Changing Denominations-Good or bad?

[drfuss]

Matt Black started a thread on his changing denominations. Not wanting to hyjack that thread, I am starting this one on the general advantages/disadvantages of changing denominations.

Their are many reasons for changing denominations other than beliefs, such as family, worship style, location, organization, etc. Let's not get into the reasons for changing, but address only the belief advantages/disadvantages.

An advantage can be that changing denominations can expose the Christian to a different aspect of interpreting the scriptures. It encourages the Christian to examine/fine tune/modify his beliefs based on scripture rather than on what the previous church believed and taught.

A disadvantage can be that changing denominations can confuse a Christian if his beliefs are only based on what the previous denomination believed rather than on his own intrepretation of scripture. I know many Christians whose theology is based solely on what their denomination teaches and not on their own interpretation of scripture.

As one Christian told me years ago, "I believe what my denomination believes because they are smarter than me". Of course, there are Christians in other denominations that take the same approach with their denomination.

Is it good to accept the way your denomination interprets scripture without considering other interpretations?

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Is it good to accept the way your denomination interprets scripture without considering other interpretations?

We are to study the Word to become approved and not just sit back and take someone else's word for what God is saying.

IMHO, it is not good to hop from one denomination to another because it is too easy to become confused.

I know what I believe, and why I believe it, and I know my redeemer lives. That's good enough for me...

 

[mcdirector]

We have moved around a lot. I've wondered what we would do if we couldn't find a Baptist church that matched up with what we believed biblically. As we all know, just because a church bears the title Baptist doesn't mean as much as it used to mean.

I'm not talking hopping here, but I think that you have to look at the church and not necessarily the denom here when you are choosing. Although, I would look at the denom first in choosing where to visit.

 

[BobRyan]

I find far too many Christians switching between Baptist and Presbyterian or Baptist and Methodist simply because they move or like the "program better".

The problem for me is that there are basic foundational doctrinal differences between those groups that can't simply be tossed out the window as "so what".

I agree with fellowship across all groups and church attendance is not problem. But you should be a member of a church that teaches doctrinally correct views as you know them to be from scripture. If one is willing to waffle on believer's baptism, free will, predestination, etc then what IS the reason for going to one church over another? Convenience?

Having said that - I find many community churches that basically teach Moody Bible Institute POV right down the line but they just don't call themselves "Baptist".

in Christ,

Bob

 

[mcdirector]

Maybe I should add that while I've wondered what I would do IF we couldn't find a Baptist church in a move, God has always led us to one that did teach exactly what we believed. It's been a moot issue.

 

[drfuss]

I was raised in a modernistic "family" church. Since becoming a Christian 55 years ago, I have attended four different denominations. I too am not a church hopper, but changed for other reasons. Each denomination had a slightly different approach to how they interpret scripture which reflected their individual doctrine. This has allowed me to not have only one denominational approach to scripture.

None of the four denominations I have attended, interpret scripture in every aspect the way I do. I feel very fortunate not to be "bogged down" with the teaching of a particular denomination such that I can't seriously consider other beliefs. I agree with one denomination on healing and organization, another on spiritual gifts, and one denomination that I have not attended on security of the believer.

Those who have attended only one denomination seem to be locked into a single set of beliefs and scripture interpretations. In addition, there are some things taught in one denomination about other denominations that are simply untrue. Changing denominations can be a good thing. It was for me.

 

[EdSutton]

Having said that - I find many community churches that basically teach Moody Bible Institute POV right down the line but they just don't call themselves "Baptist".

in Christ,

Bob

Personally, I wasn't aware that Moody Bible Institute was ever "Baptist". Did I miss that? Just wonderin'.

Ed

 

[Jkdbuck76]

I grew up in the Church of Christ (the Campbellites) in small town Indiana.

went to many others.

joined a baptist church after I married a baptist.

 

[Chemnitz]

As I understand it Moody is more Church of Christ than Baptist.

I guess I have no use for changing denominations, because if Lutherans are orthodox and everybody else is heterodox why switch. It just isn't worth seperating out the wheat from the chafe.

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Changing denominations can be a good thing. It was for me.

Me too. I was born and raised catholic. I switched to Baptist and wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[drfuss]

Over the years, I have changed my beliefs in a number of areas. Had I stayed with one denomination, I would probably have accepted their interpretation of scripture without seriously evaluating other beliefs because that was what I was taught after salvation.

In each case, I changed denominations for other than doctrinal reasons. Attending another denomination forced me to at least honestly consider other interpretations. Without this influence, I would probably have followed the old adage: "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts".

