Are too many churches caught up in being a donimination and not about following God's message?

[Feldurmac]

I don't want to start a fight persay so I will leave out the particular donomination that I am using as an example but I'm sure it applies to others as well.

Years ago my mother decided to switch from one donominational church to an entirely different donomination of Christianity. My mother always felt the donomination didn't matter only the vibe she felt from the individual church herself so we never held to one particular donomination and as the church changed she would follow where she thought God was leading instead of just sticking with that church/donomination just because.

When leaving the former church basically sent a letter condemning her... I don't remember the wording exactly but part of the message basically stated: "Not all donominations/churches have the same message and work for the truth of God. We would love to have you continue to visit our church but be weary of outside churches as they might lead you astray. We are afraid that without the direction of the church you could fall astray but if you wish to come back to us we will be here..." something along those lines... notably when we left the next church they didn't send the 'your going to hell' letter... it might not sound that bad but to be honest I remember it sounded worse then I worded it but my memory doesn't do it justice.

Anyhow at work today I was talking to a girl who said her local minister basically said if you don't go to church you aren't a christian.....

Are today's christian donominations putting to much emphasis into the individual church and donomination instead of the faith and love we hold in our hearts? Additionally, is it just me or do most conventional Christian churches tend to judge and cast the first stone too often?

I'd love to hear opinions on this.

 

[blackout]

Every denominations message is essentially the same.

"Come fill OUR offering baskets. Not theirs"

 

[ChristineES]

I never trusted any denomination that says they are "the only denomination with the truth". Even Billy Graham, who is a Southern Baptist, says it doesn't matter which denomination you choose.

 

[edward]

Every denominations message is essentially the same.

"Come fill OUR offering baskets. Not theirs"

Really? That certainly has NOT been my experience over the past sixty years. It may be the objective of SOME churches, but not EVERY denomination. Methinks you are exaggerating a bit. Don't you?

Maybe you are referring to the televangelists. Even this those cases I wouldn't say "EVERY" one says that.

Edward

 

[edward]

I never trusted any denomination that says they are "the only denomination with the truth". Even Billy Graham, who is a Southern Baptist, says it doesn't matter which denomination you choose.

Me, either. I think that Mr. Graham is right (even if it doesn't really matter what I think or anyone else, either )

Edward

 

[brittanyalmberg]

I think that a church that is focused on their denomination and not on God is not a church I would attend.

My opinion is that it doesn't matter what building choose to worship in, whether the most ornate church or your own living room, nor does it matter whether you consider yourself to be Catholic or Protestant. What is important is the worship of God. Jesus himself made nearly this same statement, as stated in John 4:21, when talking to the Samaritan woman at the well. "Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem." (NLT)

Any Christian church which focuses more on their denomination than on the Word of God is not worthy of attending, in my opinion.

 

[Green Gaia]

I realized this when I was very young, about 10, and attending a Church of Christ with my parents. I was told my grandmother was going to hell because she attended a different Christian church. Knowing what a kind, loving woman my grandmother is, I knew they were either dead wrong or that a God that would condemn her to hell for going to a different church was no God I wanted to follow. And that started the unraveling of my belief in Christianity.

 

[Enoch07]

Denominations are irrelevant. They are all pretty much the same, except for little minor tweaks here or there, based on their personal beliefs. Anyone who claims one denomination is better than another is wrong.

 

[Katzpur]

Are today's christian donominations putting to much emphasis into the individual church and donomination instead of the faith and love we hold in our hearts?

I don't know. If God doesn't care what we believe, then they are. If it matters to God what we believe, then the teachings of the various denominations are important. I tend to think the truth of the matter is somewhere in between. I think it does matter to God and that He wants us to find the denomination that is teaching the truth. On the other hand, I believe He loves us far too much to condemn us for picking the "wrong" one if we are truly sincere.

 

[ἀλήθεια]

The Bible repeatedly points us to Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. We must be born again by God. We should love the Lord our God with our thy hearts, and with all our souls, and with all our minds. So if you have been born again, you will be led by the Holy Spirit. Since doctrine matters to God, we should be asking God to teach us correct doctrine. But no where does God say that believing in a church/denomination/preacher/teacher/prophet will save you.

