Is Non-denomination Dangerous?

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A couple months ago I was walking to my car at my University library and I was approached by two young men who told me if I wanted to hear about how God was actually a woman. I was not really familiar with any religions that believed that God was a woman so I wanted to hear more about what religion they were talking about. To my utter shock and horror, one of the men pulled out a Christian bible and showed me passages they believed to describing God as a woman. I had to stare at them in the face long enough to consider whether they were being serious or if they were some seriously confused people. If my memory serves me correct, they used passages from scripture describing the marriage support of the lamb as support for the Holy Spirit as being confused by most Christian, and is, according to them, a female God. I thought they were some type of Mormonist at first but when I asked them what denomination they were they told me Non-denomination Christian. Even more shocked then before because I attend a non-denomination church. Leaving these two behind I have been questioning the Non-denominations inability to choose a particular set of fixed beliefs held in scripture. I feel that if the church these two young men attend can claim Non-denomination, with their clear misguided standards of belief, then what is to stop the LGBT community or other liberal communities from coming in and using Non-denomination's lack of fixed standards to validate a dangerous doctrinal group with the label of Christian attached to it.

The tag non-denominational could mean a lot of different things... Most new cults start out without a denominational name..

I describe myself as a non-denominational... Why because i do not belong to a denomination... So i use it in it's purest definition.. But yes there are many newly formed churches that have the non-denomination tag..

I know that there is a cult that teaches that the Holy Spirit is a female spirit and is Gods wife and the spiritual mother of Jesus.. I think it was a branch of the Hebrew roots movement.. a weird and wacky one.. These two guys cult may have been influenced by that teaching..

But as for the main question.. If one is guided in the right Way by the Holy Spirit then one will have the right standards and be standing on solid ROCK .. But if they don't have the Holy Spirit then they have nothing.. They are standing on quick sand..

 

[JaumeJ]

A couple months ago I was walking to my car at my University library and I was approached by two young men who told me if I wanted to hear about how God was actually a woman. I was not really familiar with any religions that believed that God was a woman so I wanted to hear more about what religion they were talking about. To my utter shock and horror, one of the men pulled out a Christian bible and showed me passages they believed to describing God as a woman. I had to stare at them in the face long enough to consider whether they were being serious or if they were some seriously confused people. If my memory serves me correct, they used passages from scripture describing the marriage support of the lamb as support for the Holy Spirit as being confused by most Christian, and is, according to them, a female God. I thought they were some type of Mormonist at first but when I asked them what denomination they were they told me Non-denomination Christian. Even more shocked then before because I attend a non-denomination church. Leaving these two behind I have been questioning the Non-denominations inability to choose a particular set of fixed beliefs held in scripture. I feel that if the church these two young men attend can claim Non-denomination, with their clear misguided standards of belief, then what is to stop the LGBT community or other liberal communities from coming in and using Non-denomination's lack of fixed standards to validate a dangerous doctrinal group with the label of Christian attached to it.

Jesus has taught us that come the resurrection there will be no giving and taking of brides becaue there will be no death. It does not take a lot of thinking to understand there is no distinction between one soul and another.

Our Maker is spirit,and we will be made to be just like He, we will not be He, but like He. The third person masculine is used in the age for our Father, also, as just used, He is our Father……..not our Mother.

When reading the Word in Herew you will find that at times God will address His beloved men in the feminine. I do not know why this is. Is it simply a mistake that has been brought down through the centuries by erstwhile scribes and later translators? Or, is it a hint to our spirituality come the resurrection.

I know in one of the Epistles while rinningdown how with God there is no slave or freeman, no man or woman for we are all the same to our Father.

I strongly believe that while we reemain in this age we do recognize the roles given us until our resurretion. Then there will be some eye opening revelations but it will all be quite natural for we will be spirit.

Until then, do not judge the souls by the flesh, rather as fellows seeking God.

As for denominations, they man nothing to Jesus, so do not get hung up on the doctrines of man.

PS.....the pñeople you posted about, saying God is a woman, are woefully wacked out.. As God declares, He is spirit and would be worshipped in spirit and truth, and I like that.

 

[BaptistBibleBeliever]

The tag non-denominational could mean a lot of different things... Most new cults start out without a denominational name..

