Skip to main content
SHARPER IRON
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
  • About
    • About Sharper Iron
    • Doctrinal Statement
    • Contact
    • Search
  • Forum
    • Forum Home
    • Comment Guidelines
    • Search
  • Account
    • Log in
    • Register

Are So-Called “Non-denominational Churches” Really “Non-denoms?”

By TylerR on Wed, 06/28/17
Church & Ministry
Denominations

Roger Olson: What is it about ‘denomination’ that people run away from? And why do churches that are really denominational—in some sense—so anxious to hide their affiliation with other churches or groups?

Discussion

Profile picture for user Bert Perry
Bert Perry

NewPaging Aaron Tippin...

Wed, 06/28/17

…because you’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything. I can see the allure of reducing the number of critical points of faith—do we really need to separate on such and such basis—and it’s worth noting as well that this very motivation was central to formulating the five Fundamentals, no?

But that said, “non-denominational” really means one of the brands of evangelical, often Baptistic, sometimes somewhat Calvinistic or charismatic. So it’s something of an obfuscation in my view. More than other churches? Sometimes, but not always.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

User image
Ron Bean

NewFirst Reactions

Wed, 06/28/17

My knee jerk reactions when I see a label:

Presbyterian: Polity, Calvinism, traditional

Baptist: Baptism by immersion, independent, traditional

Methodist: liberal

Bible: Baptist Lite

“Noun” Churches (Redemption, Grace, etc.) Praise Band, young

"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan

Related . . .

Topics: Evangelicalism, Fundamentalism, Denominations
  • Identity: Who Are We?
  • In Praise of Denominations
  • How Denominations in America See Each Other
  • Evangelical Free Church of America: Premillennialism is now a non-essential
  • How denominations split: Lessons for Methodists from Baptist battles of the ’80s

Pagination

  • Page 1
  • Next page

Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

(ESV, Proverbs 17:27)

Footer

  • About
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Forum

Since 2005

Image
2005 SI Logo Image