While working on an unrelated research project, I recently came across some data published by the Hartford Institute of Religion Research. Though the information was five years old, it still seemed highly relevant today. In essence, the data showed that non-denominational churches are now the second largest Protestant group in America. Only the Southern Baptist Convention is larger.
Here are some of the fascinating nuggets from that study:
- There are more than 12 million people who affiliate with non-denominational churches.
- The research found at least 35,000 non-denominational churches in America.
- Non-denominational churches are in 88% of the counties in the United States.
- Non-denominational churches are one of the top five largest religious groups in 48 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
In light of the growth of these churches, I conducted an informal Twitter poll and asked why people are moving to non-denominational congregations from churches affiliated with denominations. Here are the top eight responses in order. There is obvious overlap in some of the responses.
- Denominational churches have a negative reputation. Some respondents used the phrase “negative brand” to communicate this reason.
- Denominations are known more for what they are against than what they are for.
- There is too much infighting and politics in denominations.
- The denominational churches are too liberal. From what I can tell from these respondents, they are current and former members of mainline churches.
- There is a general waning of institutional loyalty in institutions such as denominations.
- Denominations have inefficient systems and organizations. They are too bureaucratic.
- Some of the respondents could see no perceived benefit to belonging to denominations.
- Denominations are not good stewards of their financial resources.
I plan on doing a second poll in the near future to see how respondents view denominations positively. In the meantime, let me hear from you.
Posted on April 22, 2015
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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191 Comments
Dr. Rainer. Guidestone often reminds the SBC that it is not a denomination. Are they right? If not, why is an autonomous church that affiliates with Willow Creek, A29, or ARC not considered denominational churches?
Aaron: I am not familiar with GuideStone’s definition. Feel free to post a link where they say that. Thanks.
I have attended a denominational church for most of my entire life and have pastored in that denomination for 31 years. Obviously, that would be my choice of attendance.
However, as I have read through most of these comments, I come away with a couple of predominate thoughts:
1. There seems to be a mutual lack of respect for the other’s “church of choice,” with neither side seeming to trust or appreciate the value of the other.
2. When we all stand before our Lord to give our account, I don’t think He will have a list of “acceptable” denominations or non-denominations to see if we qualify. Isn’t the true measurement of our effectiveness the number of souls that are being transformed into His image and not that of our particular brand?
It would seem to me that as we each pursue our callings that we could learn to appreciate and value each other’s gifts in order for His church to be built up rather than our own!
“Beloved, let us live one another….”
I have good, sincere friends working in denominational churches! I personally have sat in many types of meetings with denominational leaders. The systems are crumbling and as a co founder of YOUTH CHURCH INTERNATIONAL we have been honored to see young people/young adults arise all over the world to be the church now! Jesus, unity, and a love for our lost neighbors is enough! “Church” doesn’t have to be fighting over minor doctrinal points, grappling for power/control, and worrying about guaranteed salaries, etc. Church can be a safe, restful experience, full of meaning and rewards! Thanks for the article and sharing these facts about people leaving the institutional church. It doesn’t surprise me.
In other words, you’re starting another denomination.
I have been a Missionary Baptist with the SBC now for 43 years, preaching-pastor for 42 of those years. I know the poplar fad now is drop the words Missionary & Baptist, (at least in Kentucky) I was pastor of 3 churches for 36 years & now have been a Director of Missions for 9 years. I never have been, neither will I ever be ashamed to be called a Baptist! I do not like seeker-friendly churches, just preaching the gospel of Jesus & they will come and respond! I really enjoy Dr. Rainer’s blogs & email them to all our pastors. We have 42 churches & 1 Hispanic mission.
I think the real discussion here should be, Is denominationalism scriptural?
As a Christian believer (and not a theologian), I love all people and especially fellow believers. When an issue such as this come to the forefront my “go to” source is always scripture.
Let’s start simple, Merriam-Webster defines denominationalism as emphasizing denominational differences to the point of being narrowly exclusive : sectarianism. So, if we think about it, denominationalism occurs when believers divide and segregate themselves on the basis of differences, affiliations, and/or doctrines.
Now let’s look at a few New Testament scriptures. Twice in John 17, Jesus is praying, first for his disciples (vv. 6-19) and then believers, in general (vv. 20-26). In v. 11 Jesus prays, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one (emphasis added). Then, also in John 17, as Jesus is praying for all believers (vv. 20-26), Jesus prays, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity (vv. 22-23a).” Paul made the same point to the church in Corinth: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
So, if I understand Jesus and Paul correctly, denominations are not scriptural.
Please understand, I have nothing against any true believer or where he/she chooses to worship and I have no biases or prejudices against how an individual worships, as long as they worship the One and True God.
I just believe that God does not want denominations to exist, based on scripture.
These comments have been very interesting. I have affiliations with both southern Baptists and non-denominational congregations. The biggest difference? How churches are run (worship styles, church boards, etc.). The biggest similarities? They teach Jesus as the only way to heaven and the Bible as the word of God & factual truth. I am a huge proponent of churches working together to bring more folks into heaven. While I think it is interesting to note the differences and why people choose to go to certain denominations, it is more important to focus on how we all can work together.
Some years ago I was in a ministerial alliance meeting with some pastors of other denominations. The president of the alliance was a Methodist and a dear friend of mine, and we picked at each other quite a bit. One day during a meeting, he attempted to compliment Southern Baptists on their disaster relief efforts. I was sitting next to a Southern Baptist pastor. My Methodist friend said, “Southern Baptists are probably the best…”, and then he paused. I looked at the other Southern Baptist pastor and said, “Yeah, I’ve always thought so. Haven’t you?” Of course, my Methodist friend just groaned (he knew he had walked right into that one).