I describe myself as a non-denominational... Why because i do not belong to a denomination... So i use it in it's purest definition.. But yes there are many newly formed churches that have the non-denomination tag..

I know that there is a cult that teaches that the Holy Spirit is a female spirit and is Gods wife and the spiritual mother of Jesus.. I think it was a branch of the Hebrew roots movement.. a weird and wacky one.. These two guys cult may have been influenced by that teaching..

But as for the main question.. If one is guided in the right Way by the Holy Spirit then one will have the right standards and be standing on solid ROCK .. But if they don't have the Holy Spirit then they have nothing.. They are standing on quick sand..

The way that the Holy Spirit guides in the 'right' way is to ground the believer in the Word of God. The Spirit would never lead a person to do something contrary to the final authority of Scripture.

"Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him" (I John 2:24-27).

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17).

 

[BaptistBibleBeliever]

I recall that the book/film "the Shack" portrayed the Holy Spirit as female. Part of Oprah Winfrey's new age beliefs. They also used her cultic teaching to ruin 'Wrinkle in Time' which was written as a Christian non-fiction story for kids.

 

[garee]

When reading the Word in Herew you will find that at times God will address His beloved men in the feminine. I do not know why this is. Is it simply a mistake that has been brought down through the centuries by erstwhile scribes and later translators? Or, is it a hint to our spirituality come the resurrection.

I know in one of the Epistles while rinningdown how with God there is no slave or freeman, no man or woman for we are all the same to our Father.

I would offer first and foremost God is not a man as us and neither is he recognized as a woman.God uses human attributes to help us to understand his ways that are past finding out, as the peace of God that surpasses all human understanding .

We are considered a new creations (neither male nor female, Jew nor Gentile) as those who are freely given a new spirit that will never die as born again, after the incorruptible spiritual seed Christ. Christ the anointing Holy Spirit of God is signified as the husband of us all.

We are not what we will be as when we do receive the promise of our new incorruptible bodies, all die not receiving it. This is the first death in respect to the corrupted earthen bodies we dwell in.

There are other references in the new testament other than Hebrews that speak of the mystery( no longer male not female ,Jew not Gentile) made known by walking by faith (the unseen eternal )

One that comes to my mind is found in the Old testemet in respect to the new name he would call His bride which he named in Acts (Christian) a word for identifying people by place names that denotes residents of the heavenly city the new Jerusalem or Zion prepared as the bride of Christ, the founder Christ, her husband.

The gospel is revealed in Isaiah 62

Again Zion is used to represent the new creature as the bride of Christ.(Christian as residents thereof the heavenly city )

Note also (purple in parentheses) my offering or two cents

Isaiah 62:1-5 King James Version (KJV) For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: "and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name".(Christian) Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, (the chaste virgin bride the church)so shall thy sons ( sons of God... male and female, new creature) marry thee: and as the bridegroom( Christ) rejoiceth over the bride,(the church) so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

 

[dcontroversal]

I go to a non denominational church, I grew up baptist, and attended many baptist churches all over the country. It got to the point I stopped saying I was baptist because so many different baptists have different way they believe or do things, and I was being stereotyped all the time with things which were not true.

The doctrines in my current church are really no different than the churches I grew up in, The gospel is no different, The differences in doctrines are really non essential thus not really an issue,

What is gone is the what I call "church presentation" of the same ole same old every sunday, Wed prayer meeting, where prety much most of the church membership did not come (they only came on sunday am, and are what I call part time christians) What is gone is the self righteousness of many people who thought they were Gods gift. The pastor who had yes men as deacons and who could get away with prety much anything until he would tear the church apart (witnessed this numerous times in a few churches) the legalism (not for salvation, but in our walk) the lack of discipleship. the lack of body life. the things I have witnessed in almost all denominational churches I have ever attended, or heard from friends who attend those churches.

Many non denominational churches just wanted to shift the focus off tradition and repetition, and bring people to a relationship with God, using the 4 means of growth mentioned in acts. where the church were devoted continuing in the apostles doctrine (We teach the word book by book, not 20 minute sermonettes) fellowship (we meet in home groups during the week, focusing on body life, discipleship and servantship, serving our people and community) Breaking of bread (we do not have few after morning service dinners, we eat dinner together before every home church meeting, Before prayer meetings, before cell group meetings, and many of our discipleship meetings happen during a meal) and prayer.

