For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate
(endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for
something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher
after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and
to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and
wander off into myths and man-made fictions. ~2 Timothy 4:3-4 <3
I have a question to ask and it’s not a very good one. Why
are there so many different dominations within Christianity? I call myself a
Christian, yet I am often categorized as a Catholic or a Mormon. I am neither
and I see it confuses people… it confuses me.
I Goggled, How many
Christian denominations are there? The answer floored me…
There are about 40,000 different ‘’Christian” denominations.
It's not even something that can be counted and kept track of. However, they
can be roughly split into five major groups:
The Catholic Church
The Eastern Churches (Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of
the East)
"Mainline" Protestant and Anglican churches
Evangelical (non-Pentecostal)
Pentecostal churches
These later two categories include a number of
"non-denominational" or independent congregations. The first wave of
“non-denominational” churches is in fact the third wave of the Pentecostal
movement. Other independent congregations tend to be evangelical, and while may
not belong to a denomination per se, often do belong to various parachurch
organizations or adhere to a common set of standards and beliefs with other
similar evangelical churches. Some megachurches, by engaging in 'church
planting' set themselves up as a sui iuris "of one's own right" denomination
while maintaining the "non-denominational" title.
Here are some examples:
Aaronic Order
African Methodist
Amish
Ancient Apostolic
Anglican
Anglo-Israelism
Antiochian
Apostolic
Armenian
Baptist Convention
Beachy Amish
Belarusian Greek Catholic
Black Primitive Baptist
Brazilian Catholic
Brethren
British Methodist
Bulgarian Greek Catholic
Byzantine (Constantinopolitan)
Calvinist
Celtic Catholic
Chaldean
Chinese Methodist
Christian Methodist
Congregationalist
Conservative Baptist
Coptic Catholic
Croatian Greek Catholic
Dunker
Eastern Orthodox
Episcopal
Exclusive Brethren
Free Catholic
Georgian Byzantine Catholic
Greek Byzantine Catholic
Greek Orthodox
Hungarian Greek
Indian Brethren
Italo-Albanian Catholic
Kerala Brethren
Latin Catholic
Latter Day
Liberal Catholic
Lutheran
Lutheran Orthodox
Macedonian Greek Catholic
Maronite
Melkite Greek Catholic
Mennonite
Methodist
Mexican National Catholic
Moravian
National Baptist
Nebraska Amish
Nestorians
Old Order Amish
Open Brethren
Oriental Orthodox
Orthodox Catholic
Palmarian Catholic
Polish National Catholic
Presbyterian
Primitive Methodist
Quaker (Friends)
Remnant
River Brethren
Roman Catholic
Romanian
Russian Byzantine Catholic
Russian Orthodox
Ruthenian Catholic
Salvationist
Seventh-day Adventist
Slovak Greek Catholic
Social Brethren
Southern Baptist
Southern Conservative
Spiritus Christi
Swartzendruber Amish
Syriac
Syro-Malabar
Syro-Malankara
Taborites
True Catholic
Ukrainian Greek Catholic
Unitarian
Utaquists
Waldensians
Wycliffites
Many of those I have never heard of, yet there are over
40,000 different forms of ‘’Christianity”. Is that mind boggling to you too,
because it sure is to me?
What have we done? We have turned aside from hearing the
truth and wandered off into myths and man-made fiction. We are in a time where
very few of us stand on solid ground. We have failed in so many ways. So many
awful ways, yet we’re not left without hope. God doesn’t give up easily on us
humans and His anger is slow coming. He is patient beyond words and loving
beyond anyone else.
So who am I? Who are you? What religion do I follow and what
religion do you follow? I am just a follower of Christ, a beloved child of the
Creator of the Universe, and one that followers His Holy word and His Holy word
alone. I surly don’t have everything figured out, but this I know to be true! I
will not make my own religion, nor follow another’s. What He says is what it
shall be… not what I want, and not want anyone else wants. Why would we want to
step away from the very best thing we can ever be given and follow after some
man’s tradition?
Be careful with what you hear and what you see. We have been
bounded with false traditions and false teachings. The truth is easy to find,
but hidden behind our own selfishness and laziness. Study the Holy Word
yourself and do not be afraid to ask questions. Pray for guidance and wisdom
and it will be given to you. Seek it, seek truth, and most importantly seek
Him.
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
~Jeremiah 29:13
