Should The Lack of Oversight in Non-Denominational Churches Concern us?
I’d like to visit a denominational church such as a PCA church or an Anglican Church – both Protestant churches. We go to a bible teaching church right now but for some reason I’m concerned about non-denominational churches not having oversight or connected to a larger church body for direction. I understand having elders but just feel having a mothership if you will church with layers may be better. If we go to a bible teaching church now, perhaps I should be grateful even with my doubts of non-denominational?
Further to my question about possibly leaving a non-denominational church (albeit scripture taught) and looking at a conservative Protestant church like the PCA or Anglican think institutional unity is important. Ultimately my unity lies in Jesus and his followers as a whole but is there something important scripturally about having an earthly unified church. Is there something scripturally important or pointed about being with believers in a unified earthly church setting? On one hand every few years there occurs a split and is self perpetuating when they don’t agree then just split even though they yearn for unity.
Excerpt From The Answer
Reading about the history of the Great Schism – Protestant Reformation, Anabaptist, Anglicans, Calvinism, Lutheranism, Presbyterians, Methodists… take your pick, the number of disagreements, councils, fights, splits… would be funny if not so tragic. Historically, the fights and splits tended to be heresies and doctrinal issues, mode of baptism, but ordination of women, ordination of gay men (Episcopal), then of course, LGBTQ and how denominations embrace this… Even in the best of circumstances, church splits have a context. The conflict or controversy comes to a head, positions are presented, argued, and division occurs. Every fight has a constituency and people follow. And since we are all sinners, our blind spots are overlooked.
Not to sound defeatist, but denominations like the PCA or Anglican or Baptist are also filled with conflicts. Just survey any of the denominations you are interested in and you’ll find many ongoing disputes. Just because you have a session, presbyter, and general assembly does not guarantee better oversight. One could argue the more committees, the more opportunities for politics.
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