Denominations Make Me Nervous
Below is a map of how denominations in the US are distributed geographically.
As you can see, the US trends towards Baptist thought and theology based on sheer numbers alone. The next largest group is Lutheran. (Weehoo!)
My question is this: How do you see this affecting our country? Our civic religion? People’s understanding of the Gospel?
Further, what does this say about the “truth” of the Gospel? (I use quotations because our denominations cause us to declare our denominational leanings as “true” even when the Scriptures say nothing about them. See note on drinking below.) How does this map affect our understanding of Christ’s message?
For instance, is it any wonder that one of the strongest messages non-Christians hear coming from the Church is “You shouldn’t drink,” a core value (spoken or unspoken) of the Baptist denomination. Heck, my (Baptist) seminary put a “no drinking” clause into the student covenant. I crossed it out in mine before I signed it. Thankfully, they’re re-evaluating this dreadful prohibition.
How else could the findings of this map affect the way the Gospel is communicated and, consequently, received?
I went to college in the Southeast and have quite a few friends who have left the southeast because of their resentment of an overly fundmentalist-Baptist mentality. I feel one of the other ways that this greatly affects Christianity in America is the focus on sin and not grace. How often do we hear about “repent from sin,” “get saved,” “you're going to hell,” instead of being a source of love, mercy and grace to this world?
On another note, this map also shows where I think the Church is really dropping the ball. This generation is not concerned with moralism. We simply will not be scared into churches by threats of the right and wrong, BUT if you recognize our concern with existentialism, if we focus on giving people new purpose then we might be able to reach the unreached. But condemnation will not work any more, and I suppose it's sad that it ever did.
I think denominations are the work of Satan – his intent to divide and destroy. If you read Jesus prayer in John 17 when in the garden, he mentions unity time and time again. Jesus knew that Satan would seek to disunite (establish denominations) the Church and he's done a pretty good job of it.
I think charts like this are interesting.
Stands to reason that when we say “Christian” the connotations that come into people's minds will probably vary proportionately to the chart distributions.
Since “Baptist” seems to be a majority…I'll just say 'seems,' then it would be fair to assume that most people think of Baptist practices, rituals, rules & theology when we say “Christian.” As they seem to be the most prevalent.
Am I the only one seeing that lack of Pentecostal/Non-Denominational/Charismatic movements being represented in some of these studies? Considering neo-apostolic movements have the largest growth of any of the denominations, it is sad that Evangelical/Mainline researches don't represent them. Kinda off your topic Justin but I feel that the Neo-Apostolic movement is making more in roads to the Evangelical world than any other movement that I am seeing right now.
With that said, how do you address the cross denominational influences that are happening there and how you present the Gospel in that way?
Wow. Now I'm nervous! I sort of wish I didn't have this information, but it is important to know. These patterns definitely paint a picture of how religion is practiced in our country, which in turn impacts how Christians and Christianity are seen and understood by non-believers. That's my primary mission on my blog and with the book I'm writingâ€â€to help spread this message to non-Christians: “Not all Christians are like that.”
It's hard to tell from the way its plotted, but really fascinating to me are regions where clear convergence points exists in denominational thought and practice. I wonder if those areas have gospel clarity destiny. It's a messy thought but interesting.
Truth is…when the heat gets turned up in our lives, the gospel we believe (and the one we consequently preach) starts to really show for realz. For example, if “fear” is a motivational tactic in evangelism as a denominational way of thinking, when the heat gets turned up on that denominational thought is going to start manifesting fear in its followers. Same is true for doubt, unrest, discomforts of every kind.
What I love about that is…if my gospel messages are constantly “putting someone's hand in the hand of Jesus”…well when the heat turns up…I'm in good hands with AllState…I mean Jesus…and hopefully they are too
Leave you with this from Hannah Smith, “A wild young fellow who was brought to the Lord at a mission meeting, and who became a rejoicing Christian, and lived an exemplary life afterwards was asked by someone what he did to get converted. “Oh,” he said “I did my part and the Lord did His.” “But what was your part,” asked the inquirer, “and what was the Lord's?”
“My part was to run away, and the Lord's part was to run after me until he caught me.”
I understand that there are different churches and approaches for different people. Without variety, many people would disconnect from Christianity altogether. That said, I often wonder what people are searching for when they look to align with a specific denomination…a set of rules? Rituals?
