How do we overcome racial division in the church?  Why are there "white churches" and "black churches"?
967166
Some people don't know any better. At Acts 10:34, Peter said: "For a certainty I preceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him." Among true Christians, race does not matter.
638907
I am excited for you!  God has put a burning question in your heart that most Christians don't even consider, which happens to be one of the reasons why Christianity is in its current divided state.\n\nThere's so many directions I could go with this...but I think I'm going to try to keep it short and sweet.  Here's the main verse:\n\n"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)\n\nThe soul is our thinking, emotional self-awareness; our mind.  The Spirit is as the body is to the physical realm; it is our spiritual extension and ***what receives messages from God.***  When we are "born again" it becomes alive -- and the good news is it's perfect!  See I Peter 1:23.  So it hears from God perfectly.\n\nThe soul has a problem called the carnal mind, which is "enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."  Paul right here is saying the Bible is crucial in telling the difference, able to divide between the two.\n\nSo like you said, we're dodging voices and we want Truth.  The Bible is crucial in this.\n\nSecondly, in John chapters 14-16, he describes the Holy Ghost as the "teacher."  Understanding the scriptures properly is necessary; else we are flailing this "sword" around in the dark.  This is where prayer comes in.  Pray for God to open up His Bible to you through the Holy Spirit.  Do so in faith.  See Matthew 7:9.  \n\nGetting to know His voice is a process and often trial and error.  Over time you recognize it and lean on it.  Let this goal be your prayer, and God will honor it!
944086
the reasone their is one denomination or another is because most people leave whatever church and start another with a more emphasis on whatever issue they had before.  The message is the same or should be.  God has those that belong to him and he will not lose no one!  Which means they will find their true path in christ.
550873
It probably means that a church is being split into two different groups or sides with no middle ground.  For example, the church members may be extremely liberal or extremely conservative with no members that fall in between.  I'm just guessing, though.
430286
cutetrio2002,\n\nMy father was a Southern Baptist minister, so I know some of the history of the Baptists. The Baptists originated in Germany where they were called Anabaptists. In America, the Baptists were all one group until the time of the Civil War when they split over the slavery issue. Today there are several types of Baptists, but mainly the same 2 groups who split over slavery. Obviously the Southern Baptists supported slavery while the American Baptists in the north opposed it. I have heard of Conservative Baptists, and I seem to remember some others, but I don’t remember their names. While there are black churches that are affiliated with the Southern Baptists, they are often called Missionary Baptist churches.\n\nAll Baptists believe similarly. By the way, I believe that Southern Baptists still have the largest foreign missionary program of any denomination. I trust this will help.\n\nGod bless.\n\ncutetrio2002,\n\nI add this note for vangyblue from Wikipedia:\n\nSeveral existing denominational bodies may be legitimately regarded as the successors of the Continental (European) Anabaptists — Amish, Baptists, Brethren, Hutterites, Mennonites, Bruderhof Communities and Quakers.\n\nI don't want to argue. I just thought that you might like to know.\n\nGod bless.
503944
lol,,,,it's that doctrine of men thing.  Jesus said it best Himself when He said, "Ye think that I bring peace?,...Nay , but division."  The Word denomination means division.  Gods WORD tells us all about these divisions within and He tells us who He is pleased with and who He's not pleased with.  Problem is that people that call themselves Christian listen to a man that's a hireling,..paid to preach,..and they don't really get many truth from a man.  IF they were to lay aside all the traditions of men and throw out all the doctrines that men bring in those buildings that they call churches and really get into the WORD of God there would be no arguing between them.  In Revelation 1:20 God tells us that the churches are the candlesticks.  In chapt 2 God tells us out of seven "types" of churches, He is only pleased with two, Smyrna and Philidelphia...for what they taught and the fact that they did not leave their FIRST LOVE (Jesus and The WORD) as the others had.  In Revelation 11 you'll see that only the two that God is pleased with remain standing in the end.
1163121
The church I attend is more like a family in that we make it a point to be involved in each others lives.  We "deal with" the good, bad, and ugly (so to speak).  My wife and a good friend started a clothing ministry which provides clothing to the needy.  We are also working with recent African refugees that escaped the killings in their country and are now lost in this one.\n\nI personally am always looking for ways to help others.\n\nBy the way, this church "family" has a lot of us who are going on a motorcycle ride after church today as it is "Biker Weekend" here.\n\nCome visit if you're ever in town.
633744
Simple answer:\n\nThere are 2 categories that divide the Church.\n1. Theological doctrines.\n2. Church related topics.\n\nTheological doctrines break down into two categories: Essential and non-essential. Essential doctrines are those doctrines that are necessary for a person's salvation, non-essential doctrines are anything else.\n\nChurch related topics include anything from what type of music to play in the church and what instruments one's should use, to how many times the congretions should stand during service and at what time.\n\nThe true Church, and I'm referring to Evangelicals, aren't divided as to essential doctrines. Each denomination uses the Bible alone as their guide and each believe in the same doctrines for salvation.\n\nThere are a bunch of non-essential issues though. These include how to interpret obscure Bible passages.\n\nThere is not much that divides the Evangelical church that shouldn't, and not much that doesn't that should. Aside from petty Church related topics like wallpaper and hymn lineups.\n\nBut if I had to decide, I'd have to say the issues that Evangelicals have been arguing over lately that we shouldn't be are: \n-The definition of hell and whether you are tormented forever or get anihilated\n-The rapture\n-Baptism and whether or not it is necessary for salvation\n-pornography and masturbation and whether or not it is wrong\n-Holiness and whether or not we should actively participate in it or are just supposed to let God do all the work\n\nAside from that the real problems only start to surface when you start comparing the Evangelical Church to the Roman Catholic Church, or Jehovah's Witness Church, or the Mormon Church. At this point each of these Churches are divided on Essential issues that relate to salvation. \n\nI hope this answered your questions and helps.
