Why are churches so different from eachother?

Question

Ive been to alot of different churches growing up, even a few black churches. They are all different from eachother, basically the minister preaches his interperation of the Bible. Church A is completely different from church B right across the street. Why isnt there an organization or something to outline how the Bible be taught or something of that nature?

Answer 1

Same reason there are 35 different varieties of Ragu spaghetti sauce.

Answer 2

Some church denominations do have a central organization that makes the major decisions for individual churches within their denomination. Other churches are run locally and independently. Everyone has different opinions about how the Bible should be interpreted and what they believe, plus there are lots of traditions that really have nothing to do with the Bible but are preferences to certain denominations. the important thing is to educate yourself, read the Bible so you can make your own decisions, and find a church that believes what you do. Personally I prefer Bible studies to sermons because a group of people can get together and discus a passage, so you get more than one interpretation or point of view. The Bibe can be hard to understand because it was written a long time ago and you have to think about the cultural and situational context to figure out how to apply it.

Answer 3

So many denominations have radically different interpretations of the same identical Bible or even the same translation(like KJV). Bible Alone groups will take the same passages of the Bible like 'Jn 6's "My flesh is food indeed" and come up with completely incompatible interpretations.
All groups use some sort of authoritaive tradition or teachings-assumption when they interpret the Bible. Most groups appeal to their own scholars,founders or leaders in interpreting and applying the Bible.
There is an original and authorative organization,tradition and family: the Catholic Church, which decided what was Bible and what was not, and the Catholic Faith,which is the oral tradition out of which the New Testament came and the apostolic interpretation of the Old Testament came.

Answer 4

You are going about it backwards. It will help if you take the Bible and rule out the religions. In the back of almost every Bible is a concordance which lists verses according to key words in them. Some are better than others but any will do for most. Compare religious beliefs to the Bible. If it doesn't measure up to what you read, it is not correct religion.

Example: immortality of the soul. Look under "soul" and you find Ezekial 18: 4, 20 "the soul that is sinning--it itself will die."
Pretty clear isn't it? Check off religions teaching that.

What about the dead are either in pain or pleasure? Look under "dead" and you find Eccles. 9: 5, 6, 10 where it says the dead are conscious of nothing at all.

Doing it this way allows you to find the true religion of God by simple means.

Answer 5

We, as believers, must believe the same on the essentials of the faith, but beyond that there is great latitude in how a Christian should worship, serve, and live his life. This latitude is what causes so many different flavors of Christianity. Diversity is a good thing, but disunity is not. If two churches disagree doctrinally, it is fine that they remain separate. This separation, though, does not lift the responsibility Christians have to love one another (1 John 4:11-12) – and ultimately be united as one in Christ (John 17:21-22).

Answer 6

There are many different churches because as you said, many are teaching their own interpretation of the Bible. This started shortly after Christ's resurrection. People kept introducing their own ideas and it wasn't long before the Church of Jesus Christ ceased to exist.

Fortunately it has been restored, complete with apostles and prophets. Joseph Smith struggled with the same question of why there are so many different churches and which one if any he should join. After asking in prayer with faith, he was visited by God the Father, and his son, Jesus Christ and told to not join any of them. Eventually the Church of Jesus Christ was reestablished on the earth and is called, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

This Church has authority from God to outline how the Bible should be taught and understood.

Answer 7

Churches are different because there are different denominations of followers of Christ. All denominations believe God is Almighty and the way to salvation and the Satan (devil) is the enemy we Christians must overcome. Each denomination just has a different way to worship. Baptist are typically less spiritual and more routine like, singing from a hymn because that is what they grew up doing and a unified Amen. Assemblies of God are spirit filled churches that usually begin with song worship with CCM or Contemporary Christian Music as the songs of choice to stay modern. People will stand and raise their hands to the Lord and shout at times their worship like, "Hallelujah" or "Praise Jesus". These are just two examples.
Then you have non-denominational churches which welcome all types of worship regardless, with no set guidelines or "rules of worship". I hope this all helps and remember Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. He died for our sins so that we may be forgiven today.

Answer 8

Because people are all different. And churches are made up of people. There are numerous organizations that tell how the Bible should be taught, etc. Just no ONE organization that all people can agree with.

Answer 9

That's because your talking "religion". This church, and that church, right and wrong, and no one agrees. Always fighting all over the world. Church's are only buildings.

Christianity is all the same. There's only one God. The Bible says HE looks at our hearts.

The church is the People!

Answer 10

I guess if the church you're speaking about belongs to the Roman Catholic Church or in Islam then perhaps it would be like that but then these churches you mayhave been to came from other religions such as Baptists, Episcopalians and so on and they do not constitute a uniform basis. Don't be discouraged though, just keep on attending.

Answer 11

I think they have much more in common than they have in differences. Belief in a creator, strength from faith, teachings for leading a good life...all religions have these characteristics. Most religions had there origins among diverse people who did not interact. These various groups lived much different lives and, hence, have different world views and religious beliefs. Take a comparataive religion course if you ever have the chance. I did and enjoyed it tremendously. There's plenty of room for true believers of all faiths (but not necessarily for those who pervert their faith for some selfish purpose)