For centuries, denominationalism clarified and amplified the differences between Christians. At its height, many people identified more closely to their denomination than to the word “Christian.”
Those days are gone. The world is post-Christian, and the church is post-denominational.
But we can keep some denominational positives while discarding the negatives.
Denominations v Denominationalism
I’ve been in my denomination for my entire life. My father pastored in it, and my grandfather was a denominational official for 37 years. And I plan to stay. Here’s why:
At its best, a DENOMINATION:
- Unites us in fellowship
- Clarifies theology
- Combines resources
- Supports its members
- Builds a history
- Celebrates through a distinct liturgy
- Offers moral accountability
But many are leaving their groups, because at its worst, DENOMINATIONALISM:
- Divides instead of unites
- Elevates tradition over theology
- Hoards resources
- Controls its members
- Is stuck in the past
- Idolizes liturgy above mission
- Honors loyalty over accountability
The Denominational Good News/Bad News
Working with dozens of denominations over the last twelve-plus years I’ve seen the positives and negatives.
The good news? Despite serious schisms within some denominations, most are loyal to the truths of scripture, upholding their distinctives while dropping many unbiblical walls that divided us for generations.
The bad news? There’s a small, but loud fringe clinging to denominationalism, and they’re gaining traction.
Three Post-denominational Questions
If you plan to stay closely aligned denominationally, I understand the value of that. But consider these three questions:
Question 1: Is Denominational Loyalty Worth Limiting Ministry Impact?
The more you emphasize your denominational distinctives, the fewer people you’ll reach who don’t share them. It’s an inevitable trade-off. Keep one, lose the other.
For example, in the ministry of Helping Small Churches Thrive, I work with dozens of evangelical ministries. I could have more open doors within my denomination if I remained exclusive to it, but that would limit my reach to others.
However, many good ministries have made the opposite decision because that works best for them. Strong denominational loyalty may limit their outside reach, but the heightened denominational opportunities are worth the trade-off for them.
Question 2: Is Denominational Acceptance Worth Limiting Cross-denominational Cooperation?
Ministering cross-denominationally I’ve seen the Lord work in so many churches outside of my own. So, while I love to work within my tribe, they’ll never be the only (or primary) expression of the church I work with.
Pastor, every hour in a denominational meeting is an hour not working cross-denominationally. I’m not saying don’t make that choice (I sometimes do), but realize that every choice has a cost.
Question 3: Am I Willing To Sacrifice The Future For The Past?
In extreme cases, some must decide to be a pastor or a historian, and if the congregation will be a church or a museum.
Every denomination is convinced they’re the exception (and some do it better than others), but ministering exclusively within your denominational ties you to the past more than it pushes you toward the future.
Do we need historical denominational ties? Absolutely. At their best, they do the “positives” list above. But every choice has negative consequences.
Each pastor, church, and ministry needs to understand these options and choose what honors God, blesses the church, and reaches their community.
(Photo by changeable focus | Flickr)
