serve Him as a whole body. Those that want to hang on to their denomination God I'm sure will let you but as for me I will serve the Lord!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierra21 Posted November 14, 2006 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 160 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,000 Content Per Day: 0.31 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/07/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/30/1983 Share Posted November 14, 2006 Interesting topic. I was raised Catholic, baptised as a baby, the whole sha-bang. Once I moved out of my parents place I decided to pursue a non-denominational relationship with Christ. What does that mean? It means I really don't follow any "set of rules" according to my faith. I do attend a Salvation Army Church, but that is simply for fellowship and learning. My parents are still devout catholics and I don't have any problem with this. I know Jesus is in their hearts and that's all that matters. My parents have not had any major issues with my renouncing catholicism, other than a bit of cynicism when we really get into it. But for the most part, their religion is theirs, and my relationship with Jesus is mine. Notice that I used the term "religion". My mom made a comment not too long ago that "deep down I will always be a catholic". I'm not sure where she gets this from, or why she thinks this, but I truly do not understand it. I love Jesus...it has nothing to do with religion. The only reason I believe (somewhat) in religion is because I think it's important in order to further my faith in Christ and develop friendships with fellow believers. It's a weird situation, but I think it's important to distinguish "religion" and your relationship with Jesus Christ. Sierra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeilanS Posted November 15, 2006 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 158 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,763 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/14/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/23/1990 Author Share Posted November 15, 2006 I do kind of like the non-denominational line of thought. I don't believe that anyone can be non-denominational, we all have certain beliefs that fit best in certain denominations, I however, really do not know what my denomination is. I know I am a Protestant, and my uncle passed along some wisdom on how to answer questions about religion. Any question regarding my religion is answered with "I am a follower of Christ" unless the question assumes that and is asking for a denomination, in which case I say Protestant and no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalcald Posted November 15, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 32 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 5,258 Content Per Day: 0.76 Reputation: 42 Days Won: 3 Joined: 06/16/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/22/1960 Share Posted November 15, 2006 I have been thinking a lot about the different Christian denominations, there are 28,000 divisions of Protestant (or so I've been told) and then there are Catholics as well. My question is does anyone else think most of these splits are meaningless? Aside from a few really crazy denominations, the majority of these denominations have all the same beliefs in areas that effect salvation. So that would mean that 99% of the arguments between Christians are about things that are in the end, meaningless. The theory on how the earth was created comes to mind instantly, does it really effect salvation? Anyways, I don't really have a point here, does anyone else feel the same way I do? Just a point. 28,000 are far far overblown. The vast majority of Christians belong to about ten or fifteen different sects. So the dispersion goes down quite quickly. Even among those ten or fifteen sects you can really divide them into three or four major spiritual groupings who hold pretty common beliefs (I am not including totally apostate groups such as the Moonies, Mormons or JW's who could not be considered Christian under any sort of definitional standard). But what is a denomination? It is simply a group of congregations who hold the same doctrines. This is not always a bad thing. It would seem to me compared to every single little congregation all doing their own thing, it is far preferable to have doctrinal standards of which Christian congregations can agree upon and join together over. The danger of a denomination in my opinion is that the hierarchy and the politics which always infect every human organization, becomes more important than the stated mission of the denomination. The more money which gets involved and the more paid positions involved the worse this becomes. I am in favor of denominations as I think they protect us against total heresy and apostasy, but I would really like to limit the need for paid functionaries working at the denominational level away from the congregations. The other danger is of course the "club" disease. But I don't know of any real answers outside of creating even more denominations of even smaller splinter groups or return to the largest Christian group, Roman Catholics, then we would indeed not have denominations. I don't like either choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrielles Posted November 15, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 12 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 255 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/09/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/29/1974 Share Posted November 15, 2006 I think different denominations are ok. I have moved many many times in the military and I see silly splits from 'what type of music' to 'how often to have Lord's supper.' I am grateful for the different churches and have attended many strange ones ( KJV ONLY pops in my mind) so intead of dogging all the different kinds of denoms I just go and look for the one where Jesus is preached the most often and has the programs I enjoy for my family ( awana, VBS, ladies precepts) and get what I need from God's many different takes on