There is a danger, as people cna open any type of church they want, then again, There are many churches which are doing much more than mainstream churches which seem to be fading, I think it will be the wave of the future, While it is sad seeing all these conventional mainstream church buildings either empty and falling apart. or where "fellowship" non denom churches have moved into their building because the denominational church died, I also understand why.

My hope and pray would be that denominational churches change, and live, and not continue the same way,

Just think...the bible had no labels on the churches.....it was always the church AT THESSALONICA or the church AT EPHESUS etc.......or even in the case of Philemon the CHURCH IN THY HOUSE......etc...........to me it is not about name, but rather what do they teach and what manner of worship takes place....

 

[eternally-gratefull]

Just think...the bible had no labels on the churches.....it was always the church AT THESSALONICA or the church AT EPHESUS etc.......or even in the case of Philemon the CHURCH IN THY HOUSE......etc...........to me it is not about name, but rather what do they teach and what manner of worship takes place....

Yes, City churches, who met in homes (home churches) Roma paganized it and started to meet in these grand temples.. And sadly the church when it reformed kept this aspect of her heresy. The house of God is in our hearts, not some building

And how do they equip the saints, and grow leaders. And discipleship the flock.

 

[garee]

A denomination or sect (Greek word heresy) is a subgroup within a religion like Christianity that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.

The church in Thessalonica as a denomination or sect (Greek word for heresy) in respect to its members where called Thessalonians.
Sadducees , a member of a Palestinian sect. The church of Ephesus as to its sect were call Ephesians. Same with the Nicolaitans or any church listed, they represent denominations

The word heresy translated sect in the King James denotes a denomination.

Our God who is typified by the name Abraham when defined means; "the father of a multitude of nations" or denominations as part of the whole. He is the father of all Christian denominations. Abram whose name means exhalated father (singular)was changed for that very purpose I believe.

The word heresy (sect) lost its ability to be understood properly by those who think the kingdom of God is of this world and we walk by sight. The Catholic for one during the fifteenth century reformation called every other sect/heresy besides their own selves heretics. they performed that because the Protestants do not come under what is called the "law of the fathers" as oral traditions of men who do make the word of God to no effect by that oral tradition .

Today in most cases the word heresy has come to mean those in error and not those who hold a different opinion than another denomination/sect ,

The word heresy is used nine times in the King James, five time translated sect , three times heresies, and once heresy.

There simply is no such thing as non denominational. The kingdom of God is not of this world.

If it was of this world we would turn out plowshares into swords, rather than swords into plowshares (used to represent brining the gospel .

Micah 4:2-4 King James Version (KJV) And many nations (denominations) shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion(the bride of Christ) , and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.

The Holy Spirt emphasizes that in John in below.

John 18:3 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, "then" would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from "hence".

 

[Maynard]

I was approached by two young men who told me if I wanted to hear about how God was actually a woman.

Lots of that sort of thing going around these days, unfortunately...

Church of England should avoid only calling God 'he', Bishop says

 

[JaumeJ]

Lots of that sort of thing going around these days, unfortunately...

Church of England should avoid only calling God 'he', Bishop says

I apologize, but I must ask, Do you call that a calf!!!!!¿?

 

[BaptistBibleBeliever]

I apologize, but I must ask, Do you call that a calf!!!!!¿?

Looks like Pancho Villa's burro complete with bullet belt.

 

[vashweb2]

I personally believe that the Non-denominational church should have a set of written standards like any other denomination less the enemy use it as a way of infiltrating the church and turning the word on it self. It is not that difficult to do with very education person who does not care about the truth, or a person who knows what is true but plays word games, or serious reasoning when they know they are wrong, to confuse the truth. I believe the only way to remain strong, consistent, and bold is with our faith firmly planted in doctrinal standards. In this case, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is being put into question. This is a very basic doctrine that i being questioned here and I believe if the this group of "non-denominationals" had to choose a specific name for their church it would make it much easier to put to the side along with Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses. Yet, they are on the inside clinging to the title non-denominational. Liberals will soon sniff out the scent that non-denominational gives off. The truth of doctrine is a very precious thing and I would hate for future generations to suffer a Babylon/Gommorah type community to live in where truth is extremely lacking and uncertainty reigns supreme. People today already don't want to get into religion, people are seeking the truth, because of the distortions in logic and scripture liberals use against the truth. I always tell myself, before a person ask the question does God exist or not, they need to ask the more important question as to whether they care whether God exist or not; why spend so much time debating the exist of God if even if He did exist they would not care one bit. I am not saying give up on that person but don't pour your heart and soul out to a person who is not interested in the truth; that person is searching for a different type of answer in which God will provide.

