If you are going to attend a non-denominational church, you should find out how the oversight of the church and the senior pastor is structured. One of the things that you usually find absent from non-denominational churches is voting rights. Many churches give its members a voice in the church and the right to vote on issues and things that will affect the church.
This does not usually happen in a non-denominational church, at least not with the members. Whatever is the leadership structure of the church, that is where the decisions are made and then those decisions are passed down to the members. Again, this does not mean a non-denominational church is bad, but you want to make sure, as with any church, that there are solid leaders.
In the churches that I attended that were associated with a denomination, we would have annual business meetings. During these meetings the books were opened, there was accounting given of the financial statements and records of the church. You knew how much money came in, where it went, how much was left over, how much was saved in the bank. In short there was a much higher level of transparency and information as to where your donations went. This was done because it was usually a requirement of the denomination the church was formed under.
In a non-denominational church, no such requirement exists. They can choose to do it, or they can choose not to do it. And even if they do, the amount of information they share is up to them. Again, this does not make this type of church good or bad, it is just simply a reality of how the church is run. The process for choosing a church is the same regardless of what type of church you go to, whether it is tied to a denomination or not.
Let me give you some simple steps to help you. Visit a church, or a couple of churches, and experience the church culture, the atmosphere, the worship, the preaching, the teaching, and what they believe. When you are looking for a church, the denomination or non-denomination of that church should not be the most important factor. Whether God is leading you there or not is what matters most. By the way I am not picking on Baptists this is just an illustration.
There are, of course, a number of foundational beliefs that bind all non-denominational churches together in the broader Christian fellowship. The cornerstone of these is the belief in Jesus Christ as the Son and earthly incarnation of God, as well as His crucifixion, resurrection and prophesied second coming.
This is a belief, of course, that non-denominational churches share with all Christians. The Christian life, therefore, as far as non-denominational churches are concerned, is one grounded in biblical principles, not in ritual or dogma. In regard to matters relating to central features of Christian doctrine, such as the priesthood, communion or the Eucharist, and sacraments such as marriage, baptism and funeral practices, non-denominational churches often have a lot in common with later, non-episcopal Protestant churches, as distinguished from those doctrines espoused by the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church or the American Episcopal Church which was formed from local branches of the Church of England after the Revolutionary War.
In most cases, non-denominational beliefs in this regard are highly simplified compared to those of older churches, emphasizing the basic biblical teachings at their core. Among the many non-denominational churches that have acquired large national and even international congregations are Hillsong Church, Willow Creek Community Church, Lakewood Church, and Grace Church. Aside from these well-known names, however, there are thousands of non-denominational churches, ranging from well-established, large-scale organizations to small, family-led, community-based congregations, which one is likely to find on almost every street in the Christian world.
There are various pros and cons of joining a non-denominational church. Here are some of the common ones:. 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. 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. By attending a non-denominational church, they can continue to worship outside of the frameworks they have come to doubt or dislike. See the full definition for nondenominational in the English Language Learners Dictionary.
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for nondenominational. Nglish: Translation of nondenominational for Spanish Speakers. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!
Log in Sign Up. Save Word. Definition of nondenominational. Angelo, The Indianapolis Star , 4 Oct. First Known Use of nondenominational , in the meaning defined above. Well, for example, most of the top largest churches in the United States are now nondenominational. Why are so many people attending and seeking out non-denominational churches? One reason for the increase in attendance at non-denominational churches may be past hurt. An individual who had a poor or traumatic experience with one church may feel inclined to attend a non-denominational church.
Do people have bad experiences at non-denominational churches? Some do. People who have been hurt in denominational churches likely know this, yet a non-denominational church still feels like a fresh start to them. Although some use the terms non-denominational and interdenominational interchangeably, they are two separate and different concepts. Are interdenominational church independent? Like denominational churches, interdenominational churches seek to be independent from traditional denomination labels.
They also seek to be independent from a denominational hierarchy of accountability and authority. Are interdenominational churches well supported? Oftentimes, non-denominational churches arise out of concern for correct theology and practice without denominational of government interference.
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