Denominationalism vs. The New Testament

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(No Transcript)
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• Denominationalism
• Vs.
• The New Testament

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• -1-
• What is a
• denomination and
• denominationalism?

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Denomination

• In religious usage, a denomination is an
• organized group of congregations that can be
• "denominated, "named," or classified
• together because they have formed a collective
• entity.
• Gary Henry
• http//www.brasstacks.org/articles/foc0998.htm

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The Methodist Denomination

• Groups of local churches work together as a
• district and are supervised by a clergy
• superintendent. These districts are part of an
• annual conference, the basic unit of the
• denomination.
• http//www.umc.org/abouttheumc/organization/

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The PresbyterianDenomination

• The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has
• approximately 2.5 million members, 11,200
• congregations and 21,000 ordained
• ministers.
• http//www.pcusa.org/navigation/whoweare.htm

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The Christian ChurchDenomination

• The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is
• a body of approximately 800,000 Christian
• believers in some 3,700 congregations in the
• United States and Canada.
• http//www.disciples.org/general/whoweare.htm

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The BaptistDenomination

• You become a Southern Baptist by uniting
• with a Southern Baptist church, one in
• friendly cooperation with the general
• Southern Baptist enterprise of reaching the
• world for Christ.
• http//www.sbc.net/aboutus/default.asp

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The Church of God in ChristDenomination

• Churches under the parent body in
• Memphis, Tennessee, are now established
• throughout the United States, in every
• continent, and in many of the islands of the
• sea.
• http//www.cogic.org/history.htm

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Denominationalism(Top 10 U.S. Denominations)
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• -2-
• The fruit of denominations and denominationalism
• fragmentation

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Jesus Prayer Jo. 1720-21

• I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for
• those also who believe in Me through their
• word that they may all be one even as
• Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that
• they also may be in Us that the world
• may believe that Thou didst send Me.
• (NASV)

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Is this what Jesus prayed for?
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• Is this what Jesus prayed for?
• "One Church Many Denominations. The word
• 'church' is commonly used to designate the
• various divisions in the communion of saints
• Yet, strictly speaking, there is not that number
• of Christian churches. These figures indicate
• rather the denominational groups into which
• the one Christian Church is divided."
• What Lutherans Believe, p. 114

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• Is this what Jesus prayed for?
• "It is according to Scriptural example that the
• church should be divided into many individual
• churches."
• The Book Of Church Order (Presbyterian), p. 21

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• -3-
• The basis of denominations
• and denominationalism
• human creeds

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• Creeds are not only legitimate, however,
• they are necessary to the unity, efficiency,
• cooperation and orthodoxy of the
• denomination. Creeds express and promote
• unity of faith and practice.
• SBC.NET

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• Every member of the Lutheran Church
• is expected to subscribe not only to the Bible
• but also to the confessions as a correct
• presentation of Biblical doctrines
• Our Church and Others
• (Evangelical Lutheran Church)

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• -4-
• Identity of
• denominationalism
• human names

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The name Lutheran

• I ask that men make no reference to my
• name, and call themselves not Lutherans, but
• Christians.
• Martin Luther
• A Compend of Luthers Theology

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The name Methodist

• Would to God that all party names and
• unscriptural phrases and forms which
• have divided the Christian world, were
• forgot and that the very name
• (Methodist, DS) might never be
• mentioned more, but be buried in eternal
• oblivion.
• John Wesley

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The name Baptist

• I look forward with pleasure to the day when
• there will not be a Baptist living! I hope that
• the Baptist name will soon perish, but let
• Christs name last forever.
• Charles Spurgeon, Baptist
• Spurgeon Memorial Library

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• Denominationalism
• Churches organized
• Many creed books
• Fragmentation

• New Testament
• Christians organized
• Philippians 11-2
• One book
• 2 Timothy 316-17
• One body unity
• John 1720-21 Eph. 44
• Divine names
• 1 Corinthians 12
• Romans 1616

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The Parkway church of Chris t

• Not a denomination nor part of one
• No human head
• No earthly headquarters
• No creed book