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"Non-denominational Church Explained"
What the article says about pros and cons of Non-denominational churches.
Pros and cons of Non-denominational churches.
Because each independent congregation can decide what the church believes and practices, the church can change and adapt to society. When a practice becomes outdated, the church can respond appropriately and adapt to serve their community and congregants. Being able to address the congregants’ concerns without answering to a central organizational leadership can help the church decide their path. This ensures that the congregants have an opportunity to influence the growth and development of the church. It also means that these churches are dynamic and responsive, and have a low risk of getting stuck in dogmatic considerations that may not have any relevance in the lives of their congregants.
Non-denominational churches can attract members from mainline churches who no longer agree with specific practices and traditions while remaining within the broader Christian church sphere. Very often, people who have been raised in denominational churches maintain their belief in Jesus and biblical principles, while finding themselves at odds with their church’s longstanding rituals and dogmas. By attending a non-denominational church, they can continue to worship outside of the frameworks they have come to doubt or dislike.
Unfortunately, independent non-denominational churches may not have access to the resources that a larger organization can access. These resources include financial contributions but extend to leadership and teaching experience, mentorship and support, and notability and influence. All of these aspects can help a congregation to grow, reach more potential members, and become a sustainable entity.
Non-denominational churches may suffer when there are clashes within the organization, whether it be about practical matters concerning the operations in the church or more substantial questions of belief, practice, and dogma. If different preachers within a non-denominational church disagree substantially from each other, the church may be split into factions because there is no larger organizational structure to assist in settling contentious issues in a congregation. The hope is that such disputes can be settled by recourse to the Bible itself, but differences in interpretation can often be more difficult to solve. While this does demonstrate a laudable openness to discussion and debate among the elders of non-denominational churches, at its extremes it could possibly result in fragmentation and a lack of unity. Well-established churches circumvent such issues through a solid grounding in God’s word as a foundational document, together with a willingness to discuss doctrinal differences and smooth them out as quickly and as amicably as possible.
https://graceplano.church/about/non-denominational-churches-explained/
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Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light. John 12:36, NIV
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According to His riches in glory refers to a biblical promise found in Philippians 4:19, which states that God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. This verse emphasizes God's provision and generosity towards believers.
I went to non-denoms the first 5 years after I was saved. Not one was well run. Denominational churches always were much better in that field. Plus, getting a qualified, God filled and experienced, trained pastor in a denominational church is so much easier. Just call up your near by seminary.
I used to think non-denoms were best. But going to them, and switching to denominational churches made me change my mind. I am a Baptist, and I like that there is a denominational organization to help if there are problems, and for training, and supply things like Sunday School materials and support missionaries. But Baptists are usually quite aware of their need to be independent from a very controlling organization, yet have fellowship within their denomination and other churches.
Something about Baptist Church's doctrine shocked and surprised me. Some who are against it called it "License to sin." The idea is there is no sin a Christian commits that can cause God to be displeased by them which is linked to the doctrine of once saved always saved. I feel it is no use to argue about whether a believer can lose his salvation since there are two different opinions. My concern for myself as a believer is not about losing my salvation but more about how my fear and worry about my daughter's future will lead me (where it will lead me) which is totally a different subject.
I never thought I would be hit this hard by the Baptist doctrine that I never knew exists. I always thought God hates sins (not the sinners) and will be displeased when Christians sin. This theology knocked me out very good and made me very confused about what being Christians is all about. It is not because I am always a moral person but because I always believe Christians are supposed to be different from Non=christians in a better way including being a good person and hating sins and confessing them and repenting when they sin. The idea of no confession and repentance needed since all past, present, and future sins have been forgiven is very confusing and discouraging to me (when it is taken to the extreme). A lot of sins hurt others, causing them sufferings and pains. To say that God is not disturbed at all when a Christian sins is too difficult for me to understand. I, however, have been reading a lot of articles on the subject and feel that I understand both arguments very clearly now.
I agree that an advantage of a Non-denominational church is they can pick which doctrines they want. I thank you for the warning (about the disadvantages including them teaching false doctrines). I think I have always been an Inter-denominational believer which i am not sure is the same as Non-denominational.
I hope you are doing much better today. I am praying for you.
As for picking and choosing your own doctrine, how would you do that? Put it to a vote at the AGM? The majority wins, rather than the 2 people who have been to seminary, in the mission field, and have deeply studied theology? Or the majority who never pick up their Bibles to read them, let alone study doctrine? Very shallow and dangerous thinking.
Plus, you said you were going to a Methodist church. That's as far from a non-denominational church as you can get. John Wesley, in the 18th century, after the Great Revivals started that denomination. He basically introduced a "method" to study the Bible. It spread from England to America, in 1784! 237 years old. Although I don't agree at all with his vehement Arminianism.,
I think you've been led astray on this topic.
The author of this article wrote
"Because each independent congregation can decide what the church believes and practices, the church can change and adapt to society. When a practice becomes outdated, the church can respond appropriately and adapt to serve their community and congregants. Being able to address the congregants’ concerns without answering to a central organizational leadership can help the church decide their path. This ensures that the congregants have an opportunity to influence the growth and development of the church. It also means that these churches are dynamic and responsive, and have a low risk of getting stuck in dogmatic considerations that may not have any relevance in the lives of their congregants."
A Non-denominational church can decide whether they want to emphasize good works, spiritual gifts or faith only doctrine. The people who start the church are the ones who choose which doctrines they want to follow. They have to agree with one another in order to be able to form their Non-denominational churches. What I mean is they join people who agree with them, not voting for what they have to agree.
I appreciate you explaining to me about the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist church. That doctrine that I complain about actually has some good side in it. It helps believers not to feel so unworthy when they fail to live up to the Bible's moral standard that they give up their faith. But on the other hand, it is a bad doctrine to teach that our sins do not affect our relationship with God.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Eph 2:8-10
Good works are part of the process of sanctification, which means becoming holy. But we are never perfectly holy until Jesus returns. That's a big issue many people have with John Wesley and Methodism. Wesley thought if people followed his methods, they would become perfect and holy on this fallen earth. We have to wait till God glorifies us!
A sinner's prayer or "accepting Christ" is found no where in the Bible! In fact, God takes us as dead people, and saves us. Therefore, we cannot lose our salvation, because it is a gift from God. God made us alive in him, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." Eph 2:1-2
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus," Eph 2:4-6
Further, John points out in his first epistle, that if someone walks away from God, they never were really saved!
"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." 1 John 2:19
I agree that many Christians get very discouraged by the idea of losing their salvation, if they are "not good enough." My husband's walk with God has been ruined by this. But we simply cannot walk in sin! But John has the answer to that, too!
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!" 1 John 1:9