What is the Difference Between a Church and a Denomination?
When you think of church, a few different words might come to mind: faith, prayer, or even just God. But what about the word ‘denomination?’ It may be a new word to you, but if you’ve ever been to church, a denomination is likely something you’ve already encountered.
Definition of Church
Let’s start with the definition of the word, church. Most people can agree that a church is a place of worship, where a community of people come together around a core belief or set of beliefs to find connection and listen to teachings on subjects that align with those beliefs. Easy enough.
Definition of Denomination
A denomination, on the other hand, is the determination of what those beliefs are, almost like branches of the Christian faith. So, for example, the term ‘baptist’ refers to a group of churches that place a high importance on baptism by full immersion underwater. ‘Seven Day Adventists’ believe in taking a sabbath, or rest day, on Sunday of each week, and therefore have their services on a Saturday. ‘Pentecostal’ churches believe in the demonstrative power of the Holy Spirit, leaving room in their gatherings for miracles and prophecy, among other things. All of these sects, however, come under the ‘Christian‘ religion.
How it All Started
It can be confusing, and, fair enough, there are quite a lot of different beliefs out there, and it can be hard to figure out which one suits you best. So why did all this denominationalism start? Well, a highly notable event in history you may have heard about called the protestant reformation is a great example. It was the first time Christian ideals deviated from the Roman Catholic ideology and caused a split among believers, forcing them to define their interpretation of what scripture teaches. A man named Martin Luther led that schism, which is where we get the sect called ‘Lutherans.’
Types of Denomination
According to The World Christian Encyclopedia, there are currently 42,000 Christian denominations worldwide. That is a lot! Some of the most popular church denominations in Australia include The Catholic Church. They are the largest, with over 1.2 billion people subscribing to their teaching. After that, there are several protestant (meaning non-Catholic) denominations, including Eastern Orthodox (260 million members worldwide) and the Pentecostal Church (280 million members worldwide). Source: Pew Research Center, 2020.
Types of Churches
Within any one denomination, there can also be divisions of theology, creating yet another delineation in creeds. That is to say, just because a church declares itself to be a certain denomination doesn’t necessarily mean it agrees with all of its teachings. As an example, there are Spirit-filled Catholic churches, which are really more of a hybrid of Pentecostalism and Catholicism but would profess to align with the Catholic doctrine. (If these terms are confusing, we recommend checking out this article on religious organisations, which might help them make more sense.)
There are also variances between these sub-denominations. When an organization strives to unify its churches, this is commonly referred to as a ‘movement.’ The C3 movement, for example, is a group of churches worldwide that agree to uphold a set of doctrines and structures that create consistency in all the churches within the movement. Each church will have its own flavour, however, as an example, when you visit C3 Powerhouse on the Sunshine Coast, and C3 Los Angeles, you can expect the experiences to be similar.
Differences in Beliefs and Practices
If you’re feeling confused, don’t worry; you’re not alone. So how does one pick a denomination, or even a church, for that matter? The easiest way is to start visiting different churches; that’s the best way to figure out what each church believes. You will hear a church’s doctrines echoed in every part of their service, and it will be hard to miss. Also, read your Bible. Each denomination takes its approach from scripture. It will be hard for you to define what matters to you if you don’t know where the beliefs originate in the first place. And, of course, pray. As you visit different churches and start to make your mind up about what scripture teaches, the Lord will begin to give you a sense of where you fit.
Join Us on a Journey of Faith and Discovery at C3 Powerhouse
At C3 Powerhouse, what we believe is that Jesus Christ died for our sins and that the spirit of the Lord is alive and moving today. If you have questions about church, denominations, or even scripture, we’d love to get to know you and help get you started on your quest for truth. Our campuses are located on the Sunshine Coast, QLD and in Ringwood, Victoria. Hear our thoughts, ask questions, and, most importantly, meet Jesus. We can’t wait to see you.
