The Apostle Paul refers to "faithful sayings, worthy of acceptance" even in the first century (1st Tim 1:15, 4:9, 2 Tim 2:11, Titus 3:8). These in fact were the earliest creeds! Simple summary statements of the Christian faith.

Back when we were having ecumenical meetings of local Christian clergy at each others' churches in my little town, on one occasion when they met in our fellowship hall one Friday morning I remember well, one of the ministers was bragging about the "liberty" he and his church enjoyed as a "non-denominational" church. He was running down denominations as "divisive, sectarian, narrow-minded," etc.

It made me angry, I admit, even though I'm not a minister. I was just serving the donuts. But I couldn't stop myself, having just recently wrestled with and settled this issue for myself.

"Brother Joe here is a Lutheran (LCMS). I can call him 'brother' because I know what Lutherans believe. Jim here is a Presbyterian. I can call him 'brother' too because I know what Presbyterians believe. But you? I haven't got a clue what you believe. For all I know you could be a Deist, a cult leader, or who knows what. And you've got the gall to sit here in my fellowship hall eating my donuts and enjoying the hospitality of my Baptist church while railing against denominations and bragging that you can't even tell us what you believe and who you are accountable to other than God? Get out of my fellowship hall, you pea-wit!"

My pastor and a few others stood to their feet and applauded! I thought they would have apologized for my rudeness and told me to go home... but instead they stood along side me and dismissed the pea-wit. It sure surprised the heck out of me, since these meetings were supposed to be an attempt at "unity."

Denominations serve a vital purpose, and in areas where they agree, they can enjoy sweet fellowship and achieve great things together in cooperative efforts in a community. Most of the churches in our little confab even supported the same missionaries!

But the Confessing denominations - those which are bound to a Confession or Creed or Statement of Faith - offer a sense of security to members because they must adhere to that confession and are held accountable to it. So-called "Independent" churches offer no such stability, no accountability, and no defense against heresy.

-R