According to Clare Barron, Gabriel, Carol, and Kayden most likely attend a local community Evangelical (or interdenominational) church that offers contemporary worship services. You can learn more about what a Contemporary worship service might look like here, and more about local community churches in SE Washington here— but read on for more information on Evangelical protestant denominations, beliefs, and practices.
Evangelical Denominations
The easiest way to explain the differences between evangelicals and mainline Protestants is to start with evangelicals, because evangelicals have a clearer set of beliefs that distinguish them than mainline Protestants do. The term evangelical comes from the word “evangel” which is a word from in Greek from the New Testament that refers to the good news of Jesus Christ — that Jesus came to save humanity. And evangelicals have a particular take on the good news. That makes them distinctive from other Christians. It could be summarized, I think, with four cardinal beliefs that evangelicals tend to hold, at least officially.
- One belief is that the Bible is inerrant. It was without error in all of its claims about the nature of the world and the nature of God.
- A second belief is that the only way to salvation is through belief in Jesus Christ.
- A third belief, and one that is most well known, is the idea that individuals must accept salvation for themselves. They must become converted. Sometimes that’s referred to as a born-again experience, sometimes a little different language.
- The fourth cardinal belief of evangelicals is the need to proselytize, or in their case, to spread the evangel, to evangelize.
Now different members of the evangelical community have slightly different takes on those four cardinal beliefs. But what distinguishes the evangelicals from other Protestants and other Christians is these four central beliefs that set them apart.
We’ve assembled the following list of prominent Evangelical denominations, with a few words about what makes each distinct, below:
Baptist
“The Baptists comprise one of the largest and most diverse groupings of Christians in the United States… Baptists have insisted on freedom of thought and expression in pulpit and pew. They have insisted, too, on the absolute autonomy of the local congregation… Baptists are bound together by an amazingly strong ‘rope of sand’ in allegiance to certain principles and doctrines based generally on the competency of each individual in matters of faith.
While they differ in certain minor details, Baptists generally agree on the following principles of faith: the inspiration and trustworthiness of the Bible as the sole rule of life; the lordship of Jesus Christ; the inherent freedom of persons to approach God for themselves; the granting of salvation through faith by the way of grace and contact with the Holy Spirit…the church as a group of regenerated believers who are baptized upon confession of faith; infant baptism as unscriptural and not to be practiced…the need of redemption from sin; and the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom.”
(Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 12th Edition)
Churches of Christ
“We are undenominational and have no central headquarters or president. The head of the church is none other than Jesus Christ himself (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Each congregation of the churches of Christ is autonomous, and it is the Word of God that unites us into One Faith (Ephesians 4:3-6).
We follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and his holy Apostles, and not the teachings of man. We are Christians only!”
(Churches of Christ Website, http://www.church-of-christ.org)
Congregational/United Church of Christ
“The United Church of Christ came into being in 1957 with the union of two Protestant denominations: the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. Each of these was, in turn, the result of a union of two earlier traditions.
…The characteristics of the United Church of Christ can be summarized in part by the key words in the names that formed our union: Christian, Reformed, Congregational, Evangelical.
…We affirm that the authority of God as revealed in Jesus Christ and interpreted with the aid of the Holy Spirit stands above and judges all human culture, institutions and laws. But we recognize our calling both as individuals and as the church to live in the world:
– To proclaim in word and action the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
– To work for reconciliation and the unity of the broken Body of Christ.
– To seek justice and liberation for all.”
(Website of the United Church of Christ, http://www.ucc.org)
Assemblies of God
“The Assemblies of God is the world’s largest Pentecostal Protestant Christian denomination…
The Assemblies of God holds to a conservative Protestant theology expressed in the Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths, which emphasizes such core Pentecostal doctrines as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and faith healing.
Congregations are independent and autonomous from each other and the national headquarters; however only the national headquarters has authority to ordain ministers and revoke their credentials.”
(Official Website of the Assemblies of God, http://www.ag.org)
Church of God
“The church’s major doctrines blend many Protestant themes with those that are specifically Pentecostal: justification by faith, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, the need to be born again, fruitfulness in Christian living, and a strong interest in the pre-millennial Second Coming of Christ…
The Church of God professes reliance on the Bible ‘as a whole rightly divided rather than upon any written creed.’ It practices divine healing; condemns the use of alcohol and tobacco; opposes membership in secret societies; and accepts baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and foot washing as ordinances.”
(Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 12th Edition)
Pentecostal/Charismatic
“Pentecostalism is a modern American Christian movement that emerged out of the Holiness movement around the turn of the twentieth century.
