Nondenominational

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Acts 17:11 (NIV)

Along my life journey, I have worshipped and served with believers of different denominations and belief systems. Growing up, I observed that people within denominations often siloed themselves as if theirs was the only one that had it right. In the city of Des Moines, where I grew up, the churches had a reputation of refusing to work together. Billy Graham only came to Des Moines once for this very reason.

When I was young, I learned a quote from St. Augustine:

“In the essentials, unity. In the non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity.”

I let this rule of thought guide me throughout my spiritual journey. I also embraced the Apostles’ Creed which says “I believe in the holy catholic Church.” So, when I was offered the opportunity to pastor a Quaker church I took it with the full acknowledgment that I didn’t fully agree with Quaker theology in some of the “non-essentials” but would respect their teaching. Looking back, I learned a lot from my Quaker brothers and sisters, and I hope they learned a few things from me. It was a great experience.

At the same time, in every denomination I experienced, I found individuals who put the “non-essentials” ahead of the “essential.” They appeared to be more loyal to their denomination than they were to Jesus. I remember one man who practically had his denomination’s Book of Church Order memorized and would quote it regularly, but I don’t think he ever opened his Bible.

In today’s chapter, Paul continues his second missionary journey in Greece. The thing that struck me as I meditated on his experiences in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens was the diverse audiences to which Paul appealed and the diverse reactions. Paul won many converts, but many were offended that Paul was messing with their comfortable, traditional belief system. I’ve observed that individuals who have their “essentials” and “non-essentials” mixed up are those who have the most powerfully negative emotional reactions to any kind of change in their belief system.

I love the fact that Paul and his companions were taking Jesus’ Message to both the Jewish synagogues, but also the local Greek thought centers. They didn’t discriminate. They wanted everyone to hear Jesus’ Message. I love that the exploding Jesus Movement is attracting people of every stripe, culture, nation, and background. Yet, even within synagogues in different towns, they had tremendously diverse reactions from the closed-minded individuals who rioted in Thessalonica to the open-minded congregation in Berea who carefully considered the Message and searched the scriptures to see if it was true.

In the quiet this morning, I’m mindful of all my experiences in various denominations. I get why denominations exist, and I understand human feelings of loyalty and community. At the same time, the notion of denominations does not exist anywhere in the Great Story. In the end, it simply says that God’s Kingdom will be filled with people of every language, tribe, people, and nation. As Jesus taught His followers to pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth” I’ve always embraced the notion that I want my earthly journey to experience a little bit of heaven described in Revelation, in which I experience worship and unity with all believers not just the ones in my silo.