Wednesday, June 23, 2010
38,000...
different denominations....
...in the world!!!
This is an estimate of course, but I heard this today and found it amazing! So many I probably have never heard of!
When we think of denominations, we think of the ones we know (Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Methodist...I can't even think of the rest "local" US ones), and how many people wonder, which one is the true one? which one is the right to go?
The truth is that there is no answer, in every denomination there are many churches that deceive people and teach different Gospels and pick and choose what they want from the Bible or make it sound how they think is right.
So I have come up with a simple solution for those who are church-shopping:
1. Find a church that teaches the Bible, from the Bible, and that the teachings are Bible-based.
2. Find a church that outreaches to the community.
3. Find a church where there is accountability and "in-reach" within the church (outreach is important, but many churches focus on others, rather than their own people).
4. Find a church in which you can relate to the people, pastor, elders, etc. Preferibly look into being discipled by someone who knows more than you do (I have been discipled by my pastor for almost 4 years now and I can see I don't know where I would be now if he hadn't taken me under his wing).
5. Find a church in which there is a passion for God and the things of God, not a place in which people go to get their "brownie points" with God for the week, but where there is true fellowship and true love. In which you can congregate with the people and have strong fellowship.
6. Last, but not least, find a church where you can grow, spiritually in your walk with Jesus Christ. Many people go to churches only to be "pew potatoes" or only for a season and when they see hints of growth, they go somewhere else. The most important aspect of our Christian walk is not to be stagnant and comfortable, but to constantly grow. Nobody in this life will ever know everything and growth is important. In this same point, it is important to use our gifts and talents that God gave us, not for our own benefit, but for God's glory.
Expanding on that last point, we all have been given gifts, some have what the world considers "better" gifts than others, but remember, we are all equal in the eyes of God. I see many young Christians that I have met (and I am not talking about age, but of spiritual maturity), that are eager to be pastors and then get bummed when they realize that is not their calling, that was where I was at one point of my walk. Now, I have seen other doors open and I know that I am called to ministry, but my heart has changed to being a servant of God.
Here are some verses to back all this up:
Also, out of all these denominations, as I have said, many are not true, not God-seeking and fearing and in past experiences I have been to some of those churches (I will expand on this topic in another post):
That is it for now, I just thought that number was an interesting factoid to share.
different denominations....
...in the world!!!
This is an estimate of course, but I heard this today and found it amazing! So many I probably have never heard of!
When we think of denominations, we think of the ones we know (Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Methodist...I can't even think of the rest "local" US ones), and how many people wonder, which one is the true one? which one is the right to go?
The truth is that there is no answer, in every denomination there are many churches that deceive people and teach different Gospels and pick and choose what they want from the Bible or make it sound how they think is right.
So I have come up with a simple solution for those who are church-shopping:
1. Find a church that teaches the Bible, from the Bible, and that the teachings are Bible-based.
2. Find a church that outreaches to the community.
3. Find a church where there is accountability and "in-reach" within the church (outreach is important, but many churches focus on others, rather than their own people).
4. Find a church in which you can relate to the people, pastor, elders, etc. Preferibly look into being discipled by someone who knows more than you do (I have been discipled by my pastor for almost 4 years now and I can see I don't know where I would be now if he hadn't taken me under his wing).
5. Find a church in which there is a passion for God and the things of God, not a place in which people go to get their "brownie points" with God for the week, but where there is true fellowship and true love. In which you can congregate with the people and have strong fellowship.
6. Last, but not least, find a church where you can grow, spiritually in your walk with Jesus Christ. Many people go to churches only to be "pew potatoes" or only for a season and when they see hints of growth, they go somewhere else. The most important aspect of our Christian walk is not to be stagnant and comfortable, but to constantly grow. Nobody in this life will ever know everything and growth is important. In this same point, it is important to use our gifts and talents that God gave us, not for our own benefit, but for God's glory.
Expanding on that last point, we all have been given gifts, some have what the world considers "better" gifts than others, but remember, we are all equal in the eyes of God. I see many young Christians that I have met (and I am not talking about age, but of spiritual maturity), that are eager to be pastors and then get bummed when they realize that is not their calling, that was where I was at one point of my walk. Now, I have seen other doors open and I know that I am called to ministry, but my heart has changed to being a servant of God.
Here are some verses to back all this up:
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also [is] Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.
(1 Corinthians 12:12-14)
And He put all [things] under His feet, and gave Him [to be] head over all [things] to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:22-23
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
1 Timothy 14:6
Also, out of all these denominations, as I have said, many are not true, not God-seeking and fearing and in past experiences I have been to some of those churches (I will expand on this topic in another post):
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
(2 Timothy 4:2)
That is it for now, I just thought that number was an interesting factoid to share.
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