All kidding aside, I’m at least a fifth-generation Southern Baptist, and I’ll list the following reasons for remaining one:
1. Our missions agencies are some of the finest in the world.
2. Our seminaries offer quality theological education that honors the Bible as God’s inerrant Word.
3. Our disaster relief efforts are surpassed only by the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
4. Southern Baptists maintain a firm stand on the sanctity of human life and biblical marriage, while other denominations are caving to cultural pressures.
5. Southern Baptists still believe Jesus is the only way to God.
6. When liberals infiltrated our denomination and tried to steer us away from God’s Word, Southern Baptists refused to let it happen.
I would add another reason: non-denominational churches are closer to their founding and therefore more mission-oriented. Most are still quite young, so it will be interesting to see if aging affects these institutions in the way it has affected denominations.
So often now the larger non-denominational churches are becoming mini-denominations. Such as the Church of the Highlands. In fact, the mother church is very controlling of the member-churches, Satellite campuses as they call them. Understand I am not saying they are wrong, them seem to be doing a great job in getting people there, but so are many of our larger SBC churches who have multi-campuses. I have seem even smaller churches looking at having satellite site to help reach more people in the rural areas who cannot afford to pay a fulltime pastor, mainly because there are not enough people in the community. Just because one is a denominational church does not mean their are not spiritual. We have seen even non-denominational church teach un-biblical doctrine and have seen leaders who have fallen form some of those large churches. We need to work together to reach the lost, and each of us need to find the church body we can best serve Christ as being part of that body. It saddens me to see so many try to make themselves look better but cutting others down. There are more than enough people who do not know Christ that can fill all of the churches we have. Let’s focus on helping them find the one where the can worship, serve, grow and share the gospel.
A “non denominational” church is simply a denomination with one church in it. There is all the same stuff as with a larger denomination, it is just smaller and lacking the fellowship and accountability of larger denominations.
I concur. People can opine about whether denominations are scriptural or not, but they are an inescapable reality in this world, and will be until Christ returns.
>A “non denominational” church is simply a denomination with one church in it.
That depends upon how “denomination” is defined.
Is a congregation that gets described as “No kitchen in the church building, no social get togethers of church members, one cup is used for communion, no paid preachers, no sunday school classes, and wzsa founded circa 1850 by an individual who was baptized Alexander Campbell and has neither formally, nor informally, affiliated with any other congregation”, a church that is part of a denomination?
Individuals of that specific congregation do not consider themselves to be part of a denomination. Individuals outside of that specific congregation, but are considered to be “of sound doctrine”, do not consider that congregation to be part of a denomination.
Individuals that are neither within that congregation, nor within that group that is considered to be “of sound”, do consider it to be a denomination, to wit: _church of Christ (Mutual Edification)(Non-Institutional)(One Cup)(No Kitchen)(No Sunday School)_.
I might have left out a couple of either identifiers, so that it is not confused with, say, _church of Christ (Mutual Edification)(Non-Institutional)(One Cup)(No Kitchen)(No Sunday School) (Upper Room)_, which is obviously a congregation that is not sound.
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I’m using Restoration Movement Christianity, as an example.
The virtue of the Restoration Movement, is that the individual congregations are willing to break with others, and loudly proclaim why they are doing so. The same splits can be found in denominations, but it takes a lot more digging, over far more corpse, to find the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, or Lutheran congregations that don’t believe that the preacher should be paid, or the congregation should only meet in an Upper Room, or that communion should only be celebrated once per year, or that the congregation should share one cup, or that kitchens in a church building are a violation of God’s Law, etc.
To borrow a phrase from John Wayne, you’re going the long way around the barn. What exactly is your point?
Again who still drives their parents Chevy? Generation to generation there is a shift from what their parents and grandparents practiced. In the past it meant something to belong to a certain denomination it brought your family identity, you were committed to a global mission program. Over the years the counter culture of the 60′ was to move away from your families traditions and establish your own roots. Non-denomination is as much about not having authority as it’s ability to make decisions to move quicker with the next generations style desire. Culturally we are seeing a rise in Angelican beliefs because of their five fold mission, that puts an emphasis on social justice and liturgy that puts structure to worship.
The future of non denominations and denominations is bleak, 30,000 denominations don’t have the funds to keep going they will cease or merge. The current generation is passionate about one church and no denominations and they will not fund the denomination. In 10 years the discussion will be where are the denominations.
This very discussion was our topic in college ministry today, the leaders of the future have determined theend.
We began attending nondenominational churches because we felt that there were no denominations that believed exactly what we believed and we found most denominations to be more loyal to their denominations traditions than anything else. I have so many friends who affiliate with a certain denomination out of tradition but do not actually believe in the doctrine of that denomination. What is the point then? For instance, if you believe in abortion, gay marriage, birth control, and divorce, how can you claim to be Catholic? For us, I was raised Episcopal and I do truly believe in most Episcopal doctrine with the exception of baptizing babies rather than baptizing as adults. I wanted to be baptized as an adult due to my choosing, but the Episocpal church saw my baptism as a baby as sufficient and no reason to baptize me as an adult.
Tom,
The Episcopal Church believes you only need to be baptized once, even if done as an infant. According to it’s catechism, “baptism is union with Christ in his death and resurrection, birth into God’s family the Church, forgiveness of sins and new life in the Holy Spirit.” Infants are baptized so that can receive redemption by God and become full members of the body of Christ. On the child’s behalf, parents, sponsors, and the congregation make promises during the baptism ceremony to bring the child up in the faith. Confirmation, which happens at an age of understanding and consent, is the opportunity given to a baptized person to confirm the Baptismal Vows made on their behalf as an infant. There’s lots of misunderstanding surrounding infant/child baptisms out there by Christians whose own tradition don’t do them.