Nondenominational Christianity
 | This article does not have any sources. (August 2024) |
A Christian church that is non-denominational is one that is not affiliated with any of the official denominations or mainline churches, including the Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian, pentecost, Lutheran, or Presbyterian churches. Church denominations are more established groups of people who share a common identity, set of values, and customs. Whereas, non-denominational churches do not belong to or have formal affiliation with any one Christian denomination.
Within denominational churches, policies regarding membership, leadership roles, and doctrine may be established by the larger organization. Within non-denominational churches, individual churches make decisions regarding different aspects of church life. The second half of the 20th century saw the emergence of non-denominational churches. It was here in the United States that they initially began to appear, even though there are now many of them in several countries throughout the world.
A non-denominational church's founding motivations may vary depending on the unique circumstances and beliefs of its founders, but generally speaking, these churches were founded out of a need for independence and a desire to return to the core beliefs of Christianity found in the Bible, freed from the doctrinal and occasionally political ties that many long-standing denominational churches had amassed over the years.
The term "non-denominational" gained popularity in the United States in the late 20th century, although the idea of non-denominational churches originated in the 1800s with the Restoration Movement, which espoused "no creed but Christ." As it became more popular, people who wanted to escape the strict doctrines of mainline denominations began to follow it.