What non-denominational Christians believe, and how they worship

What non-denominational Christians believe

A non-denominational church is one that is not part of any denomination: it owns its building, writes its own statement of faith, chooses its own leaders and answers to no outside body. There is no single non-denominational creed, so the only reliable way to know what a particular church believes is to read its statement of faith, which nearly all post online. Still, the great majority of independent churches in Canada are evangelical, and their statements say very similar things.

A typical statement confesses that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative (and usually inerrant) Word of God; that there is one God in three Persons; that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, that he died as a substitute for sinners and rose bodily; that people are saved by grace alone through faith alone and are born again by the Holy Spirit; that the church is the body of all true believers; and that Christ will return. Most practise believer’s baptism by immersion and see baptism and the Lord’s Supper as ordinances — acts of obedience that picture grace rather than convey it. Many statements are deliberately brief on debated matters such as predestination, the gifts of the Spirit and the details of the end times, so that Christians who differ on those points can worship together. In this sense the “non-denominational” label is often less a rejection of denominations than an attempt to focus on what evangelical Christians hold in common.

Some independent churches carry a specific heritage without a denominational name. Christian Brethren assemblies, often called Gospel Chapels or Bible Chapels, have been independent by conviction since the 1800s and share the Lord’s Supper weekly. Others belong to loose networks such as Acts 29, Calvary Chapel or the Fellowship of Christian Assemblies, which provide training and fellowship without governing the church. And many “community churches” are in fact members of a denomination that simply is not in the name; a look at the church’s “about” page usually settles it.

Worship: what a service is like

Because each church sets its own pattern, services vary, but a common shape has emerged. Most begin with twenty to thirty minutes of sung worship led by a band — guitars, keyboard, drums, a few vocalists — with lyrics on screens; the songs are largely from the last twenty years. There is a welcome, announcements and often a video, prayer, and an offering. Children usually leave for their own program before the sermon, which is the centrepiece: thirty to forty-five minutes, typically in a series through a book of the Bible or a life theme. Communion is monthly in most churches and open to all believers; baptisms by immersion happen a few times a year, with testimonies. Dress is casual, and the building may be a former warehouse, a school gym or a rented theatre as easily as a traditional church. Midweek small groups in homes are often described as the real heart of the church’s life.

How non-denominational churches are organized

Most independent churches are led by a lead or senior pastor together with a board of elders, sometimes with deacons who look after practical needs; some are governed by the congregation as a whole. Members are usually received after a membership class and a statement of personal faith. Legally the church is a registered charity with its own constitution and bylaws, and many belong to the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities for financial accountability. Without a denomination, the church selects and trains its own pastors (often trained at evangelical schools such as Heritage in Cambridge or Tyndale in Toronto) and handles disputes and discipline internally. Independence gives flexibility and a strong local identity; it also means the character of the church depends heavily on the wisdom and integrity of its elders.

Compared with Reformed churches

Non-denominational and Reformed Christians share the authority of Scripture, the gospel of grace received by faith, the centrality of preaching and the expectation that members will live out their faith. A visitor from a community church would recognize the Bible-centred sermon in a Canadian Reformed service and the seriousness with which the congregation listens.

The differences are largely about form and connection. Reformed churches belong to a federation: each consistory sends delegates to classis and synod, and office-bearers subscribe to the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dort), so what the church believes is spelled out in detail and shared with sister churches around the world. The service follows a set liturgy of votum, greeting, the Ten Commandments or Creed, congregational prayer, Scripture, sermon and blessing; the congregation sings Psalms to Genevan tunes with organ rather than a band; and there are two services every Sunday, one preaching through the Heidelberg Catechism. Reformed churches baptize the infants of believers as members of God’s covenant, and children make public profession of faith when they are older. If you have never been to a Reformed service, the local Canadian Reformed church would be glad to have you.

Further reading

• Evangelical Fellowship of Canada: Statement of Faith — the shared core of Canadian evangelical belief
• The Lausanne Covenant — a widely used statement of evangelical conviction
• Canadian Centre for Christian Charities — accountability standards for independent churches