vendredi 24 janvier 2014

Characteristics Of A Non Denominational Church

By Nelda Powers


A non denominational church is a Christian congregation that has no ties to a larger organization. They may follow a popular pattern of worship and teaching, or they may be organized in any fashion the fellowship creates. The Bible gives only the most basic instructions for the fellowship of believers. The denominational differences are mainly man-made, according to their interpretation of scripture and traditions.

Denominations are national or international organizations that set the doctrine, or system of belief, for their member congregations. They issue by-laws, support training schools for ministers, approve the order of worship, and may own the physical property of their member congregations - buildings and land. They usually sponsor hymnals and even translations of Scripture, and may have periodicals and newsletters to keep members informed of events and decisions that affect them all.

As the times change, denominational fellowships have suffered from internal conflict. The Episcopal denomination is one which has seen splits over doctrine and disputes over physical property in recent years. Congregations which choose to break away from the parent entity sometimes find that their physical house of worship belongs to the governors rather than to the fellowship.

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.

Many of the independent congregations follow a charismatic way of enthusiastic group worship with music and songs based on the Psalms of the Bible. Their teachings are based on the Bible, with little humanistic input apart from personal testimonies. They call the worship 'Spirit-filled' and expect divine presence and guidance at every service.

The body of Christ, which includes all redeemed believers, has no Biblical description. While many believers gather for the kind of service that sustains them, they should seek the unity of the Spirit that God looks for in His children. This can be found in both denominational and non denominational church groups.




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