…it’s what I’m for.

I’ve decided that denominations are a good thing – mostly. When they directly describe a confessional or creedal standpoint, they’re great. However, when they become a point to divide Christians over, they’re bad. Very bad.

I’m a baptist because I believe that only true believers in Christ should be baptised. I’m reformed because I believe that the entire point of being a Christian is to become more like Christ – to be reformed to His perfect mold. And I’m independent because I think a better association for churches is for them to be autonomous units fighting Satan in this world; they can (and should, maybe even must) work towards that goal in a combined fashion, and should (perhaps must) build relationships and fellowship with other Christians in other churches in both their own and other areas of the world.

Any time I can join another Christian in doing good or promoting the gospel, I will try my best to do so. Where we do not disagree on fundamental issues of doctrine and belief, I will try to both learn from them and show them my views as backed-up by the Bible. When they are promoting a heresy, I will do my best to call them to the floor, and show them their error – and if they won’t listen to words of Christ and the rest of the Holy Bible, I will do my best to ignore them and stop fighting – I’ll let the Holy Spirit do His work in them, if He wills. But when our disagreements are on trivial, non-moral (or non-primary) issues, I will work with them to reach the lost, and to grow in my walk with Christ.

Drawing lines of battle over whether or not I’ll even speak to you because you’re a Presbyterian and I’m a Baptist, or you’re a Southern Baptist and not Reformed – that’s just idiotic. We’re in this fight together. Where we can’t reach agreement, I will attempt to pass peacefully by. But in those vast swaths where we do agree, that denominational title hanging over our heads just gets in the way of fellowshipping and accomplishing Christ’s work on earth.