There are a great variety of Pentecostal churches, most of which are theologically and socially conservative. In general, Pentecostals are in the evangelical tradition and teach that the Holy Spirit continues to act as it did at the first Pentecost. Teaching that contemporary Christians can receive the same spiritual gifts that the apostles did, many Pentecostal churches use the word apostolic in their names.
Seeking and receiving the gift of tongues is regarded as a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and in many Pentecostal churches this is a requirement for full discipleship. Other spiritual gifts, such as healing, love, joy, prophecy, and answers to prayer, also make up Pentecostals’ experience of God. Pentecostals are generally less bound to traditional forms of worship than are other churches, and many have adapted contemporary music for evangelistic purposes.”
(Handbook of Denominations in the United States)
Holiness/Holy Church
“The Holiness movement grew out of the Methodist Church beginning in the mid-nineteenth century… Holiness teaching generally rejects various forms of popular entertainment, such as dancing, movies, popular music, makeup, ornate clothing, gambling, drinking, and smoking. In many ways, the Holiness movement represents a countercultural movement in the U.S., but its adherents continue to live and work in the midst of the wider society.
Many Holiness churches use the word Apostolic in their names to emphasize their aim of returning to the life of the New Testament church, when the Holy Spirit was perceived to be particularly active. After 1900 many in the Holiness movement embraced further works of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in tongues and physical healing… Since the Holiness movement is focused more on lifestyle and an experience of conversion followed by sanctification, it is to be distinguished from the more doctrinally oriented fundamentalist movement.”
(Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 12th Edition)
Church of the Nazarene
“The Church of the Nazarene is a Protestant Christian church in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, tracing its roots to an anniversary date of 1908. It was founded to spread the message of scriptural holiness (Christlike living) across the lands. Today the Church of the Nazarene is located in 151 world areas.
The Church of the Nazarene is a Great Commission church. We believe that God offers to everyone forgiveness, peace, joy, purpose, love, meaning in life, and the promise of heaven when life is over by entering and experiencing a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We are called to take this message to people everywhere.
The Church of the Nazarene is also a holiness church.
We believe that Christians can experience a deeper level of life in which there is victory over sin, power to witness and serve, and a richer fellowship with God, all through the infilling of the Holy Spirit.”
(Official Site of the International Church of the Nazarene, http://www.nazarene.org)
Disciples of Christ
“The Mission of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): to be and to share the good news of Jesus Christ, witnessing, loving and serving from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.
Beliefs and practices usually associated with Disciples include:
Open Communion
Freedom of belief
Baptism by immersion
Belief in the oneness of the church
The ministry of believers”
(Website of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), http://www.disciples.org)
Church of the Brethren
“In the New Testament, the word ‘brethren’ describes a community of men and women who chose another way of living: the way of Jesus. The Church of the Brethren, begun nearly three centuries ago in Germany, still draws people who want to continue Jesus’ work of faithfulness and loving service…
The central emphasis of the Church of the Brethren is not a creed, but a commitment to follow Christ in simple obedience, to be faithful disciples in the modern world. As do most other Christians, the Brethren believe in God as Creator and loving Sustainer. We confess the Lordship of Christ, and we seek to be guided by the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life, thought, and mission…
For guidance, Brethren look to the scriptures rather than to doctrine. Our faith emphasizes compassion, peacemaking, and simplicity. We baptize those who seek to follow Jesus; we anoint for healing; and in our love feast we re-enact the Last Supper, at which Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and offered the bread and cup of communion.”
(The Official Homepage of the Church of the Brethren, http://www.brethren.org)
Christian Reform Church
“The Christian Reformed Church in North America is a group of nearly a thousand Protestant churches in the United States and Canada. Members of our churches confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior…
The CRC has its family roots in the Reformation of the sixteenth century. Along with the other Protestant churches that emerged out of the Reformation, we believe that we cannot earn our salvation through good works. We also believe-together with John Calvin, one of the leaders of the Reformation-that the Scriptures are the guide by which we evaluate our practices as Christians. So we call ourselves not only ‘Protestant’ and ‘Reformed’ but also ‘Calvinist’.”
(Website of the Christian Reformed Church, http://www.crcna.org)
Independent Christian Church
“The Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ are a part of the Restoration Movement and are in the theological middle ground between the Disciples of Christ and the Church of Christ (non-instrumental).