496950
There are multitudinous denominations, many of which have long since run their course and died out. After all, how many Puritains do you know today?\n\nGiven the inclinations of human nature, it is theoretically possible to posit an argument that there are as many "denominations" of Christianity as there are Christians. Yes, belief in the divinity of Christ is the central premise of all strains of Christianity, but beyond this, beliefs and values can differ widely. Look at the difference between Baptists and Congregationalists, for example. Within your own church, no doubt you know people who have very different personal values from your own: does that somehow invalidate their belief in Christ?\n\nGiven that the scriptures talk of our personal relationship with Christ, I think it is fair to say that the church is less a building or organization than a structure of faith within our hearts and spirits. Thus, as many Christians as there are, that is as many denominations as you might find.\n\nPeace!
648420
There are various reasons why one leaves a church; not all of them have to do with doctrinal disagreements. Sometimes it is just because they move to another area where there isn't a local church of their particular denomination.
1053205
I agree.  That's why it's so important to become a student of the word of God yourself.  Then you will be able to "rightly divide the word of truth" no matter who is saying it.  We need the gift of discernment now more than ever.  Too many "Christians" are depending solely on the words of a preacher they will never know personally to give them direction instead of seeking the Holy Spirit and participating fully in a local body of believers.  Hope you are learning and growing.  God bless.
314473
I personally do not do not think God wants us to keep to or own color or race, after all we are all Gods children! I believe god is more concerned with the spiritual than the physical. What bothers me is when the children of mixed races get the brunt of racism or that they may be torn to decide what race they belong to and therefore feel ostracized by both. This is so sad.
1133388
Its mainly part of history.  Back in the old days I think there was mainly just catholic, and baptist....well, people start to have their own interpretations of the bible,a nd that is why there are so many denominations today.  It would be nice for us to all believe the same, but it is just human nature not to.  Nobody is perfect but Christ.  Our goal is to strive to be like him, but he knows the we are not, which is the reason that he died on the cross for us.  Like I said earlier, just human nature to believe differently.  I don't beleive humans will ever be unanimous on anything because we are not perfect as Christ is.
1071788
Dang, well first of all you have the catholics protestants and orthodox. then youcan split the orthodox in to a bunch of different gruops,I'm not sure of their names. then you have protestant denominations like 2nd and 7th day adventists, baptist luthereans methodists mormons and then thousands of non denominational churches plus many other kinds including cults like the branch davidians and the peoplebehind the jamestown massacre.
1058452
We can't, I mean we probably could but everyone is not willing to change. Mainly because people are well justify for the belief to be racist or prejudice. God tells us "all the ways of men are right in their own eyes." When you think of it anyone can justify their belief in something true or not to cause them to do it. Racism will not end unless we all change, example if I say something mean about the white race would they get defensive and say something back about me or will they lash out at the whole black race. When this happen it will cause others to find a reason to lash out and thus cause separation and discriminating. As long as these groups don't agree on something then we will never get rid of racism.\n\nLike this site all it takes is one word and some words from one group to spark racist thinking from people who are not even racist. Because one side stereotypes one side and vise versa. One side can say how bad one group is and the other group will do the same because everyone want to stand up for their race. Like any argument when we disagree their will always be someone who wants to be right, and neither side is willing to give up any ground. But as long as we disagree we will always continue this cycle of discrimination and racist thinking.\n\nOnly way we can stop it is for all to agree and learn and understand others feeling, right or wrong. Also to do something that both sides can agree on. Because whites and blacks disagree on almost all the above, racism, history, and everthing else. When you think of it if we all agree then their would be nothing to complain about.\n\nLike slavery whites say blacks bring it up because they live in the past, untrue. They do it because whites down play it so much that blacks have to remind them. See if whites acknowlegde what happen then blacks counldn't complain, why complain about something if they already know it. This in it's self will stop a big chunck of racist thinking. All we have to do is find something to agree to. But what are the odds of that happening?
858705
Too many stories like this----------one of the reasons I left Christianity for another religion.\n\nAnother story--\n\nA couple (unmarried) moved to the fairly small town where my parents lived.  They went to church and quickly tried to become active in it.   My mother proudly told me that the minister (Methodist Church) told them they were not allowed to come to their church anymore as they were living in sin.  If they wanted to be members they must marry first.  They married and became active in the church.  I'd have told them where to go and found another church.\n\nSame church-------several Black women started to come to the church.  This town had only recently ''allowed'' Blacks to move into town------yeah!  In 2004 it was.  My mother's friends commented, ''It's alright.  They sit in the back by themselves, and don't bother anyone''.\n\nThis is the same Methodist Church that has ads on TV saying they are the church of diversity and open doors to all?
732681
Yes, I attend every Sunday, Lord willing! And, I am Christian, attend An (AME) African Methodist Episcopal Church. I will be on my way there shortly. The doors open at 10A.M. and everyone is welcome.  Have a great day, and God bless