Recently, I was browsing the website of a local Baptist church here in Everett, WA and I came across this little tidbit(spelling is theirs):
We are an independant, non-denominational church affiliated with IFCA International.
So a independent Baptist church that claims to be non-denominational? Huh? It seems like a grand contradiction and is a bit laughable. However, while I know why they choose to stay, I believe they are deceived in their thinking.
There is a large movement afoot today and has been for the last 20-30 years to step away from denominational tags and affiliations. I understand the desire to break away from the dead religions of the Catholic, Methodist, and even some Baptist churches. Except that non-denominational-ism is dangerous and plays well into the Great Deception that will be revealed in the last days.
The definition of denomination is
Denomination n.1. The act of naming.2. A name or appellation; a vocal sound, customarily used to express a thing or a quality, in discourse; as, all man fall under the denomination of sinners; actions fall under the denomination of good or bad.3. A class, society or collection of individuals, called by the same name; as a denomination of christians.
While it might be expeditious is these modern times to use the tag non-denominational to attract members, it only results in the dilution of your doctrine as you try to please every “believer” that seeks teachers/preachers/churches with itching ears. Secondly, it blurs the line and standard of doctrinal purity within the church, as there is usually varying beliefs on the very fundamentals of Bible doctrine. This leads to a rise of factions within the church as like individuals coalesce around their common beliefs.
I submit that with the modern inclusion of Catholic, Mormon, and other heretical groups under the “Christian” tag, it is more important than ever to maintain and even define who we are.
I gladly and without reservation define myself as an independent, historic Baptist. I am historically Baptist because of what Baptist’s have stood for during the last 2000 years. Independent in that our church is autonomous and free of associations and conventional ties. We as Baptist’s need to consider and study our heritage and stand unashamedly by the fact that we are Baptist!
