Sunday 31 August 2008

Are Denominations Dead

Are denominations dead? Are they important in this day and age? Should churches rely on their denomination for guidance, or should they form their own networks geographically, size wise, style wise, over being chained to a denomination that may be running off the rails? that's something I've been thinking about. People ridicule me because the see me as "Anglican" but I'm not really. I grew up in the Uniting church, and when they started making decisions that were un-biblical, and in sin, then I had to leave. And i think that's something that is also apparent. the current generation is very fluid not just in its beliefs, but in its commitments. Those young people, like me will easily move from one church to another at a a whim. And in that can either be good or bad. It can be good, if they are thinking about the teaching at a church, and it is something that they can disagree with biblically then it is probably better, after raising this concern with the leadership[ to leave than stay and listen to teaching that is not from the bible. On the flip side it is bad as the level of commitment decreases. These young people, because of their fluidity and the ease with which they know they can move from one church to another, will just up and leave when they are challenged about their level of commitment or their attitude or their lives. When they are made to feel uncomfortable they will move, because man, not just the young, but of all ages likes to feel comfortable, because that is easy.
At the current point in time, denomination has a level of significance that it has never had before. It no longer matters to the majority whether you are anglican or baptist or charismatic. And it doesn't matter to me. One of my good friends called me an anglican the other day. I said, I'm not an anglican, I'm a Christ follower. I'm not religious or traditionalist. I love Jesus, and I want to know him better. I will go to a church that teaches the bible truly and treats Jesus they way the bible would have him treated. The thing is, when I am at a church i am 100% committed to that church.

Hope this stirs some interesting thoughts in you as it has in me.

ja

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