His most valuable word. Just get fed where the good food is and you will be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethshemaiah Posted November 15, 2006 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 150 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/17/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted November 15, 2006 God never meant for it to be like this. Christ only brought one gospel for us to follow. Now it is up to us to find out which church is actually teaching the true gospel because all of the deniminations all standing up and stating they are teaching the gospel is like a bad rerun of "What's My Line" game show. I heard a radio commentator state one time that the people of today take the bible and make it fit their lives instead of make their lives fit the bible. This is why there are so many translations and denominations. I can go out and find one that fits my beliefs rather than one that will teach me how to properly believe. Do you believe that Jesus might have an interest in us knowing the Truth and all move closer to Him? These different churches are noted in the Book of Revelation and Jesus speaks to the problems with them all, except the one the true Church. Something must shift in our theologies and change in our churches for us all to be this one church. There is scripture supporting Jesus dividing, He will not settle for anything other than a spotless and blameless church, clearly most of that comes from His blood. But what is going to bring the one church? Change is, Jesus is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LAW Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 The discussion following this query is the perfect answer to why there are so many denominations: each of us how his/her own opinion and interpretation of the Bible. Thus, we seek like-minded people with whom to worship. Finger-pointing about "not marrying" (which Paul recommended as a better way if abstinance was gifted to you by the Holy Spirit) and not eating meat (Paul also discusses variances in faith as to whether the early believers felt it was or was not a sin to eat flesh dedicated to idols) are looking at splinters in your brother's eye while ignoring the log of judgment in your own. THIS is why there are so many denominations. i don't think it is necessarily a bad thing. we are such finite, limited creatures-how can we understand God's whole truth. thus, some of us will place importance on different scriptures (and how we LOVE to take those out of context for our own use) and different teachers. I try as best i can to practice tolerance. Judgment and pride are two of the sins i battle with most. and it's a battle that i have to keep fighting in order to sublimate the old man in me so that i can be an effective, loving witness for Jesus. So we have different churches. How lovely is God's diversity. Many of us do recite in the Apostle's creed that we believe in "one holy catholic (meaning universal) and apostolic church." Let's try to concentrate on our likeness, especially in our love of the Lord and, hopefully, each other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalcald Posted November 15, 2006 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 32 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 5,258 Content Per Day: 0.76 Reputation: 42 Days Won: 3 Joined: 06/16/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/22/1960 Share Posted November 15, 2006 God never meant for it to be like this. Christ only brought one gospel for us to follow. Now it is up to us to find out which church is actually teaching the true gospel because all of the deniminations all standing up and stating they are teaching the gospel is like a bad rerun of "What's My Line" game show. I heard a radio commentator state one time that the people of today take the bible and make it fit their lives instead of make their lives fit the bible. This is why there are so many translations and denominations. I can go out and find one that fits my beliefs rather than one that will teach me how to properly believe. Do you believe that Jesus might have an interest in us knowing the Truth and all move closer to Him? These different churches are noted in the Book of Revelation and Jesus speaks to the problems with them all, except the one the true Church. Something must shift in our theologies and change in our churches for us all to be this one church. There is scripture supporting Jesus dividing, He will not settle for anything other than a spotless and blameless church, clearly most of that comes from His blood. But what is going to bring the one church? Change is, Jesus is. There are other congregations mentioned, not other denominations. Other denominations did not come about until hundreds of years later. Just because there are scriptures that mention dividing does not mean that it was condoned. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. Now, which denomination do we know that does that? There is to be only one version of the gospel. 7th day adventists? Judiasm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biblicist Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 God never meant for it to be like this. Christ only brought one gospel for us to follow. Now it is up to us to find out which church is actually teaching the true gospel because all of the deniminations all standing up and stating they are teaching the gospel is like a bad rerun of "What's My Line" game show. I have some questions. . . How do we know which denomination is rightly dividing the word of truth? Calvinists, Armininians, Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews. . . ? If you ask each one they will say that their interpretation is the correct one. So how do we find a church that teaches the true gospel? Is it possible for an individual Christian to become a theologian and learn to interpret the scriptures so they can decide on their own? AND how important is it to agree on certain subjects? Which ones create unity in Christ and which ones will keep us from Heaven? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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