What can you tell me about being a non-denominational Christian?

Question

First and foremost I want to state that I respect all beliefs but I stand strongly by my own. I am, however, completely open to debate/discussion..I am Lutheran, but respect what others believe entirely.

I got many answers to my previous question which is located here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061012160056AAzS5WN&r=w

And recieved many answers from those who were non-denominational Christians. I want to look outward and learn more about Christiannity to help others and strengthen my own faith.I'm curious about how you've come to be non-denominational, what it's like, why you like it, etc...Thank you for your time. God bless!

Thanks for your answers thus so far, I really am thankful for them. I look forward to growing in my faith because of this. Please continue to post.

PaulCyp: You made a very interesting point. Very true....But, then again, a denomination has basic beliefs that are generally different from another denomination. So, therefore, is being "non-denominational" really a denomination? This is a subject up for debate that I will post a question on at some point in the near future...Thank you for this point.

Answer 1

The segment of Christianity labeled as "non-demonitionational" is more correctly named Penocostal. Penocostalism is derived from the first few chapters of Acts, where the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, as a comforter as Christ promised upon is ascension to heaven. The disciples spoke in undecipherable languages as evidence of the Holy Spirit, also referred to as the "Holy Ghost". Penocostals believe in the power of the Holy Ghost and the truth that is manifests. These are the churches where the members are frequently "speaking in tongues" and "shouting" when overcome by the Holy Ghost. Nondemonitional Christians and Penocostals are the same.

Answer 2

I love God and love the body where I meet because we use only the Bible as our guide. We have no creeds but the Bible. We study the Bible to find our truth, by taking the entire Bible and dividing it according to the time period for which it was written, you can come up with an account of what God wants. You cannot pick and choose the parts you follow and the parts you don't because God did not allow unnecessary things to be written in His Word. Most of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are a part of the Old Testament, because the new did not begin before Jesus died for His church. If the church began before His death, then He did not need to give his blood for it. We find the first Gospel Sermon in Acts 2: .
I am a Christian as we were first called in Antioch. The churches of Christ salute you...Romans 16:.

I am happy to tell you that I am in no way connected with the Pentecostal movement.

Answer 3

I was raise a Lutheran and now I'm not affiliated with any organized religon and basically reject most of them as being man interpreted based with too many rituals and not enough Jesus and Jesus based rituals.

For example, I celebrate Last Supper day and I've tried to narrow it down based upon when in the Bible it says it all occured, which is around April 13 or 14th, a fixed day.

I also celebrate the day before passover and passover.

I don't subscribe to Easter, but I do eat a nice Easter Supper.

I try and celebrate like JEsus did with Rabinical wine (3 glasses), unleavend bread, bitter herbs and some meat.

I concentrate my studies on JEsus and God and how they said to live and be, which is very difficult to master, but I try and keep in mind what they say to do.

I'm not that obsessed with other religious holidays, although I do celebtrate Christmas, but more as Santa Claus day, because every theologian knows Jesus was born in Fall or Spring, not winter.

If friends invite me to church services or events I go just to find out whats up

I'm not obsessed with End of Times nor do I suscribe to the term "rapture" was coined by MArgaret MacDonald.

I watch who I align myself with and who I follow.

I'm somewhat liberal and I'm into the human rights movement, especially for women and gays.

I also like comparing Bible texts and learning about books removed from the Bible and how the greek and hebrew translataions are done.

Answer 4

I'm church of Christ, and we consider ourselves to be non-denominational. I don't know for sure if I agree with "us" or not.

In our case, we try to follow what the New Testament gives as a guide exactly, without the interferance with an organization. Each church of Christ stands on its own (unlike, say, Catholic churches, who are networked through archdioces, or Southern Baptists, who are organized with the Southern Baptist Conventions.) Because of this, going from one Church of Christ to another means that you will see many different styles and takes on Scripture. Then, of course, a lot of them pick and choose favorite Scriptures to follow. This really makes it difficult for people who want to know about the churches of Christ, since they can have a BAD experience with one and think we're all like that.

