(De)Nomination

     "Is this non-denominational thing considered cool out here?" the woman asked me in her sweet Southern drawl.  She was new to California (my home state, where I still lived at the time).  She had asked me some advice about finding a church.  She had been part of a church she loved back home in the South  That church had had a rich history as part of a long-respected denomination.  Upon coming to California, she was surprised at the number of churches she encountered that were unaffiliated from any denomination she was familiar with.  She was furthered confused by the way churches that were affiliated with denominations seemed to de-emphasize it, often taking the denomination out of the church's name, or the church members quickly explaining, "I'm [fill in the denomination], but I don't really care about that, and no one at my church does either."  The thing that seemed oddest to her was that the Christians she met seemed to think of denominations as an offensive topic, and that being part of one was unbiblical  or unspiritual.  On the other hand, being nondenominational seemed to be considered deeply spiritual.  This was culture shock to her.  

    Talking to this new resident of my home state was eye-opening (and validating) about this topic of denominations, and non-denominationalism.  A few years later, my husband and I moved to the Midwest.  There, we found almost the opposite extreme in the Christian community.  Churches were deeply ensconced in their long-held traditions and denominations.  Many church members we met were quicker to identify as a Lutheran or a Methodist than as a Christian.  Denominations were a way of life.  

     Which of these extremes is right...or wrong?  Are both out of balance a little?  Can both be okay in their own way?  

     The dictionary definition of denomination is as follows: a recognized autonomous branch of of the Christian church.  In other words, it is an independent group of churches that are part of the larger Christian faith.  These denominations are all a result of church history through the years.  If we believe in Divine Providence, we have to believe God has been active throughout history, and behind the formation of these Christian groups.  

     What does the Bible say about the church?  Jesus Himself said in Matthew 16:18, upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.  Jesus has been building the church for over 2000 years.  There have been dark times in church history, when it seemed like the enemy was winning, but God was always in control.  In His Sovereignty, He has allowed different times of revival and movement, and the results of these often grew into denominations we are familiar with today.  I believe it is valuable to know church history, and the history of our individual churches, where they come from, and how God has worked in the past.  

    
     As history marches on, sometimes, great movements and works of God fall into disrepair.  Look at the ruins of Jerusalem in the book of Lamentations.  The people had forgotten their relationship with the Lord, and had worshiped idols.  God warned them repeatedly, but finally had to discipline them by letting their enemies (the Babylonians) attack them, and capture the majority of them.  Jerusalem was destroyed, including the beautiful temple Solomon had built.  The book of Lamentations is Jeremiah's mourning over this.  Something built in God's name came to destruction as people forgot God.  Eventually, Zerubabel rebuilt the temple (Ezra 3-6).  It was a new time.  God was at work in people's lives again.  I believe this is a picture of how history still works today.  

     When God has done amazing things in church history, churches, movements, and denominations have formed as a result.  This is a good thing.  It keeps the work alive.  It brings more people to the truth, and continues the blessing.  However, when people forget the Lord, corruption can come in.  Some Christian organizations and denominations have lost sight of where they came from, and have become corrupt.  Under that circumstance, it is understandable that some would want to distance themselves from that corruption, and want to be in a more "pure" form of Christianity, straight from the Bible.  Under those conditions, I completely agree with the idea of being non-denominational.  

     However, just because some denominations have gone bad does not necessarily mean they all have.  Many hold onto their history, and are constantly remembering what God has done for them.  Isaiah 46:9-10 says, Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.  God has been orchestrating church history.  Remembering that is a good thing.  Being part of a denomination can bring accountability and support that are often absent in independent churches.  Also, being part of an established denomination often communicates to the community where the church stands on a particular issue.  Their theology is often understood.  

     Here are some objections I hear people make about denominations.  These are some things I have heard.  I'm going to address each.  

Denominations aren't biblical.  They didn't have them in the book of Acts.   Acts is the beginning of the story of the Christian church.  We can never be in that point in history again, because God, in His Sovereignty, did not place us there.  History has marched on, as it always does.  And even in the New Testament, we see different movements within the churches.  As for only wanting to do things found in the Bible, they didn't have indoor plumbing either...

Denominations divide Christians.  Sadly, this can and does happen, but it happens with nondenominationalism as well.  As a Southern Baptist from Southern California, I have often been snubbed by nondenominational believers who thought their nondenominational churches made them more spiritual or godly than me.  I attended an event at a church that is part of a big affiliation that won't admit to being a denomination, but operates like one.  Some folks from that church were very friendly to me at first, but when they asked me about my background and found out I wasn't from their affiliation, they questioned my salvation, and became much less friendly.  There can be a lot of snobbery in both denominations and independent churches.  This, too, happened in the Bible.  We read in First Corinthians 1 about Paul addressing some division that had arisen.  Verses 12-13 say, Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?  Apparently, believers were dividing themselves based on who had led them to the Lord.  Sort of forming their own factions.  Some were snottily claiming they were from Paul, Apollos, or Cephas.  Today, this could be applied by people saying, "I'm a Presbyterian."  "I'm a Baptist."  or, "I'm Pentecostal."  But you will see it doesn't stop there.  Some of these New Testament believers arguing were saying, "I am of Christ."  Paul appears to be just as condemning of these people.  I would say those were the non-denominational types.  The ones who act like they're too spiritual to acknowledge those who came before.  Saying "I am of Christ," was snobbish, implying those who were of Paul, Apollos and Cephas weren't of Christ.  A better way to have said to would have been to remind them, "Hey we're all of Christ here, guys!"  The point here is that all of these people were wrong.  Division is wrong, but established denominations are not the only culprits.  I will add that, as a Southern Baptist, some of my best Christian friends have been Presbyterian, Pentecostal, and Lutheran.  Denominations don't have to bring division. It's not like we're part of rival high schools!  

Denominations take the focus off of Christ.  This can happen, and it is unfortunate when it does.  But it doesn't always happen.  Many denominations I know of work very hard to keep Christ the focus.  Non-denominational churches can just as easily lose focus.  The bottom line for me is that denominations are perfectly fine when they're in their proper place of priority.  I have seen them emphasized too greatly, but also completely shunned.  Neither extreme is right.  The same is true of nondenominationalism.  If a church, (or affiliation of churches that doesn't want to officially call itself a denomination) is focused on Jesus and following the Holy Spirit's leading, they can be wonderfully used by God.  It's all about focus.  

     Interestingly, theologian and professor Steven Harmon argues that "there's really no such thing" as a nondenominational church, because "as soon as a supposedly non-denominational church has made decisions about what happens in worship, whom and how they will baptize, how and with what understanding they will celebrate holy communion, what they will teach, who their ministers will be and how they will be ordered, or how they relate to those churches, these decisions have placed the church within the stream of a specific type of denominational tradition."  If a church wants to be unaffiliated, that is perfectly fine.  But by having any theological positions or practices at all, they have basically taken a denominational side, and there is nothing wrong with that.  They have determined which vein in church history they affiliate with.  The root is all in Christ, and that's what matters.  What counts is that your church was started by the movement of the Lord in a work that is bigger than just your church, and involves more people than just the ones in your congregation.  You are part of the body, as all believers are.  If you can be part of a denomination and keep the focus on Christ, and love those in other church traditions, that is wonderful.  If you can be part of a non-denominational church that recognizes that they are part of a bigger picture, that includes all believers (denominational or not), that is wonderful.  

     History marches on.  You are part of it.  Be that person who embraces what God is doing, but doesn't lose sight of what He has done.