These churches are best defined as those in the Restoration Movement who have chosen not to be identified with the denomination styled as The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The main difference from the nondenominational churches of Christ is their use of instrumental music…
Because the Independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ are independent congregations there is no set creed, but The Directory of the Ministry contains the following general description:
‘Members of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ believe in the deity and Lordship of Jesus Christ, the inspiration of the Bible, and the autonomy of local congregations. Following the basic principles of the ‘Restoration Movement,’ they accept and teach believers’ baptism (immersion) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins; they assemble for worship on the first day of the week, making the observance of the Lord’s Supper a focal point in such worship. They seek the unity of all believers on the basis of faith in and obedience to Christ as the divine Son of God and the acceptance of the Bible particularly the New Testament as their all-sufficient rule of faith and practice.'”
Protestant Mainline Denominations
Mainline Protestants have a different perspective. They have a more modernist theology. So, for instance, they would read the Bible, not as the inerrant word of God, but as a historical document, which has God’s word in it and a lot of very important truths, but that needs to be interpreted in every age by individuals of that time and that place.
Mainline Protestants tend to also believe that Jesus is the way to salvation. But many mainline Protestants would believe that perhaps there are other ways to salvation as well. People in other religious traditions, even outside of Christianity, may have access to God’s grace and to salvation as well, on their own terms, and through their own means.
Mainline Protestants are much less concerned with personal conversion. Although they do talk about spiritual transformation, they’ll often discuss a spiritual journey from one’s youth to old age, leading on into eternity. So there is a sense of transformation, but there isn’t that emphasis on conversion — on that one moment or series of moments in which one’s life is dramatically changed.
Mainline Protestants don’t discount conversion, but they simply don’t regard it as a central feature of their beliefs. Finally, mainline Protestants are somewhat less concerned with proselytizing than evangelicals. Certainly, proselytizing is something they believe in. They believe in sharing their beliefs with others, but not for the purposes of conversion necessarily. The idea of spreading the word in the mainline tradition is much broader than simply preaching the good news. It also involves economic development. It involves personal assistance, charity, a whole number of other activities.
We’ve assembled the following list of prominent Mainline Protestant denominations, with a few words about what makes each distinct, below:
Lutheran
“Lutheranism retains much of the tradition of the ancient and medieval church, including a sense of participation in the historic people of God and in the traditional liturgy, revised to accord with Protestant bilblecism. Lutherans are devoted to sound doctrine systematically developed and expressed in thoughtful preaching…
Faith, for Lutherans, is not subscription to the dictates of the church, but ‘the heart’s utter trust’ in Christ. ‘The just shall live by faith’ was the beginning and the end of Luther’s thought…
All the churches represent a single type of Protestant Christianity built on Luther’s principle of justification by faith alone. Lutherans maintain that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the rule and standard of faith and practice.”
(Handbook of Denominations in the United States, 12th Edition)
Methodist / Wesleyan
“As United Methodists, we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church’s life and witness. To fulfill this obligation, we reflect critically on our biblical and theological inheritance, striving to express faithfully the witness we make in our own time.
Two considerations are central to this endeavor: the sources from which we derive our theological affirmations and the criteria by which we assess the adequacy of our understanding and witness.
Wesley believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in Scripture, illumined by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason.”
(Website of the United Methodist Church, http://www.umc.org)
Presbyterian
“Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation. Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with the French lawyer John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him…
Presbyterians are distinctive in two major ways: they adhere to a pattern of religious thought known as Reformed theology and a form of government that stresses the active, representational leadership of both ministers and church members.
Some of the principles articulated by John Calvin remain at the core of Presbyterian beliefs. Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of the scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers.”
(Website of the Presbyterian Church USA, http://www.pcusa.org)
Episcopalian/Anglican
“The Episcopal Church and its offshoots trace their origins to the Church of England (the Anglican Church), which severed allegiance to the papacy during the Protestant Reformation…
Two sacraments, baptism and the Eucharist, are recognized by Episcopal churches as ‘certain sure witnesses and effectual agencies of God’s love and grace.’ Baptism by any church in the name of the Trinity is recognized as valid.
Without defining the holy mystery, the Episcopal Church believes in the real presence of Christ in the elements of the Eucharist. The church also recognizes a sacramental character in confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and the anointing of the sick.”
(Handbook of American Denominations, 12th Edition)
This post was compiled with information from the Handbook of Denominations in the United States, the “American Religious Identification Survey” conducted by The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and a 2004 PBS interview with theologian John C. Green, author of Religion and the Culture Wars.
Source Links: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/interviews/green.html , http://undergod.procon.org/view.background-resource.php?resourceID=000087
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