Proverbs 3
5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Psalm 1
1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

 

[BaronVonKaiser]

It would be interesting to see a church that actually ignored denominational differences and focused solely on the bible. I think it would be hilarious to watch them implement this particular rule that the bible seems to be extremely clear on:
"As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?" (1 Cor. 14:33b-36 NIV).

 

[ἀλήθεια]

It would be interesting to see a church that actually ignored denominational differences and focused solely on the bible. I think it would be hilarious to watch them implement this particular rule that the bible seems to be extremely clear on:
"As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?" (1 Cor. 14:33b-36 NIV).

There are churches in which the women are not allowed to speak.

 

[ayani]

i like Ravi Zacharias' take on it ~

"unity does not have to mean uniformity".

yes, i agree that many denominations can a bit too caught up with themselves. i have met people who are such adept Lutherans, Catholics, and Baptists, that it kind of gets in the way of their being good Christians.

i see that a lot of people have a lot of pride to their own denomination- cultural pride, pride over their specific doctrines or practices, pride over their founders, etc. i'd say while it's good to be proud and aware of your Christian roots, and proud of what makes your denomination special (because distinctions are really neat, and worth studying and appreciating), it is really missing the point to be all about one's church, and less about Christ.

 

[Enoch07]

Denominations are irrelevant. They are all pretty much the same, except for little minor tweaks here or there, based on their personal beliefs. Anyone who claims one denomination is better than another is wrong.

Just a side note.

Actually now that I think about it. Denominational is still irrelevant but Jesus only approved of 2 Churches. Which is the Church of Smyrna and Philadelphia. Which any denomination could be these two types if they know what they are doing.

 

[Kathryn]

Hey, I'm Methodist - I don't have a dog in this hunt!

Methodists are pretty much "live and let live."

I really do love celebrating the liturgical year - it gives me a sense of bonding with the world-wide Christian community. And that's MUCH more important to me than trying to pinpoint the differences between denominations.

 

[Green Gaia]

There are churches in which the women are not allowed to speak.

That's how the church I grew up in was/is. One of the other things I found, even as a child, to be disturbing if we were all supposed to be God's children and equal in his eyes. Why was woman's words or testimony less desired than a man's?

 

[Enoch07]

That's how the church I grew up in was/is. One of the other things I found, even as a child, to be disturbing if we were all supposed to be God's children and equal in his eyes. Why was woman's words or testimony less desired than a man's?

I think it is just men being pigs. Male ego. Dunno whatever you wanna call it. In my 31 years of life, almost every other guy I knew talked about how a man should wear the pants in the family blah blah blah. Yet if you grew up like I did. In actuality Grand-mothers and Mothers always had the final say. Even if the fact was not openly acknowledged. If Grand-ma or mom wasn't happy. No one was happy hehe. Believe you me if Grand-Pa try to actually exert his will over Grand-Ma he felt the wraith of the nearest object in the room. And I think they let men think they was in charge just to keep everyone in line behind the scenes. Now that I type it out it seems almost devious haha, but of course it was not. Maybe only my family had this hidden matriarchal order to the family, but I assume alot of other family units was the same way. And yes I am a mommas boy.

 

[sojourner]

It would be interesting to see a church that actually ignored denominational differences and focused solely on the bible. I think it would be hilarious to watch them implement this particular rule that the bible seems to be extremely clear on:
"As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?" (1 Cor. 14:33b-36 NIV).

The passage really isn't as clear as you make it out to be.
My church downplays denominational differences. Although, we do not focus "solely on the Bible." We also take tradition and reason into account. We have no problem with ordaining women to the clergy, because we understand that Paul's injunction against women speaking in church to be a parochialism that has no bearing on how post-moderns in this culture constitute church. Sorry to be a killjoy, but it's not so funny now, is it!

 

[Katzpur]

It would be interesting to see a church that actually ignored denominational differences and focused solely on the bible.

Most churches believe they're doing exactly that, Baron. The "denominational differences" exist because everybody interprets the Bible differently.

 

[ἀλήθεια]

That's how the church I grew up in was/is. One of the other things I found, even as a child, to be disturbing if we were all supposed to be God's children and equal in his eyes. Why was woman's words or testimony less desired than a man's?

It might very well be a lack of understanding of the verse. Perhaps the women were whispering to each other during the worship service and they were to stop causing a disturbance. I find it annoying if the people behind me keep whispering while I'm trying to hear the sermon.