What Do You Believe?

I recently had a conversation with a lady who's very involved with her church.  She said it was a non-denominational church that "believes what the Bible teaches."  She also said that her church baptizes infants.

At that point, my curiosity was piqued.  Most non-denominational churches don't believe in infant baptism and only practice believer's baptism.

I was right to be confused.  I discovered that her church is: 1) part of a major Pentecostal denomination, and 2) most certainly doesn't practice infant baptism.  

This isn't the first time I've encountered a person who's unaware of his or her church's beliefs and practices.  

When I was young, I went to a Baptist church.  While in college, I met passionate Christians from many denominations.  I was confused and bothered by their various beliefs, and I spent years reading and researching both the Bible and church history.

I'm now "invested" in my faith, some would say "to a fault."  But I don't care, because faith is given by God and His Word, not by my own ability.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith - Philippians 3:8–9

When I hear people "get their denomination wrong" or meet people who belong to a non-denominational church (What does that even mean?)...I think of Martin Luther's preface to Luther's Small Catechism:

The common person...has no knowledge whatever of Christian doctrine.  And unfortunately, many pastors are completely unable and unqualified to teach...Yet everyone says that they are Christians, have been baptized, and receive the holy Sacraments...

To belong to a denomination means that the church is, in some way, accountable to a higher authority, both in leadership and in beliefs.  When a church isn't accountable, that's a church that's open to following anyone and believing anything and everything.  

My encounter with this lady is proof that belonging to a denominational church doesn't guarantee that one knows what his church believes or what he, the individual, believes.

And that's our culture.  Practically everyone I meet has, at some point in life, been involved in a church, has a belief in God, and has a personal set of convictions about faith.

But I can't be naive in thinking that someone who's involved in a church, someone who wears the name "Christian" actually knows and understands the gospel.  Martin Luther's words ring true.

Even with the abundance of Christian churches, Christian books, Bible teachers, and all the other Christian materials available, the gospel gets missed.  All the more reason to...

...preach the word; be ready in season and out of season...For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  2 Timothy 4:2–4  

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  1 Corinthians 2:2