 

[MattforJesus]

God is referred to by the masculine pronoun He, and a masculine name.

But I believe gender only refers to the flesh, and not in the spiritual realm.

Which God is known by a masculine pronoun and name because He is greater than us.

The angels are always referred to as a he and a masculine name for they are greater than people.

A man and a woman are equal in the Lord, for the only thing that separates a man and a woman is the flesh, the soul, and spirit, are the same.

And when they are in heaven the flesh is put off and they have a glorified body, which then there is no gender between them.

That is why Jesus said when the saints are in heaven they do not marry, for there is no gender between them, but they are like unto the angels that have no gender.

I do not believe God has a gender but is known as male for He is the greatest, and the angels do not have a gender, and the saints in heaven do not have a gender.

I believe that gender only refers to the flesh, and not in the spiritual realm.

Although I would refer to God as a He, and as a male, and would not call Him female, for I would be too afraid to do that, and God has tough, and gentle, traits about Him.

It is strange how we like to stick up for our own ethnic group, and our gender, or whatever we believe, in opposition to others, which is why there is problems on earth for people have to exalt themselves.

Some females have to say God is a female, because they are female.

And some black people have to say Jesus was black, because they are black.

And some people have to say the Jews are black, or European, because they belong to that group.

The world suffers from cribitis, or the baby crib syndrome, for while they left the baby crib they still carry that attitude with them, wah, notice me, give me attention, and because of that they are looking for attention, being arrogant, causing fighting on earth.

The same as the world is one big show and tell, for that never stays at the school years.

The thing is if God has a gender than where is His counterpart to have an opposite gender of that counterpart.

How can a person have a gender than has no one that is different than them.

If a person has a gender there must be someone different to identify their gender, otherwise they are who they are, and all the same.

This seems like kind of a hard one to understand that God has a gender, but at the same time I want to refer to Him as male, and will say He is male, especially when He refers to Himself as such, but I do not understand Him being a Spirit how can He have a gender that is in substance, which is why I say that I believe that gender only refers to the flesh, and not the spiritual realm.

God and His kingdom is not like Zeus and his kingdom, or Odin and his kingdom, or Allah and his kingdom, or any of the other kingdoms people believe in that are not of this world, for there is no people in God's kingdom that are identified as a man and woman, but they are the same.

 

[blueluna5]

I go to a non denominational church and they do have a statement of faith. You can read it online. I also go to another one when visiting my in laws and they have one.

All churches do a few things I don't particularly agree with but as long as the main truths are there and I understand their purpose.

My pastor comes from a Catholic background as a child so you'll see those ideas every once in a while.

The other non denominational church wouldn't marry my brother bc they were living together. Personally I thought this idea was wrong. So you're saying what? Live in sin forever? My sister in law just started going to church and was very abused as a child. She moved in with him to get away from her situation bc of finances. I think that pushed her away from the church so I'm rather ticked at them.

 

[OneFaith]

A couple months ago I was walking to my car at my University library and I was approached by two young men who told me if I wanted to hear about how God was actually a woman. I was not really familiar with any religions that believed that God was a woman so I wanted to hear more about what religion they were talking about. To my utter shock and horror, one of the men pulled out a Christian bible and showed me passages they believed to describing God as a woman. I had to stare at them in the face long enough to consider whether they were being serious or if they were some seriously confused people. If my memory serves me correct, they used passages from scripture describing the marriage support of the lamb as support for the Holy Spirit as being confused by most Christian, and is, according to them, a female God. I thought they were some type of Mormonist at first but when I asked them what denomination they were they told me Non-denomination Christian. Even more shocked then before because I attend a non-denomination church. Leaving these two behind I have been questioning the Non-denominations inability to choose a particular set of fixed beliefs held in scripture. I feel that if the church these two young men attend can claim Non-denomination, with their clear misguided standards of belief, then what is to stop the LGBT community or other liberal communities from coming in and using Non-denomination's lack of fixed standards to validate a dangerous doctrinal group with the label of Christian attached to it.