I grew up in a church of Christ full of people that, God bless 'em, were really bad about picking and choosing which Scriptures they would acknowledge.

The church I go to right now is really great because the elders spend a LOT of time in the Word, and they try to stay open-minded and look into something seriously and pray if anyone in the church were to challenge the way something is done, trying to make sure it's as close to Scripture as possible. Also, they encourage the personal feel that the New Testament church had, when they spent much of their time together and took care of each other. We have small groups so that we can fellowship and meet in private homes, much like the New Testament church did.

I like it.

The pretty common facets of our theology are that baptism is required (not just suggested) for salvation (I honestly don't know how I feel about this... I quit challenging this when I was a little kid, and now I have my own opinions I keep to myself), we have communion (Lord's Supper) every Sunday, women do not have leadership roles in areas when men are there and capable of leading, and the most obvious difference is that we don't use instrumental music in worship. However, some churches are more strict in these practices than others. Some at least acknowledge that "what if" question most often asked, saying that if you die on your way to being baptised, God knows your heart and would act accordingly. Some take the women in worship thing VERY literally, not having women pray aloud even in private settings if a man is there, or taking a vocal part of Bible studies. Some don't use instruments in regular worship services, but in smaller groups or special programs, will. Some others, however, won't even acknowledge music using instruments in any way to even be acceptable Christian music (like they are against Michael W. Smith, Bill Gaither, Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant, and would have a heart attack if they heard Jars of Clay, POD or Reliant K).

I like my current church, though, and I've been lucky enough to find a church I like in the various cities I've lived in, besides one.

Answer 5

Each denomination seems to emphasis some scriptures over others. I grew tired of it and started attending a Bible TEACHING church (not just Bible believing). All the Bible is taught with balance and equity, with no agendas set by the bureaucracies of large denominations.
So, I'm a Bible believing Christian who has grown to love all of God's Word. Not into denominationalism any more, but still very much a Christian.

Answer 6

You are a Christian, you believe in God and that His Son died and was raised from the dead for our sins, right. I belong to a non-denominational church and to me it is a church that teaches straight out of the Bible. No rituals are involved, just plain old worshiping the Lord God. I went to a Lutheran church before and see nothing wrong with it. I know Lutheran churches are some what of a spin off of Catholicism but they are believers just like you and I.

Answer 7

Hey...God bless you on your search. I came from a liturgical background, as well, and have been blessed by that which I learned about God and his Word.

I'm not sure if the church that you attend teaches the Bible, and if there was much emphasis on apologetics and intellectual questions...I've found much joy attending a Calary Chapel, and I leave the service encouraged and full of the Word.

Just a suggestion, and I'll be praying for God to reveal Himself more and more deeply as you pursue Him...I love your heart, my sis in the Lord!!!

Answer 8

I really don't know how or when the term nondenominational
came to be. Personally I think and feel there is no such
"Functioning word or church, for that matter." Once you have been a part of a certain church service, and the beliefs of that church, it becomes a part of you, your spirituality. If you've
been disalussioned in a church, you take that with you too. So
no matter to what church you go they have their own belifs that
that church is run by and usually combinations of other faiths,
bits and pieces. I just don't see nondenominational functioning
as such.

Answer 9

My reasonings are that I don't agree 100% with any of the denominations. Besides, I feel it's more important to be a CHRISTIAN than a Baptist, Methodist, etc... I do tend to have more in common with Baptists than any other so I attend a Baptist church - there are not many choices for Non-denominational churches.

Answer 10

There is no such thing. If you don't subscribe to a denomination that already exists, and the specific set of beliefs that defines it, but take off on your own and define your own set of beliefs, then you are simply a new denomination, one more fracture in the already fragmented tradition of Protestantism.