Questions and Answers
"Why all those denominations are present?
Why not all become one in Jesus who is one with God,
I want to know what are reasons behind that".ER, Cairo, Egypt.
This is a question that I have thought deeply about over the years and I will try and reply to you in a positive way without ignoring the confusion and difficulties that are often caused to many people:
1. As far as the Lord is concerned there is only one people of God, that is one Church, one family of God, one people who love Him and are deeply loved and cherished by Him.
2. As far as the Bible is concerned there are no such things as denominations, not one. You only find the Church in Jerusalem, the Church in Antioch, the Church in Philippi and so on. You find the Church only separated by geographic factors.
3. So we know that denominations and movements are all the work of we, the believers for some good and reasonable reasons and for some other less honourable motives.
4. Now, the Bible, which is the word of God does not instruct us exactly how Church should be. We have no list of rules and regulations about meetings, worship, prayer, church life or anything like that at all. We are given clear principles of Christian life, church activities, worship and mission and we are given freedom to express them according to our culture, our time in history and our lifestyle and priorities.
5. Over the years there have been many major moves of God, many revivals, many revelations and some major reformations. There have also been very many local or regional moves of God during history, and even during my short lifetime. All these tend to produce a new, better or just a different way of expressing church life, expressing worship or praise, and different emphases of teaching.
6. Often, out of such moves of God come groups of people who feel it is important to be together and live according to the revelation they are enjoying. Later on the different groups often get together and form denominations with leaders and structures for authority, administration, government registration and care of people and ministers. These 'denominations' then become part of church history and may last for centuries or they may vanish after a while.
7. Of course, it is also unfortunately true to say, that many other people for wrong or selfish motives, or because they can't get on with other believers, try and draw men and women to follow them, and make themselves the leader. These may also over a period of time become denominations and formal groups, for right or for wrong. The Lord gives His people a lot of freedom to learn and even to make mistakes. There is definitely no excuse at all for the hundreds and hundreds of different groupings that exist on all the continents for no good reason at all.
8. The good news is that Lord is working today and has worked throughout history to make us one church in love with Him and loved by Him, although we may always have a multitude of different cultural expressions. Some people like quiet worship, some people like exuberant praise, others prefer teaching, others like a formal church, yet others like an informal meeting. There is little problem with this. In time the Lord will make us one and make us into a spotless church. Even in my years of Christian work I have seen a very great change for the better in England, as many churches and denominations have been brought together by the Spirit of God and now work together, honouring each other and the Lord in harmony.
9. In the meantime we can speed up the process by loving, understanding, tolerating and serving all our believing brothers and sisters even though they may be different to us.
10. Our own mission of World Christians is the result of many different people working together in the same call and grace of God and we do not have, and never have had a moment's difficulty over doctrines and differing beliefs. We all agree on what is important, we all unite in the call of Christ to the lost and to the poor, and we do not waste our time arguing about secondary doctrines which may be important to the historical denominations. There is a world to win and Jesus to follow. In all we are Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox, Evangelicals, Adventists, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Brethren, Anglicans and probably many others, but all believers and followers of Christ.
Les Norman.
Editor, The World Christian.
Director, The School of Mission.
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