Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 1 Corinthians 1:12-13
It used to be that doctrine mattered. Years ago people would tell you they were a part of a denomination because that the doctrine of their denomination was correct. They would even argue that they were in the right church and you were in the wrong church.
People have different priorities today. To the average “church shopper” doctrine is way down the list (if it is on the list at all). Doctrine has become so insignificant that churches will even hide their denominational affiliation in the fine print. Some have dropped it from their advertising altogether. For that reason, being “undenominational” is in vogue nowadays.
Does that improve our position? Perhaps. The positive side is we don’t have to deal with denominational loyalty as we once did. As one friend told me, “I go to the _______ Baptist church, but I don’t consider myself a Baptist.” Or as one of my neighbors told me, “My wife is Catholic and I’m a Methodist but we go to the _______ church. All churches are basically the same.” It’s not as hard as it used to be to get the average churchgoer to come visit a different church.
The danger is that we play down doctrine as well and adopt the same brand of undenominational Christianity that has become so popular. Let me explain. In years past, when our denominational neighbors asked us where we went to church we would tell them and then try to explain exactly what undenominational Christianity meant. Among our talking points were…
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Christ is our only head.
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Our only creed is Christ.
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We wear no other name than Christ’s.
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Our only headquarters is in heaven.
This would provoke two very different kinds of responses: they would either get mad and argue with us, or they would be intrigued and investigate this radical concept further.
The responses are quite different today. It’s hard to make people mad anymore, and getting someone into a discussion about doctrine is rare. The typical response is indifference.
So what should we do? The old approach doesn’t seem to be working. When someone asks us where we go to church, how should we respond? Should we abandon those old talking points? Should we adopt a new line? Be careful. Those points we made years ago are just as true today as they were back then. Truth is truth and whether it is “in season” or “out of season” should make no difference.
We can’t let the spirit of this age change who we are. The attraction should never be the church. It should always be Christ. Our chief concern when looking for a church ought not be trivialities. It’s nice to have a good location. It’s great if the preacher has a good personality. It’s a bonus if there are lots of people our age. But those concerns are all secondary when looking for a church. The only thing that really matters is that Christ is at the center. If that is not true, then nothing else matters.
Undenominational Christianity is a simple plea which says that Christ is the only head, that Christ is the only creed, and that Christ’s name is the only name to be worn. It’s not about what we think or what we feel or what we desire. It’s about Him. It’s always about Christ. If the idea of having a “thus saith the Lord” for all we practice is not attractive to the average church shopper who comes through our doors, then they are in the wrong church! Let’s face facts. This is not for everyone.
But it is for some. We believe some have grown tired of hearing syrupy, soft, scriptureless preaching. We believe there are those who are looking for something more than the fabricated, seeker-sensitive worship performances that have become common. And though the whole concept of “speaking where the Bible speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent” may be a completely foreign concept to them, we believe that they would be sincerely interested if someone would simply explain it to them.
Undenominational Christianity will play in any age. It’s just a matter of finding the right people.
~ by David Maxson