Church Typing

Looking for a church that is not sectarian or ideological, as in “you must believe this or these things, in addition to orthodox beliefs about Christ, to be a member of our group”?  A non-denominational group that holds tightly to a center-set of beliefs about Christ, while loosely to most everything else would be perfect.  But here I want to report which denominational groups are big on certain things that become hills to die on sometimes and doors to keep in and out, in their minds, and who is in or out of fellowship.

Some glaring examples of what I am taking about would be:

  • You must speak in tongues to be saved.
  • You must be baptized in full immersion, as an adult, after testifying of your belief to be saved.
  • Churches are only valid that meet on a certain day of the week.

Reformed or Calvinist churches (Theological distinctive):

  • Acts 29
  • All Presbyterians
  • Christian Reformed
  • Reformed
  • United Reformed

Egalitarian (women may be ordained and/or lead men)

  • Adventists (generally, varies)
  • American Baptist
  • Methodist (all: Nazarene, Wesleyan)
  • American Baptist USA
  • Anglican North America (option of local congregation)
  • Assemblies of God
  • Christian Missionary Alliance, Canada
  • Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
  • Church of God in Christ (women can get a license to preach)
  • Churches of God, Gen. Conf.
  • Church of God of Prophecy
  • Brethren (Church of The Brethren churches)
  • Congregational (depending on local congregation)
  • Cumberland Presbyterian
  • Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians
  • Disciples of Christ
  • Episcopal
  • Evangelical Christian Church of Canada
  • Evangelical Covenant Church
  • Evangelical Lutheran
  • Evangelical Presbyterian (local option)
  • Foursquare
  • Korean Presbyterian
  • Mennonite
  • National Baptist
  • Presbyterian Church in the USA
  • Reformed Church in America
  • Religious Society of Friends (Quaker)
  • Salvation Army
  • United Church of Christ
  • Vineyard Christian Fellowship

Churches that DO NOT believe you must be water baptized their way to be saved, but water baptism is a wonderful thing, and are not Calvinist nor Egalitarian:

  • Congregational (local congregations may be Egalitarian)
  • Evangelical Free Church
  • Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
  • Moravian
  • Quaker Religious Society of Friends Church Intl. (do not baptize and have no clergy)

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Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Denominational Chart

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