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1. Biblical authority: Scripture is the ultimate guide for faith and practice.
2. Autonomy of the local church: Each church is self-governing and independent.
3. Priesthood of all believers: Every Christian has direct access to God without mediation.
4. Two ordinances: They practice believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
5. Individual soul liberty: Each person is responsible for their relationship with God.Does your church believe this too, and does 5 mean that you don’t think parents will be held at all accountable for their children’s actions? I’m not trying to start a debate. I’m just curious.
This past Sunday, we didn’t even have a sermon because our pastor felt God lead him to not do so even though he wanted to preach so bad!
🤣That’s pretty funny. My dad has never been led not to preach a sermon, but he has been scribbling new notes during readings because he felt the Holy Spirit leading him in other directions. It’s a running joke in our family that he never stays on his notes.
Just part of my summary. As far as I know, I’m pretty sure basically every denomination does singing. But we don’t just do things like hymns, and there are churches that don’t do instruments (I do know that much, lol).
That’s a relief.😅 Our church just does hymns and similar songs that aren’t classified as hymns for some reason but sound hymn-ish. At the camp I mentioned, we were doing songs around a fire, and the people leading it said we would probably know them, and I didn’t know any. 😂
Also, what does it mean to “do worship”? I’ve heard it used before, and I don’t know what it means.
Coconuts are mammals because they have fur and produce milk.
Does your church believe this too, and does 5 mean that you don’t think parents will be held at all accountable for their children’s actions? I’m not trying to start a debate. I’m just curious.
You’re good, girl! I like discussions! Talking about what I believe is fun, tbh :3
Yes, we do believe in those 5 founding truths. Yes, number 5 means that each and every individual is responsible for their own relationship with God. We cannot earn our way to God, obviously (only Christ connects us to the father), but each and every individual is responsible for their own walk with God.
We believe that sin is on the individual, except when washed away by Jesus’ blood, of course, because then we are washed clean, and no one else will be held responsible for someone’s sin except for the one who sinned.
🤣That’s pretty funny. My dad has never been led not to preach a sermon, but he has been scribbling new notes during readings because he felt the Holy Spirit leading him in other directions. It’s a running joke in our family that he never stays on his notes.
Hey, you gotta do what God wants you to do. It is never a good idea to ignore the Holy Spirit. Trust me.😂
That’s a relief.😅 Our church just does hymns and similar songs that aren’t classified as hymns for some reason but sound hymn-ish. At the camp I mentioned, we were doing songs around a fire, and the people leading it said we would probably know them, and I didn’t know any. 😂
Interesting! My Grandparents’ (again, on Dad’s side) church ONLY does hymns, but my church also does more modern worship songs, so it’s really interesting to see what different churches do for worship.
Also, what does it mean to “do worship”? I’ve heard it used before, and I don’t know what it means.
*ponders how to answer this for a few minutes*
Ok, I’m not entirely sure how to describe this, but in my church, when we “do worship”, that means it’s the time during church service where we have instruments playing, sing songs, raise hands, praise God, etc.
It’s how we start just about every service, and it’s basically the time during which we show reverence for God through singing.
I’m not quite sure how else to describe it, tbh😅
'Thought I'd wait'
'For what?'
'For the right partner'I’m not saying all do. What I am saying is that BECAUSE I’m Non-Denominational, we don’t have a set doctrine besides the Bible.
Oki :] I think every denomination/non-denomination has churches that drift towards different priorities, regardless of whether or not they call their priority a doctrine. I think we can agree it just depends.
I apologize if what I said was confusing. It’s hard to really explain something only through text and without being able to hear/see emotions 😅
That’s okay. I worried I was more confusing, tbh 😝
Yes, we sang and prayed and did worship for two hours without a sermon. It was absolutely A M A Z I N G
We’ve had evenings like that and they’re always so soothing! At least the way we sing XD We sit around the campfire outside our building and sing old hymns, or just inside, with the kids snoozing in their pajamas on the pews 😂🥰
Or in the middle of the day, with the dads belting out the lower notes like an organ🤣
People were feeling the presence of God, some falling, others hitting their knees on the ground and just sobbing (like me😂). Someone else was even being delivered from the presense of a demon.
O.O …That is quite different from my spiritual experience. I’m going to be completely honest with you… I find those situations to be potentially misleading, and I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable with it. Just something about it doesn’t sit right with me.
Ofc you were probably raised in your church, so it’s normal for you, right?
