posted
Bev, it's both. In the same way "Methodist" is actually a whole family of denominations and theology, but a lot of people use it to refer to the specific denomination that is actually "United Methodist."
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posted
Okay, fetched a reference book so I wouldn’t leave anybody out. Denominations that are Pentecostal (by heritage):
General Council of Assemblies of God Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ Bible Way Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, World Wide, Inc. Christian Catholic Church Christian Church of North America, General Council Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) Church of God in Christ Church of God of Prophecy Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc. Church of the Living God, Christian Workers for Fellowship Church of the Living God, The Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Inc. Congregational Holiness Church Elim Fellowship Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches and Ministers, International Independent Assemblies of God, International International Church of the Foursquare Gospel International Pentecostal Church of Christ Open Bible Standard Churches, Inc. Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. Pentecostal Church of God Pentecostal Free Will Baptist Church, Inc. United Holy Church of America, Inc. United Pentecostal Church International Vineyard Churches International
There are also, of course, non-denominational Pentecostal churches, as well as Pentecostal movements within many of the major denominations.
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posted
Baptists are slightly different, in that they have a completely congregationally based government, so they aren't really a "denomination" at all. Congregations can associate themselves with diffent conventions, but the convention has no authority over the congregations.
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posted
“Methodist” can refer to any of the denominations that trace their heritage back to John and Charles Wesley (which would include the Holiness churches and the Salvation Army), or to the churches that are part of the pan-Methodist family today – African Methodist Episcopal, AME Zion, Free Methodist Church, etc. But when used to refer to a denomination, usually it means The United Methodist Church -- formed in 1968 by the merger of The Methodist Church (itself formed by the merger of The Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church South, and the Methodist Protestant Church) and the Evangelical United Brethren.
Which, incidentally, is why some of us are so fussy about the name United Methodist – with out it you leave out the EUB folks, who get touchy about the fact that 1968 was a merger, not a take-over. They don’t like to feel like their church was swallowed up.
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posted
BTW, back on the topic of 'agressive proselytising', here's the scriptural declaration concerning it:
2 Timothy 2:24-25
quote:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
To sum up: We are instructed to be patient, gentle and meek when 'instructing'. Anything else (such as the "you are evil and going straight to hell you whore" tactics) are not scripturally sound. This is what the Universally Recognised Christian Scriptures say about this topic. Those who do otherwise aren't following the council they're trying to tell you to follow. So in short, don't judge all of Christians by the vocal minority who choses to ignore the scriptures.
LDS have additional scriptures which state: 3 Nephi 11:29
quote: For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
and
Doctrine & Covenants 136:23
quote:23 Cease to contend one with another; cease to speak evil one of another.
Telling someone about the Gospel is good. Yelling at them or telling them they're evil for not listening to them is bad.
posted
Dana, huh! That's interesting. Now I know the significance of the "United" part.
So, is the Salvation Army a denomination? I thought it was a charity. But then, I am pretty clueless about this.
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