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Response
This inquiry has multiple responses, which can range from simple to intricate. The most straightforward explanation is that a non-denominational church is one that is independent of a larger denomination. A denomination is a church body that holds authority over its constituent local churches. Examples of denominations include Southern Baptist, Episcopal, Wesleyan, and Methodist. Non-denominational churches are known by various names and adhere to a wide array of beliefs.
Why do certain churches opt to be non-denominational? While the reasons may vary, a significant factor is the desire to oversee the ministry and teaching of the local church without external interference or control. According to the Bible, each church appears to be self-governing and directly accountable to God. In the book of Acts, which recounts the initial missionary journeys and the founding of numerous churches, there is no mention of a hierarchical authority beyond the local church elders. Some individuals cite the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 as a model for denominational organization, but it does not align with that concept. The Gentiles received the gospel through the ministry of Paul and Barnabas, under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:2;Acts 15:7). The churches established during that initial journey were entrusted to elders «And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. », (Acts 14:23) from their own community, following instruction from Paul and Barnabas. The convening of the council in Jerusalem was not prompted by concerns regarding organizational structure or control, but rather to deliberate onDoctrinal matters about what constitutes salvation (Acts 15:5-6). The apostles who had been directly commissioned by Jesus were the only people who could properly address the question authoritatively.
When a church is non-denominational, does that mean it has no need of other churches? That may be the belief of some, but it is certainly not the example we find in Scripture. The book of Acts and the New Testament Epistles make it clear that the churches communicated with one another regularly. As Paul and his companions made their missionary journeys, it was not uncommon for the believers to send letters to the other churches “And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:”, (Acts 18:27), or to greet one another through his letters “Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.”, (Romans 16:16). Likewise, when there was a great need, the churches worked interdependently to meet that need—for example, the collection for the famine in Jerusalem (Acts 11:29;2 Corinthians 8:4). The various churches of the New Testament, though independent, self-governing bodies, were definitely connected in fellowship and cooperative ministry, giving us an example to follow today.
The measure of any church, whether inside or out of a denomination, is not how it is organized nor what name it is called, but rather how faithfully it adheres to the teachings of the Word of God. No church is inerrant, because churches are made of people who are capable of error. Even the apostles, with all the gifts God gave them, were not wWithout error, Paul records in Galatians 2:11 that “when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he was clearly in the wrong.” Peter, the first to share the gospel with a Gentile, yielded to pressure from the Judaizers to separate himself from Gentile believers. Paul’s ability to confront Peter was not based on his position as an apostle but on the revealed truth of God’s Word. Paul commended the believers in Berea, saying, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11), for examining his teaching against the Bible to verify if he was teaching sound doctrine.
All believers should emulate the Bereans, examining what we are taught against the Word of God to confirm its accuracy. If our church deviates from God’s Word, we should kindly and patiently provide guidance or correction. If the situation remains unchanged, then we should seek a church that faithfully adheres to God’s Word.