Seriously, we're all reading the Bible, right? And, folks, the Good News doesn't change. God sent Jesus. Jesus fulfilled the law and died for us…ONCE and FOR ALL. We only need accept that gift of being saved from the curse of the law. Period. No sets of rules or rituals are necessary because nothing you can do or say will make God love you more or less.
Guess it boils down to this…if the point is different strokes for different folks, then great. If the point is a search for or execution of certain sets of rules or rituals, then you're missing the point of the real Good News of the Gospel. And people are totally onto it. Many are sick of the politics of religion. Why do you think so many people nowadays refuse to align with any denomination (or the label of “Christianity,” for that matter) and instead identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ? 'Nuff said.
I think leading w/ the whole drinking issue is a solid step. Clearly, it's not inherently evil; Jesus did it. Any scholarly look into the matter proves this against reasonable refutation. When criticized in the bible, it's generally lumped in with gluttony, and both are blasted for what is essentially overindulgence. Of course, the whole Baptist notion of no-to-beer-but-not-the-buffet has passed from observation to near law at this point.
Ultimately, as this map shows, the church really is distributing its priorities and values, and that's disturbing because, to be honest, they kind of suck.
one “old school” exercise i've done is take the yellow pages & read through the “churches” section-just stare at it while seeking God. the denominational divisions within a single city are just tragic to me even in that little example. if only it was as simple as our own brilliant Bible states in the very titles of the New Testament…Romans–worshippers of Rome, Corinthians–worshippers of Corinth, etc… thanks for sharing this–even though it was more than a little upsetting; i don't perceive God smiling at more evidence of His dream of us dwelling together in unity not coming true anytime soon–thanks again
This is a cool map, Justin. I'm curious – why do denominations make you nervous?
Preach it, girl!
So how do we “break the chains” of the non-alcoholic bondage?
If you don't like to drink, that's one thing. But to abstain because you believe it is sinful … Well, that's the dangerous part!
Denominations make me nervous for a few reasons:
1. They encourage dangerous groupthink. Not all the time, mind you. Some really good things DO come out of denominations. But groupthink is an unfortunate (and prominent) side effect of the denomination.
2. They can encourage disunity and “huddling”, instead of working out theological disagreements in community. It's the theological version of, “I'm taking my ball and going home!”
I have more. Those are just a few! Agree? Disagree?
As with any human institution, there is brokenness, imperfection, and sin. Such is the case with denominations. I would argue that the existence of denominations isn't evil, but they become poisonous when certain tribes stray (or are led astray) from what is central.
Some believe that denominations are as old as the Christian movement in the 1st century. They didn't bear names like Methodist, Greek Orthodox, or Baptist…instead, they were called “The Church in Corinth” or “The Church in Rome”. Denominations are bound to exist because (1) humans are created to make order out of chaos, and (2) different cultural norms create different needs. As long as Christians are called to be in the world but not of the world, there will be a tendency to gather groups of believers together based on station in life, geography, spiritual maturity, etc.
In some ways, our proclivity for grouping is played out in congregations that offer small groups and/or multiple styles of worship. You could say that these self-selected groups can (and often do) lead to unhealthy groupthink, disunity, and huddling. I'm sure the people who attend “traditional” worship at a church have a different understanding of worship and faith than people who attend a “seeker” or “emerging” worship service…or that a retired men's Bible study group has a different perspective on Scripture than a teenage girls' Bible study group.
The ELCA (just to pick on a particular denomination) has see the departure of congregations & pastors who exhibit the “I'm taking my ball and going home” mentality. This unwillingness to “work out theological disagreements in community” seems to be generated by congregations; not the denomination itself. In that sense, it is the existence of ANY human-made group that can be problematic; not just denominational groups.
Though I have become an unwitting apologist for the Lutheran tribe in recent years, I truly wish denominations didn't exist. This is why I get so excited when established denominations find ways to work towards unity; not fracture. For example, the ELCA has forged sacramental alliances with the Methodists, Moravians, UCC, Episcopalians, and Reformed Church. I think this lays the foundation for future generations to continue the work of dissolving the labels we assign to certain expressions of Christianity and, instead, focus on our oneness in Christ.
Thoughts?
Have any of you read the conversion experience of CS Lewis. He sat down and poured himself a drink right after.
don
editor
spiritnewsdaily.com
Have any of you read the conversion experience of CS Lewis. He sat down and poured himself a drink right after.
don
editor
spiritnewsdaily.com
I don;t know how you find the time to write so well but here is a little something
More hay, Trigger? No thanks, Roy, I’m stuffed!