Facts about Denominations
Facts about Denominations
* They start out as a move of God upon one man
* God gives them multiplication and expansion
* The need for monitoring, control and administration
* Red-tape, logjam and tradition set in
* Movement devoid of God's true power resulted
Most denominations come about due to these fads. Many who pulled out to start their own soon become denominations too!
B. Terminal Diseases Of Denominational Churches
Denominations are diseased simply because they take long time in coming and are stubborn to medication. They also refused to heal easily because of so much entrenchments of church-killing practises. In many cases, they eventually terminate the life of God In those churches. And in other cases, they render the churches powerless, irrelevant, empty, almost useless to her generation. Now, permit me to start looking at them one after the other:
1. People-Blindness
Most denominations consist of one set of people and they want everybody else to be like them. They speak only one language and they wonder why people of other languages don't join them. If they are low-income earners, they want whoever joins them to live and behave just like that This disease has led to loss of many future leaders to such churches.
2. Power-Brokers - 3 John 9- 10
Many denominations are ill, diseased and unwell due to the activities of power-brokers. These are so called church elders, deacons committee members and honorary ministers. They dominate and decide the direction in which the church will go. They have bought over power through their monies and w~r1dly positions. This disease has ruined many and is still ruining many denominational churches.
3. Ageing Leadership
Denominational churches continue to flounder and die due to the disease of old and aged leadership. Most denominational churches have people in position of leadership whose age are from 65, 70, 80 and even 100 years plus! Small wonder that those churches remain backward and incapable of winning the younger generation!
4. Ageing Membership
Closely following ageing leadership is ageing membership. Many denominations have majority of their . members between the 55-75 years bracket. In such churches, they are not really concerned again with the world. Their daily songs and hymns is 'Lord we are coming home'. Well, such churches usually find outreach very difficult.
5. Traditionalism / Heritage
These are denominational practises that stifle growth and spiritual dynamism. They are usually held above the scripture and everything will be done to maintain such tradition. Even though such tradition has no scriptural backings and they often lead to backwardness and downward spiral, yet they hold on to them. Their slogan is "As it was in the beginning, so shall it be now and forever".
6. Koinonitles
This is too much of fellowship that results in fellowship inflammation and saturation. Enjoying each others' company until outsiders are no longer welcome and the goal of the church is now just to enjoy each others' company. Such churches are inflicted with negative piety and holier than thou attitude. Sinners are no longer welcome' because they don't want to be contaminated with the world. They are heavenly minded but earthly useless.
7. Faithfulness Versus Success
Many old denominational churches are afflicted with the disease that faithfulness is all that is needed. Success is not required. They are therefore contented with little or no fruit, despite years of hard labour. They content that once we are faithful, we should leave the results with God! Small wonder that those churches usually go under after some years.
8. Small Mindset
This is the disease of smallness in everything. Small people, small building, small fellowship and small vision. They seem· to work against bigness and believe that the best church is a small church of less than 100 members. Well, such churches always remain small in the midst of exploding world population. Even if hundreds and thousands were attracted to the church, they will still be unconsciously driven away because there is no provision for them.
9. Change-Resistant
Most denominational churches are addicted to old, achaic and outmoded methods that has nevertheless proved a monumental failure in this 21 st century, yet, they hate to change from them. They fear change and view change with alarm. They are contented· with old problems rather than find solution. No wonder such churches are left behind in the new moves of God for today.
10. Spiritless
The presence and power of the Holy Spirit is no longer high as it used to be. The token presence of the Spirit is only now in few believers, no longer in the corporate gathering. God is now silent and demons have taken over.
11. Fifth Column
Most denominational churches are grappling with. demonic activities inside the church. These are agents and representatives of Satan masquerading as workers, leaders and ministers in the church. They deceived, caused lukewarmness, coldness and introduced sin and evil that rendered the church powerless. They practised witchcraft manipulation that resulted in poverty, adultery, fornication and calamities in the church. All these usually render the church powerless from within.
c. The Effect of These Diseases
Quite sadly, many. denominations that started out as the movement of God later become a monument due to the ravages of these diseases. Here are some of the adverse effects:-
* Remaining small, dry and empty
* Struggling to survive
* Retrogression and downward spiral
* Unfulfilment of God's promises
* Many programmes but few progress
* Loss offuture potential Gradual close down of branches
Many churches have closed down and some are battling to survive as a result of these terminal diseases.
D. How to Recover from these Diseases
The process will be slow, painstaking and tasking, yet it is possible. Though these diseases are not peculiar to denominational churches, yet they are largely pronounced there. Amazingly, some have recovered from them and many more can.
If the following steps can be courageously taken:-
• Serious prayerfulness to discern God's will
• Installing a young, godly and purposeful leadership
• Consult a versatile church consultant
• Re-engineer gradual change where necessary
• Refocus, re-direct and revitalize programmes
• Gather a team of visionary, loyal, committed and servant hearted team of associate leaders.
• Display God's supernatural power and results
• Engage. a team of effective intercessors
If the will is there, many old churches can be revitalized! It must start from the local churches.
* They start out as a move of God upon one man
* God gives them multiplication and expansion
* The need for monitoring, control and administration
* Red-tape, logjam and tradition set in
* Movement devoid of God's true power resulted
Most denominations come about due to these fads. Many who pulled out to start their own soon become denominations too!
