The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland Tennessee (TN) and Bradley County Tennessee (Tn).





Of Bradley County Tn.


FEBRUARY  2007

                            The People News, a free newspaper serving Cleveland and Bradley County Tn.

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Denominationalism
"picking a denomination is no different than picking a car"

by Joe Kirkpatrick

God made each of us different - each of us unique in our own way. That is one thing I think most of you will agree with.

When I was five or six years old, I remember asking my mother "mama, why did God make so many different kinds of churches?" She laughed and replied, "because different people just think differently from each other."

Through the years, I still didn't really understand it. Why all these people who were supposed to be Christians were always arguing, debating, and sometimes even fighting over the beliefs of their particular denomination? Later in life, a rather simple explanation came to me concerning this rather complex problem.

I decided picking a denomination is no different than picking a car. Just like denominations, each car dealer will tell you why their cars are so much better than the other brands. Despite all of the different makes and models of cars, the one important thing you have to remember: no matter how luxurious it is, how sporty it is, or how loud it's sound system is, all cars have one primary purpose - to get you from point A to point B.

Looking at some of the doctrines and beliefs of different denominations, I

Joe Kirkpatrick

came up with a few comparisons:

Lets take a basic four door sedan, with roll up windows and no CD player. That is kind of like your Methodists and Baptists. Not a lot of frills, but just a good basic transportation.

How about a top of the line Cadillac or Lincoln Town Car? You get into one of those things, and you feel like you are in your grandmothers formal living room! You could say those cars are a lot like your Catholics and Episcopalians. They like a whole lot of formality in their church.

Some Christians want to "think outside the box" so to speak, and just need a gimmick to make them feel worthy. And let me say there is nothing wrong with that! They are kind of like people who are buying the new hybrid cars that run on half gas and half electricity. Those Christians that need a gimmick choose denominations like the Church of Christ, who don't have musical instruments in their church, or Seventh Day Adventist who worship on a different day than the others.

Some Christians like it fast and loud! Just like the little Hondas you see zipping around all over the place with loud mufflers and their sound system so loud you can hear them coming a mile away. You could not find a better comparison to that than the Pentecostal churches - they like it loud and fast!

Now some people are going to take offense to my way of thinking, much like they would probably take offense to anyone else's thinking that wasn't the same as theirs, and that is certainly their right. Just like with cars, if we were all alike, we would all still be driving black model T's like our ancestors did. God let us create denominations so each of us can fit in and worship him somewhere. But rather than arguing and bickering, take time to consider all Christian denominations have one basic purpose:

To take you from Point A to Point B, and that is the most important thing!
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