Non-Denominational Church: Meaning and Beliefs

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman

Non-denominational churches represent a unique and increasingly popular segment of the Christian faith. The percentage of people attending a non-denominational church in recent years, particularly in the United States, has been remarkable, with these believers now forming an impressive percentage of Protestant American Christians.

In this article, I’ll explain the definition and history of non-denominational Christianity, examining its origins, distinguishing characteristics, and ongoing influence within the broader landscape of Protestantism.

What Is a Non-Denominational Church?

A denomination is a religious group within Christianity that includes multiple congregations aligned with each other. Denominations are defined by such characteristics as their moniker, history, founder, form of organization, theological doctrines, and worship style. In this sense, a Methodist from Colorado should be able to visit a Methodist church in Maine and find a familiar setting in which to worship.

Non-denominational Christianity, then, is simply a branch of the Christian church which does not officially associate itself with established denominations, including all Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox forms. It is a rapidly growing movement. According to an article by Daniel Silliman, people calling themselves non-denominational Christians are currently the largest segment of Protestants in America.

How different are non-denominational churches compared to the denominations from which they distance themselves? The first thing to know about non-denominational churches is that each sees itself as autonomous. In other words, its members govern the church rather than an overarching denominational government, as in most Protestant and Catholic churches. This non-denominational form of organization is known as congregational polity.

History of the Non-Denominational Church

In terms of history, the non-denominational church has its roots in the 18th and 19th centuries in the United States. This makes sense, in that this country has always emphasized individualism at the expense of communalism, embracing a self-governing ideal. To understand the origins of this type of church, though, we need to understand the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement.

Between the 1730s and the 1770s, a Protestant renewal of religious fervor known as the First Great Awakening happened in the American colonies, as well as England, Scotland, and Germany. In many ways, this movement was a reaction to the principles of reason and science emphasized by the Enlightenment.

Fearing that these principles would all but erase the ideals and beliefs of faith, charismatic preachers crisscrossed the country, preaching in churches and open-air meetings about the necessity of faith and the consequences of abandoning it. One of the most famous of these preachers was Jonathan Edwards, a Connecticut theologian who summed up his theological  principles in the title of his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

The fervor of the First Great Awakening faded with time, but there was a Second Great Awakening between 1790 and 1840 which would reignite it and establish the movement of non-denominational churches. Two groups, acting independently, came to many of the same theological conclusions about the foundation of this movement.

The first group was led by Barton Stone, a Presbyterian minister who struck out on his own after doctrinal disagreements with members of his church. His group merely called themselves “Christians.” The second was led by Thomas Campbell, also a former Presbyterian minister who began operating independently for similar reasons. Campbell’s group called themselves “Disciples of Christ.”

Like many religious movements, both groups involved in what came to be known as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement sought to get back to an imagined ideal church depicted in the Bible. They believed that all creeds, as used by other denominations, kept Christians divided, while a true church should unite all Christians. In 1832, Stone and Campbell joined their movements.

Interestingly, for a group so against creeds, there were fundamental principles this group insisted on that sounded a lot like a creed. These included the belief that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God, that members should partake in the Lord’s Supper or Communion on the first day of every week, and that adults (not infants) should be baptized by immersion.

While these may seem like very basic conditions, the movement would nevertheless later fracture into many groups. However, it’s important to note that all of these groups fell clearly within the scope of modern Evangelical Christianity.

Features of Non-Denominational Churches

As I said before, non-denominational churches do not officially align themselves with any established denominations, although all are distinctly Protestant. In addition, a great number of denominational churches would agree with the principles outlined above. In fact, most non-denominational churches are aligned with broader Protestant Christian movements. They generally insist on the total authority of the Bible, for example, and claim that their church emphasizes only what all true Christians have in common rather than what divides them.

So how are non-denominational churches different from others? Interestingly, most align themselves with other non-denominational churches, both in principle and practice, often even naming their traditions. This blurs the lines between what is a denomination and what isn’t. Some of these families of churches, according to a 2015 Pew Research Study, call themselves non-denominational evangelical, some call themselves non-denominational fundamentalist, and others non-denominational Charismatic. It’s sometimes hard to know, for this reason, which of these is closely aligned with the others and which are truly distinct on an individual basis beyond the name.

In his book Dieu XXL (God XXL), Sébastien Fath writes that the vast majority of megachurches are non-denominational. Megachurches are modern churches characterized by massive congregations, usually 2,000 or more people attending each weekend, according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, and lavish buildings reflecting the sizable donations of congregants and other large donors.

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Although non-denominational churches are technically not affiliated with particular denominations, seeing themselves as largely autonomous, according to Ed Stetzer, the majority of them are quite similar to all Evangelical and/or Pentecostal churches. Again, we see that those who call themselves non-denominational fall generally within a narrow band of Protestant churches, no matter what other names they may give themselves.

Additionally, political scientist and statistician Ryan Burge writes that, according to the title of his article, “Nondenominational Protestants Are Basically Southern Baptists (With a Few Caveats)”. Burge outlines the few differences between the two:

By the way, here is a directory of non-denominational churches in the United States.

Criticism of Non-Denominational Churches

Despite the popularity of non-denominational churches, as evidenced by rapidly growing megachurches, many have criticized them for various reasons. For example, in Theology in Service to the Church : Global and Ecumenical Perspectives, Presbyterian theologian Amy Plantinga Pauw writes that non-denominational churches “often seem to lack any acknowledgement of their debts and ties to larger church traditions.” She also writes that "for now, these non-denominational churches are living off the theological capital of more established Christian communities, including those of denominational Protestantism."

Furthermore, in his book Ecumenism Means You, Too: Ordinary Christians and the Quest for Christian Unity, Steven Harmon writes that those Christians defining themselves as non-denominational ignore some of the facts by which they do align with established denominations:

Finally, referring to recent sex abuse scandals in non-denominational churches, Elle Hardy writes that because nondenominational churches have no hierarchy or overarching authority to answer to, pastors with authoritarian personalities are often able to exert power and control over their congregants. Hardy quotes scholar Matthew Taylor as saying that because there is little to no accountability, pastors "who are more megalomaniacal and authoritarian in their personality” are often drawn to non-denominational churches, a fact borne out by recent scandals.

Conclusion: What Is a Non-Denominational Church?

Non-denominational churches began as a movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Two former Presbyterian pastors started independent churches and eventually came together, forming a movement now known as the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement and corresponding with the Second Great Awakening in the United States.

Despite their claim to independence and self-governance, these churches definitely have their roots in Evangelical Protestantism. A recent study has shown that non-denominational Christians are the largest segment of Protestant Christians in the United States, and many of their gathering places are vast megachurches.

However, these churches are not without their detractors. Some argue that non-denominational churches owe an unacknowledged theological and doctrinal debt to denominations that came before them. Others have noted that no matter what they call themselves, their doctrinal and worship choices place them firmly within a tradition, perhaps even Southern Baptist traditions, according to one scholar.

Finally, the lack of hierarchy may make these churches appealing to authoritarian pastors, some of whom have taken advantage of this lack of accountability to abuse their congregants, creating scandals within their congregations.