B. Terminal Diseases Of Denominational Churches
Denominations are diseased simply because they take long time in coming and are stubborn to medication. They also refused to heal easily because of so much entrenchments of church-killing practises. In many cases, they eventually terminate the life of God In those churches. And in other cases, they render the churches powerless, irrelevant, empty, almost useless to her generation. Now, permit me to start looking at them one after the other:
1. People-Blindness
Most denominations consist of one set of people and they want everybody else to be like them. They speak only one language and they wonder why people of other languages don't join them. If they are low-income earners, they want whoever joins them to live and behave just like that This disease has led to loss of many future leaders to such churches.
2. Power-Brokers - 3 John 9- 10
Many denominations are ill, diseased and unwell due to the activities of power-brokers. These are so called church elders, deacons committee members and honorary ministers. They dominate and decide the direction in which the church will go. They have bought over power through their monies and w~r1dly positions. This disease has ruined many and is still ruining many denominational churches.
3. Ageing Leadership
Denominational churches continue to flounder and die due to the disease of old and aged leadership. Most denominational churches have people in position of leadership whose age are from 65, 70, 80 and even 100 years plus! Small wonder that those churches remain backward and incapable of winning the younger generation!
4. Ageing Membership
Closely following ageing leadership is ageing membership. Many denominations have majority of their . members between the 55-75 years bracket. In such churches, they are not really concerned again with the world. Their daily songs and hymns is 'Lord we are coming home'. Well, such churches usually find outreach very difficult.
5. Traditionalism / Heritage
These are denominational practises that stifle growth and spiritual dynamism. They are usually held above the scripture and everything will be done to maintain such tradition. Even though such tradition has no scriptural backings and they often lead to backwardness and downward spiral, yet they hold on to them. Their slogan is "As it was in the beginning, so shall it be now and forever".
6. Koinonitles
This is too much of fellowship that results in fellowship inflammation and saturation. Enjoying each others' company until outsiders are no longer welcome and the goal of the church is now just to enjoy each others' company. Such churches are inflicted with negative piety and holier than thou attitude. Sinners are no longer welcome' because they don't want to be contaminated with the world. They are heavenly minded but earthly useless.
7. Faithfulness Versus Success
Many old denominational churches are afflicted with the disease that faithfulness is all that is needed. Success is not required. They are therefore contented with little or no fruit, despite years of hard labour. They content that once we are faithful, we should leave the results with God! Small wonder that those churches usually go under after some years.
8. Small Mindset
This is the disease of smallness in everything. Small people, small building, small fellowship and small vision. They seem· to work against bigness and believe that the best church is a small church of less than 100 members. Well, such churches always remain small in the midst of exploding world population. Even if hundreds and thousands were attracted to the church, they will still be unconsciously driven away because there is no provision for them.
9. Change-Resistant
Most denominational churches are addicted to old, achaic and outmoded methods that has nevertheless proved a monumental failure in this 21 st century, yet, they hate to change from them. They fear change and view change with alarm. They are contented· with old problems rather than find solution. No wonder such churches are left behind in the new moves of God for today.
10. Spiritless
The presence and power of the Holy Spirit is no longer high as it used to be. The token presence of the Spirit is only now in few believers, no longer in the corporate gathering. God is now silent and demons have taken over.
11. Fifth Column
Most denominational churches are grappling with. demonic activities inside the church. These are agents and representatives of Satan masquerading as workers, leaders and ministers in the church. They deceived, caused lukewarmness, coldness and introduced sin and evil that rendered the church powerless. They practised witchcraft manipulation that resulted in poverty, adultery, fornication and calamities in the church. All these usually render the church powerless from within.
c. The Effect of These Diseases
Quite sadly, many. denominations that started out as the movement of God later become a monument due to the ravages of these diseases. Here are some of the adverse effects:-
* Remaining small, dry and empty
* Struggling to survive
* Retrogression and downward spiral
* Unfulfilment of God's promises
* Many programmes but few progress
* Loss offuture potential Gradual close down of branches
Many churches have closed down and some are battling to survive as a result of these terminal diseases.
D. How to Recover from these Diseases
The process will be slow, painstaking and tasking, yet it is possible. Though these diseases are not peculiar to denominational churches, yet they are largely pronounced there. Amazingly, some have recovered from them and many more can.
If the following steps can be courageously taken:-
• Serious prayerfulness to discern God's will
• Installing a young, godly and purposeful leadership
• Consult a versatile church consultant
• Re-engineer gradual change where necessary
• Refocus, re-direct and revitalize programmes
• Gather a team of visionary, loyal, committed and servant hearted team of associate leaders.
• Display God's supernatural power and results
• Engage. a team of effective intercessors
If the will is there, many old churches can be revitalized! It must start from the local churches.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Scott R. Newman on
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Amen.....Don't remember Jesus ever saying He was a Baptist or Church of God in Christ or methodist, etc.. I just remember Him saying.."FOLLOW ME"
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Permalink Reply by Lester Demings Jr on
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I don't see anything wrong with denominations.
I believe if done right denominations serve a good purpose.
Everyone does not believe the same however if we are all trying to get to the same place then it would be better for one person to go there and one person go somewhere else.
There is no need to cause strife when there does not have to be.
Denominations should not be pit against one another and one denomination should not believe they are the only ones right.
We all have a mind to think and believe as we choose so we should not have to suffer ourselves to be somewhere we do not feel the need to.
I do not agree with women pastors so I will not sit under a woman pastor- not saying that she may not be saved or anything but that is not what I agree with so I can go to a church that has men as leadership and be content in that.
That way for her and I it won't be a spiritual battle between her and I.
Jesus said, other sheep that I have that are not of this fold" so I take that to mean that we all (no matter what the denomination are going to be called together when the time comes.
However, until then we are yet human and have our own likes, dislikes and interpretations so we should not have to follow one person just because.
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