Which of the 30,000 Protestant denominations is the true church of God?
In order to argue against Protestantism and Sola Scriptura, Roman Catholics will often ask, sarcastically, that if we are to only go by what the Bible says, not church tradition, which of the 30,000-plus Protestant denominations has the correct interpretation? The argument is essentially that, since the Reformation has resulted in thousands of denominations/divisions within…
What is the institutional church?
An institution is an established public organization. The term institutional church refers to organized groups of professing Christians who meet in designated church buildings and follow prescribed schedules for weekly worship and teaching. Institutional churches often offer separate classes by age, such as nurseries for preschoolers and services for children and youth, in addition to…
What are the mainline denominations?
When people speak of “mainline denominations,” they are usually referring to the historic, established Protestant groups. In 2009, George Barna published a list of the churches that are commonly considered “mainline”: American Baptist Churches in the USA, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the United Methodist Church.…
What is a denomination?
In a religious context, the word denomination is often defined as “a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian church.” One denomination will include many local churches that are usually spread over a broad geographical region. At GotQuestions.org, we have many articles about denominations that you may find helpful: What are the most common denominations of…
What is pastoral theology?
Pastoral theology is the study of what the Bible says about the office of pastor/elder/bishop/overseer. It applies timeless biblical truth to situations faced every day in churches and is closely related to practical theology. Pastoral theology examines the issues and challenges associated with being a pastor and informs the relationship between a pastor and the…
Does a person have to attend church to go to heaven?
Salvation is found in Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God gave His Son so that we may have eternal life, thus destroying our need to perform good works, including going to…
What is a non-denominational church?
This question really has several answers, and they can be either simple or complex. The simplest answer is that a non-denominational church is any church which is not part of a larger denomination. A denomination is a church organization that exercises some sort of authority over the local churches that comprise it. Examples of denominations…
What does it mean that there is only one baptism (Ephesians 4:5)?
Ephesians 4:4-6 says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Since there are different “baptisms” referred to in the New Testament,…
What is Christian ministry?
“Ministry” is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve” or douleuo, meaning “to serve as a slave.” In the New Testament, ministry is seen as service to God and to other people in His name. Jesus provided the pattern for Christian ministry—He came, not to receive service, but to give it (see Matthew 20:28;…
What is the definition of ekklesia?
Understanding the definition of ekklesia (and its alternate spelling ecclesia) is an important component of understanding the church. Ekklesia is a Greek word defined as “a called-out assembly or congregation.” Ekklesia is commonly translated as “church” in the New Testament. For example, Acts 11:26 says that “Barnabas and Saul met with the church [ekklesia]” in…