Is It Possible To Be Just A Christian Without Being A Member Of A Denomination?

The common thought is that if you are a member of any church, then you must be a member of a denomination. This is not true. It is possible to be just a Christian without being a member of a denomination?

Read the New Testament. During the first century A.D., when the events of the New Testament were taking place, there were not a bunch of various denominations. There were Christians in various locations/homes (Rome built churches). In their own locations, they would meet with other Christians in order to carry out work that God desired for them to do together. But when one became a Christian, he or she did not have to become anything else. A Christian was just that (Acts 11:26), and there is nothing in the Bible to support the idea of joining a denomination! In fact, God directly spoke against fragmenting off into various groups and identifying with certain creeds or men. By inspiration, the apostle Paul wrote:

"Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).

Christians at Corinth were beginning to divide (denominate) themselves and call themselves after men (man made religion). This was expressly forbidden. Why should we think it any different today?

Denominationalism is based upon division, and is therefore not what God designed. God designed a simple plan, wherein there would be "one body" (universally) and "one faith" (Ephesians 4:1-6). When we divide ourselves by men and doctrines into differing religious bodies with differing "faiths," we are not honoring God’s plan for His people, the church. This is why we must oppose denominationalism.


Religion is man made, leave religion & find God. It's within you not in some building built by hands.