by Wally Steele

Created on: April 24, 2009   Last Updated: May 16, 2009

After serving twenty-nine years as a minister in a non-denominational denomination, yes, we say that we are not a denomination but in reality we meet all the specifications. I have come to see denominations of any form as a wall. It seems to me that we build churches with walls not to have a meeting place but to make sure we control who comes in. When establishing a denomination we set guidelines for who can enter. They must adhere to all the rules that we have established to be part of the church that we belong to. Often those rules come from Bible interpretation, but let me be very clear here, those interpretations come from the leaders of that denomination. If the Bible is silent, often we just add something new to the system to justify what we believe.

By establishing denominations we need to set up a system of churches to support those who are like-minded so we start churches who share those beliefs. In doing this we separate ourselves from others. Things that separate us are not always doctrinal. I have heard of a group of people in one church taking exception to having a kitchen in the church so they started another church across the street without a kitchen. In doing this people were polarized and became confused as to what the church was for. In studying the Greek word for church, we know that it is translated "The called out ones" and yet we continue to build walls to contain our followers.

The church should be a welcoming body of believers who are willing to love in spite of the problems they bring with them. I have found that often those in the church become very judgemental, often ostracizing others for something they may or may not have done. The Lord knows we all have made and continue to make mistakes. Isn't that why Jesus came to save us? We just could not make it to heaven on our own so God gave us the greatest gift in the world, forgiveness. But in dealing with those in many denominations it is more important to play by the rules rather than offer the gift of that forgiveness. So we judge others based on what we personally believe rather than what we can read in the Bible. I once had an elder say to me, "I don't care what the Bible says. I know what I believe."

Let us get back to being followers of Jesus, willing to forgive even those who persecute us. The mission of each of us is to share the loving message of Jesus rather than the party line of our denomination.

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