Name: The name identifies that the church has no affiliation with any specific Christian denomination.
History: In the 20th century, more and more churches began to identify as “independent” or “non-denominational,” with no historic ties to other denominations.
What Church Is Like: Non-denominational churches tend to be more low church in their worship like Baptist and Evangelical Free churches, though a non-denominational church can have as much or as little liturgy as the individual church decides. Most non-denominational churches are more like Baptists than other denominations.
Polity: Non-denominational churches will be congregational since they have no commitment to any specific denomination.
Distinctives:
- Non-denominational churches have no connection to any denomination, although they may partner with like-minded churches on various mission projects.
- Based on the first distinctive, non-denominational churches will be congregational in their form of government.
- Since they are truly independent, non-denominational churches can freely write their doctrinal statements and church practices, though they tend to be broadly evangelical and Baptistic in their main beliefs.
Famous Figures: Gene Getz, Tony Evans, Francis Chan.
Related Groups:
- Fellowship Bible Churches (founded by Gene Getz) started as a movement of churches that emphasized Bible teaching, fellowship, and outreach as key components of the church. Not all churches with this name are associated with the movement.