First of all, God is not physical, therefore He is neither male nor female. He is referred to as "He" because man won the dominating role. But if Adam had sinned first and Eve won the dominance, THEN God would have been referred to as "She". But that is not the case, and never will be.

A denomination is dominated by mankind, so the true church is going to be nondenominational. "They worship Me in vain, their doctrine is merely human rules." So instead of adding words, you are dealing with them twisting words. It is far better to misunderstand genuine scripture than to follow man-made regulations. So any nondenomination has a head start over any man-made denomination. You just need to study and show them the truth. Whether they accept truth or not is between them and God. He who searches for the truth with all their heart will find it.

 

[Nehemiah6]

First of all, God is not physical, therefore He is neither male nor female. He is referred to as "He" because man won the dominating role.

If this is an attempt at humor it is indeed HILARIOUS. "Man won the dominating role". Poor me. And God is "neither male nor female" because that would not be politically correct. Now everyone has been neutered and everyone can change their gender on a whim.

Shame on Christians who make such nonsensical statements. Here is what we find in Scripture:

GOD THE FATHER = MASCULINE "HE"
GOD THE SON = MASCULINE "HE"
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT = MASCULINE "HE"

 

[Dino246]

God is referred to by the masculine pronoun He, and a masculine name.

Which God is known by a masculine pronoun and name because He is greater than us.

The angels are always referred to as a he and a masculine name for they are greater than people.

I do not believe God has a gender but is known as male for He is the greatest....

God is not male "because" He is greater than us. "Male" is not greater than "female". Rather, male and female are complementary. God is indeed greater than us, and He has chosen to reveal Himself to us with a male identity: Father (and Son!). The one is not dependent on the other.

First of all, God is not physical, therefore He is neither male nor female. He is referred to as "He" because man won the dominating role. But if Adam had sinned first and Eve won the dominance, THEN God would have been referred to as "She". But that is not the case, and never will be.

God is not referred to as "He" 'because man won the dominating role'. That's ridiculous. Man didn't win anything at the fall; that's a complete misread of the text. God didn't say to the woman, "Man is better than you therefore he will dominate you"; He said, "Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you." That's a declaration of certain consequence, not a subjugation of females!

 

[Magenta]

I must admit I find it odd that people want to see Adam as being superior when he sinned deliberately, as opposed to Eve being deceived. On another note, we were made in the image of God: God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Wouldn't that mean that God embodies the feminine as much as the masculine? In as much as a non-corporal, non-gendered Spiritual Being could, that is. Gender is, after all, a function of physiological biology.

 

[OneFaith]

God is not male "because" He is greater than us. "Male" is not greater than "female". Rather, male and female are complementary. God is indeed greater than us, and He has chosen to reveal Himself to us with a male identity: Father (and Son!). The one is not dependent on the other.



God is not referred to as "He" 'because man won the dominating role'. That's ridiculous. Man didn't win anything at the fall; that's a complete misread of the text. God didn't say to the woman, "Man is better than you therefore he will dominate you"; He said, "Your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you." That's a declaration of certain consequence, not a subjugation of females!

I am not a femalist. God is King of kings, not Queen of queens. Kings topped queens because of the fall. Maybe I should not have used the word won, but i do stand by my point.

 

[Dino246]

I am not a femalist. God is King of kings, not Queen of queens. Kings topped queens because of the fall. Maybe I should not have used the word won, but i do stand by my point.

If you meant "feminist", it's good that you aren't one. Feminism, at least in its present-day guise, is contrary to much of what Christians stand for.

If by "kings topped queens..." you mean that men have domineered women, I agree. If by it you mean that men should domineer or dominate women, I disagree.

In most cultures, men rule over women. I'd say that is an accurate fulfillment of the prophecy that "he shall rule over you". I see nothing in that statement, however, that it is God's will for men to rule over women.