I feel the presence of God in my church, but it’s very different 😂
We have around a hundred and fifty members, and we know each other well. Every Sunday, they feel more and more like my family. I can genuinely say I have a dozen father figures who will give their clothes off their backs to take care of us… if we were in a post-apocalyptic world, that is. ;P
There’s also this unmistakable maturity that permeates our conversations. Spiritual welfare is incredibly important to us. At least one person always notices if I am acting strange or uncomfortable. And trust me, it is almost impossible to read my base expression.
Sure, sometimes people misunderstand each other, and they still sin. But when we’re at our best, I can imagine being with them for eternity, and never getting tired of it.
I cannot stress how much they mean to me, and how I can see God through them, if only in flashes.
That’s my experience :]
KaPeefers 'til we're old and gray...
Sorry Y’all, disappeared for a bit.
Ty for understanding and for your kindness <3
I’m still here to kindly discuss things if anyone would like, just not for debate 😊
♥
We believe baptism is not necessary for salvation and life in heaven, though obviously you should be baptized if at all possible. Some infants, such as those miscarried before birth, will not be able to be baptized. They will still go to heaven. I will need to ask my dad for the rest of his reasons and we have a book in our church stuff that explains this. Here is the answer from the Anglican Catechism.
“Why is it appropriate to baptize infants?” (Q. 129).
“Because it is a sign of God’s promise that they are embraced in the covenant community of Christ’s Church. Those who in faith and repentance present infants to be baptized vow to raise them in the knowledge and fear of the Lord, with the expectation that they will one day profess full Christian faith as their own. “
That’s fair enough to me, but I’m still confused as to what the ultimate difference is between that and someone who is baptized. You said they would call be able to call God Father, but is that just a worldly commitment then that bears no real significance in the hereafter?
I’ve seen mostly non-denoms and Pentecostals… but I haven’t asked a lot of people. I know godlyfantasy12 has some interesting Pentecostal views but I don’t think she would want a conversation about it.
Yeah, that’s been my experience. Question, what would you say your favorite denomination is, outside of Presbyterianism?
we’re independent, and that means our beliefs are purely based on the Bible and not on church doctrine. We just believe in the Bible, simply put. Not the opinions of the Church.
Oh, I was really confused for a second, this is what Freedom said, not me, lol! The thing about non-denoms is that they are secretly just thousands of mini denominations, each with their own sets of beliefs.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
many denominational churches I have seen/heard of hold so firmly to their church doctrine and some even place it above the authority of the Bible.
I’ve wondered why some churches don’t have a liturgy. I guess it’s to avoid this. In our church, we take tradition, liturgy, and the church history very seriously, but we don’t place it above the Bible, and we don’t believe it’s necessary for salvation.
You’re good, girl! I like discussions! Talking about what I believe is fun, tbh :3
Yes, we do believe in those 5 founding truths. Yes, number 5 means that each and every individual is responsible for their own relationship with God. We cannot earn our way to God, obviously (only Christ connects us to the father), but each and every individual is responsible for their own walk with God.
We believe that sin is on the individual, except when washed away by Jesus’ blood, of course, because then we are washed clean, and no one else will be held responsible for someone’s sin except for the one who sinned.
We believe that sin is primarily on the individual, but parents have a responsibility to raise and discipline their children, and pastors to pastor their flock. My dad is responsible for his congregation, and has to take care of and discipline them properly. He says that on the last day he will be held accountable for this. I suppose this would count as sin being on the individual, like maybe there were times he should have done something but didn’t.
Interesting! My Grandparents’ (again, on Dad’s side) church ONLY does hymns, but my church also does more modern worship songs, so it’s really interesting to see what different churches do for worship.
It is interesting. I think we’ve only done 3 modern songs ever, and I’m pretty sure at least 2 would count as hymns.
Ok, I’m not entirely sure how to describe this, but in my church, when we “do worship”, that means it’s the time during church service where we have instruments playing, sing songs, raise hands, praise God, etc.
It’s how we start just about every service, and it’s basically the time during which we show reverence for God through singing.
I’m not quite sure how else to describe it, tbh😅
Oh, okay. Our songs are more sprinkled throughout the service. We have a processional hymn, a before-the-reading-of-the-Gospel hymn, an offertory hymn, a recessional hymn, and during Christmas and Easter, a post communion hymn. We also sing the Gloria in Excelsis and a psalm. And we have a flutist.
Coconuts are mammals because they have fur and produce milk.
So your sounding more and more Pentecostal to me Freedom, would you say you identify with that at all? Pentecostals main deal is always seeking to be in attunement with the Holy Spirit, acting purely with His will, letting your own will go. Essentially if it feels right, it is right type stuff.
I honestly like Pentecostals, because they tend to be quite chill in the conversations I’ve had in most cases.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
It is more normal to me, yes. (although I haven’t necessarily been “raised” in this church…only been going to it about 6-7 years now, haha) I believe in such experiences, but I can’t explain how it feels to be in that moment, honestly…words just can’t describe it. Idk.
