The Great Denomination Debate
How we aren’t the best at honoring our differences
Can I be honest about something?
[Since I’m assuming you’re still reading, I’ll continue.]
Sometimes I feel like we’ve been deceived (okay so maybe deceived is a strong word, but brainwashed wasn’t a much better choice — if you have a better word suggestion, let me know) particularly regarding denominational choices… And by “we” I mean those of us who fit within the Millennial/Generation Y bracket who grew up in the Protestant church (but maybe this goes back even further — my Gen X crowd could totally chime in here).
To back this loaded freight train filled with potentially explosive material up, it all began when I started to search for a new church. One Saturday, as I was perusing local churches in the area, I found myself knocking churches off the list with thoughts like, “Oh those people aren’t real Christians” or “Psh, those people just go to church so they punch their ticket for heaven — it isn’t real.”
WAIT. WHAT?!
How had I come to this place where I was judging a church based on what I had heard during my years growing up or based on the scuttlebutt of those within my friend circles? How had I become so biased based on my own denominational slant? How had the American church become so divided that each denomination was known for being “this” or “that” — “conservative” or “liberal” — “fundamentalist” or “evangelical”? How, in a time where the church absolutely NEEDS to be united, have churches found themselves at odds with one another based on theological differences (or sadly, the color of the carpet)?
Mortified by my own thoughts, I began to wrestle (and that wrestling involved a lot of talking, a lot of praying, a lot of reading (everything from G.K. Chesterton and C.S. Lewis to N.T. Wright and Rob Bell (yes, Rob Bell, but that’s another post in the making)) and a lot of thinking). That was over a year ago. And wrestle I have… wrestling my way into a church that I feel was made for me right here and right now… in a denomination I once condemned and proclaimed was filled with “hypocrites” and “not real Christians.” I really think God has a sense of humor. Seriously. I currently attend a church that draws an interesting crowd, but frankly, it’s the perfect place for me. Questions are not just welcomed, but expected. The idea of faith is reinforced by the fact that we don’t have to have all the answers. My husband and I are part of a Group Life small group and I have found myself completely blessed by those in my faith community.
All things considered though, looking back, I’m grateful for the denomination that I grew up in. I learned a lot about God, faith, and loving those around me. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that as we grow up, I don’t think God expects us to be born and die in the same denomination (not that that’s bad at all — my apologies if I stepped on some toes there). Our faith is a continuously morphing active thing. In my own life, I’ve seen God at work in my life, stretching and growing me in ways I never thought He ever would. How quick we are to judge the relationship of others with God, when we have so much to learn in our own relationships with Him. God has been speaking a lot about this and I’ve had some really challenging conversations with people about how I see God and how I’ve really put God in a box for so many years. It’s time to let the Lion out of the box. God’s big enough to handle my questions and I’ve really come to appreciate that.
But back to the original topic at hand…
At the end of the day, I think that the Protestant church at large across the United States needs to remember some key essential things: We shouldn’t let trivial petty differences (or big differences in beliefs) divide us or cause us to pass judgment on those denominations that really don’t meld as well with the faith community to which we belong. We all serve the same Lord. We worship the same thing. We are loved by the same Most High God. Sure, that denomination might have a different view on salvation or whether or not women should be allowed to be pastors or how we as Christians should care for the earth (check out N.T. Wright’s book Surprised by Scripture for an awesome assessment of the last two things listed), but I don’t think it should give us any right to judge or dissuade someone from just checking out a church and denying God the opportunity to move in their lives.