My beliefs in the following areas have changed over the years primarily due to being exposed to different denominations.
1. Divine healing.
2. Security of the believer.
3. Spiritual gifts.
4. Church organization.
5. Financial giving.

My denomination or what I was taught right after becoming a Christian, no longer determines my beliefs which are now based on my own interpretation of scripture.

Here on BB, do we automatically defend our denominational beliefs? Or do we actually consider the beliefs of other Christains?

 

[Zenas]

Me too. I was born and raised catholic. I switched to Baptist and wouldn't have it any other way.

Very interesting. I was born and raised Baptist and am considering switching to Catholic. Why? Certainly not because of the fellowship, because my church is the warmest and most caring group of people you can find anywhere. But I have never been comfortable with many Baptist doctrinal positions and in recent years have become increasingly uncomfortable, even feeling hypocritical about my Baptist membership. When I started looking at the beliefs of other denominations, it seemed that the Catholic position ultimately makes the most sense. Contrary to popular belief, we can find scriptural support for most of their "strange" doctrines, although I am still struggling with some of those things that seem to have no scriptural basis, e.g., indulgences and Mary as mediatrix of all graces.

So tell me, I Am Blessed 17, why did you (1) leave the Catholic Church and (2) join the Baptist Church?

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Hi Zenas: I will give you the short version. There are many more things I could list, but this should be enough for now.

I couldn't accept praying to the dead and praying for the dead.

When I was young I was really worried that no one I knew had enough money to have masses said, or light candles, to get me out of purgatory.

The catholic church was a very cold church back then. I also saw the injustices, in the catholic school I went to, between how the 'poor' kids and the 'rich' kids were treated.

As I got older I started reading the Bible (something that was discouraged in the 60's when I was in school). There were things I'd never heard of and I liked what I read.

I started going to a Baptist church to see what they had to say (it was the closest church to where I lived). I had planned on visiting all the churches to see what they believed. However, I liked what I heard in the Baptist church and their doctrine made much more sense to me and was quite agreeable with what I had been reading in the Bible.

I saw that I had been depending on my good works for my salvation (and none of them were ever good enough).

I was saved by grace and baptized in the Baptist church.

35 years later, I am still in the same church and wouldn't trade what I know to be true for anything I had before.

I still have family in the RCC. They are good people and very sincere - but they are sincerely wrong.

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Hi Zenas: I will give you the short version. There are many more things I could list, but this should be enough for now.

I couldn't accept praying to the dead and praying for the dead.

When I was young I was really worried that no one I knew had enough money to have masses said, or light candles, to get me out of purgatory.

The catholic church was a very cold church back then. I also saw the injustices, in the catholic school I went to, between how the 'poor' kids and the 'rich' kids were treated.

As I got older I started reading the Bible (something that was discouraged in the 60's when I was in school). There were things I'd never heard of and I liked what I read.

I started going to a Baptist church to see what they had to say (it was the closest church to where I lived). I had planned on visiting all the churches to see what they believed. However, I liked what I heard in the Baptist church and their doctrine made much more sense to me and was quite agreeable with what I had been reading in the Bible.

I saw that I had been depending on my good works for my salvation (and none of them were ever good enough).

I was saved by grace and baptized in the Baptist church.

35 years later, I am still in the same church and wouldn't trade what I know to be true for anything I had before.

I still have family in the RCC. They are good people and very sincere - but they are sincerely wrong.

GE:

What an inspiring confession! God be with you!

 

[Gerhard Ebersoehn]

Over the years, I have changed my beliefs in a number of areas. Had I stayed with one denomination, I would probably have accepted their interpretation of scripture without seriously evaluating other beliefs because that was what I was taught after salvation.

In each case, I changed denominations for other than doctrinal reasons. Attending another denomination forced me to at least honestly consider other interpretations. Without this influence, I would probably have followed the old adage: "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts".

My beliefs in the following areas have changed over the years primarily due to being exposed to different denominations.
1. Divine healing.
2. Security of the believer.
3. Spiritual gifts.
4. Church organization.
5. Financial giving.

My denomination or what I was taught right after becoming a Christian, no longer determines my beliefs which are now based on my own interpretation of scripture.

Here on BB, do we automatically defend our denominational beliefs? Or do we actually consider the beliefs of other Christains?

GE:

You don't say how your 'beliefs have changed'. Maybe it should be clear from the thread or from your other posts. But please tell me how they changed?