We all have things we are or aren’t comfortable with, and that’s ok!
We believe that sin is primarily on the individual, but parents have a responsibility to raise and discipline their children, and pastors to pastor their flock. My dad is responsible for his congregation, and has to take care of and discipline them properly. He says that on the last day he will be held accountable for this. I suppose this would count as sin being on the individual, like maybe there were times he should have done something but didn’t.
It is a parents job to raise their children and it is a pastor’s job to pastor the flock for sure! But we don’t believe that they will be held accountable if their child/church congregation sins, UNLESS they are also a part of that sin.
I hope that makes sense😅
Oh, okay. Our songs are more sprinkled throughout the service. We have a processional hymn, a before-the-reading-of-the-Gospel hymn, an offertory hymn, a recessional hymn, and during Christmas and Easter, a post communion hymn. We also sing the Gloria in Excelsis and a psalm. And we have a flutist.
That’s really interesting!!!
Here’s the thing about being Non-Denominational…you kinda agree with various denominations 😂
See, the pastor of my church was raised Baptist but became Pentacostal through the influence of his wife (who was raised Pentecostal) and together they started a Non-Denominational church.
So yes, I do identify with some Pentecostal beliefs (mainly involving the Holy Spirit) but Baptists with others.
In the end, almost every Christian denomination has at least one truth that I can agree with, and that’s where I find that it’s easier for me to go in and out of various Christian circles. I’m always willing to hear another opinion, and always willing to allow God to change my mind on things if those things need to be changed
: )
'Thought I'd wait'
'For what?'
'For the right partner'Here’s the thing about being Non-Denominational…you kinda agree with various denominations 😂
See, the pastor of my church was raised Baptist but became Pentacostal through the influence of his wife (who was raised Pentecostal) and together they started a Non-Denominational church.
So yes, I do identify with some Pentecostal beliefs (mainly involving the Holy Spirit) but Baptists with others.
Makes sense to me! Yeah, like I said to Whale, my understanding is that every non-denom church is essentially it’s own mini denom, so it makes sense that it’s essentially a combination of various beliefs.
In the end, almost every Christian denomination has at least one truth that I can agree with, and that’s where I find that it’s easier for me to go in and out of various Christian circles. I’m always willing to hear another opinion, and always willing to allow God to change my mind on things if those things need to be changed
That’s a good mentality to have! Always be open to more truth, but hold to your values, and keep your heart and mind on the Savior in all times and all places:)
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
@thearcaneaxiom @theducktator @whalekeeper @freed_and_redeemed
Sorry I’ve been MIA, I had family from out of state staying with us because my great-grandfather passed away and the funeral was yesterday… but I’m back for a little bit before I leave for work!
On the topic of Baptists/non-demoninationals: Maybe I’m just stereotyping Baptists, but I feel like most non-denom churches I know of are charismatic/Pentecostal, and most Baptists don’t believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still in operation today. From what @freed_and_redeemed was saying, it sounds like our churches are very similar! My church is larger, though, so the Sunday services tend to be slightly more structured.
On the subject of baptism/infant baptism: My church has baby dedications every couple months. This basically is our way of dedicating the children to God, and after a public prayer of dedication, each family dedicating their baby will meet with a prayer minister for more individual prayer.
Then later, once the children are old enough to make their own decision to follow Jesus and accept Him as their Savior, then they can be baptized.
And random side note, acapella singing is so beautiful! During the funeral yesterday (my great-grandfather was Mennonite, and the funeral was held at his church) we sang some hymns acapella, and the harmonies in the room sounded amazing! I still prefer the more modern worship songs I’m used to, but I have an appreciation for churches who still sing hymns.
"Real love is for your good, not for your comfort." -Justin Whitmel Earley
Sorry I’ve been MIA, I had family from out of state staying with us because my great-grandfather passed away and the funeral was yesterday… but I’m back for a little bit before I leave for work!
No worries! I got work soon as well.
On the subject of baptism/infant baptism: My church has baby dedications every couple months. This basically is our way of dedicating the children to God, and after a public prayer of dedication, each family dedicating their baby will meet with a prayer minister for more individual prayer.
Then later, once the children are old enough to make their own decision to follow Jesus and accept Him as their Savior, then they can be baptized.
That’s really interesting that this is essentially the same thing as TheDucktator said, but in reverse, where there’s baptism, and later confirmation. The history is fascinating for how ideas split, diverge, and re-morph.
He is perfect in Justice, yet He is perfect in Mercy, even when we fail Him. For this, He is good.
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