Have you ever wondered why there are so many Christian denominations and what their differences are? Are you looking for a church but don’t know which type to choose? Do you wish there was an easy way to figure out which denomination best aligns with your beliefs? Would you like to improve your grasp on the similarities and differences of the various groups to help you better understand your loved ones, neighbors, or coworkers?
This article will go over the three main categories of the Christian faith and look at a handful of denominations within them. We'll begin with some questions to ask yourself to help you determine the types of environments and ideas that most resonate with you.
After answering the questions and reading the descriptions you will be better equipped to determine which denomination is right for you.
Before we get started, it is important to say that everyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord is part of the one Body of believers. We are all one Church made up of numerous congregations. And so while there are variations in doctrine among denominations, all truly Christian churches hold to the same core beliefs about God's identity and how we can know Him.
Related: 3 Essential Beliefs all Christian Churches Share
Read on to answer questions to ask yourself in your search for the best church for you. And then learn about some of your choices.
Related: 6 Tips for Choosing the Right Church For You
Main Distinctions: Implied in its name, Baptists practice believers’ baptism, meaning that only people who profess their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord can be baptized.
Related: How to Tell if Baptism is Right for You
Service Characteristics: A typical religious service opens with singing traditional hymns and/or contemporary praise and worship songs, followed by a sermon. Some Baptist churches then have responsive reading from the Bible. The service closes with a prayer and final song.
Organizational Framework: There is a wide array of governing structures among Baptist churches - from being led by the pastor, to an elder board, to the congregation as a whole. Some are independent while others are part of a larger association (for example, Free Will Baptists or Southern Baptist Convention). Membership is often emphasized.
Related: 4 Reasons to Become a Church Member
General Feel: Traditional and somewhat spontaneous.
Main Distinctions: Of the five Protestant denominations in this article, Lutheranism is the most liturgical (for example, Nicene Creed, confession, kneeling, and the sign of the cross). Holy Communion is practiced weekly; they believe Christ is present in the sacramental bread and wine.
Service Characteristics: The order of worship is Gathering (song, prayer, confession), Word (Old and New Testament readings and a sermon), Meal (communion), and Sending (blessing and song).
Organizational Framework: Lutheran churches can vary between hierarchical (through bishops and a council) to congregational (through membership voting).
General Feel: Ceremonial and follows a predictable order. The pastors wear vestments during services.
Main Distinctions: Pentecostal refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit during the first Pentecost (an annual Jewish celebration) following Jesus’ resurrection. They emphasize baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. (There are several subgroups including Assemblies of God, Calvary Chapel, and Foursquare).
Service Characteristics: Worship services include singing, a sermon, communion (usually monthly), and prayer. Some also have prophecies, speaking and interpreting tongues, and laying on of hands for healing.
Organizational Framework: Pentecostals are governed by the congregation through voting of members.
General Feel: Spontaneous and more outwardly expressive of feelings rather than intellectualism.
Main Distinctions: There is an emphasis on what they call “prevenient grace,” which, simply speaking, means that God must pursue a person before that person seeks God. They also highlight the importance of good works, and believe “entire sanctification” can be experienced during their physical time on earth.
Service Characteristics: Services open with music and singing. It is followed by readings based on excerpts from Scripture, prayer, sermon, offering, closing prayer, and musical postlude.
Organizational Framework: Methodist follow a governance model called “connectionalism,” whereby all congregations work together and share resources in fulfilling their mission of spreading the Gospel. Church decisions are made at conferences by hierarchical representatives from various tiers within the congregation.
General Feel: Less formal and more spontaneous than traditionally liturgical denominations like Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Lutheranism.
Main Distinctions: Presbyterians believe in “unconditional election,” which states that God alone decides who will be saved from sin and death.
Service Characteristics: Services include a musical prelude, a call to worship prayer, hymn singing, confession and assurance of forgiveness, “passing of the peace,” Bible readings, choir anthem, sermon, reciting a statement of faith, prayer (including reciting The Lord’s Prayer), offering and Doxology, sending out, benediction, and postlude.
Organizational Framework: Presbyterian churches are governed by several tiers of leaders, beginning with a board of elders within the local church supervised by presbyteries (groups of local churches), synods (groups of presbyteries), and a general assembly
General Feel: Formal and ritualistic, following a predictable order.
Also under the Protestant branch are churches calling themselves “”non-denominational”. This is a term used to indicate that, while they adhere to the essential Christian beliefs, they are not part of any official denomination.
Main Distinctions: They believe their leader - the Pope - is infallible (they don’t make errors in regard to doctrine). Their Bible contains more books (Apocrypha) than the Protestant Bible. There is an emphasis on the “Virgin Mary” and the saints. Catholics confess their sins to priests and pray to God through priests, saints, and Mary - often using a rosary while saying scripted prayers. They believe in purgatory which is a sort of holding room for some people before they are admitted to heaven; Catholics pray for loved ones in purgatory so they may be able to enter heaven. They believe Christ’s body and blood are physically present in the consecrated bread and wine (Eucharist).
Service Characteristics: “Mass” is the term for their church service. Worship includes a greeting, confession, offering, Bible and responsive readings, prayer, reciting a profession of faith, Eucharist (communion) and Doxology, The Lord’s Prayer, the “sign of peace,” and a blessing before dismissing the congregation.
Organizational Framework: It is strictly hierarchical in the order of deacons, priests, bishops, and, finally, the Pope - who has the highest authority in regard to morals, rules, and faith.
General Feel: Ritualistic, formal, and follows a predictable order. The pastors wear vestments. Catholic churches are particularly ornate with a large crucifix hanging behind the altar, candles, and stained glass windows depicting religious figures and scenes.
Main Distinctions: Like Catholics, they pray to Mary and the saints. Paying homage to particular religious icons is a fundamental part of their services. Also like Catholics, their Bible contains more books than the Protestant Bible. They strictly adhere to the Divine Liturgy. They observe “Hours” in which, at designated hours on the weekends and some holidays, they chant and recite specific Psalms. They believe the bread and wine become Jesus’ body and blood (Eucharist).
Service Characteristics: They begin by singing ancient hymns, and the priest and altar servers carrying icons exit the sanctuary - walking along the front section of the room - before re-enter through the “royal door”; this ceremony is called the “little entrance”. Then they sing one dedicated hymn to a specific saint, one to Mary, and one to the Trinity - while also making the sign of the cross”. Next, are the ceremonial Bible readings that include a procession of the priest and altar servers carrying icons; after which, the priest delivers a homily (sermon). This is followed by prayer and the “great entrance” in which, like at the beginning of the service, the priests and altar servers exit the sanctuary and re-enter through the royal door. The great entrance is different than the little entrance in that they carry many more icons and they walk the full area of the room, allowing parishioners to venerate the icons and symbolically touch the priests' robes. Then they share the “kiss of peace,” sing the Nicene Creed, give communion prayers, take communion by way of a procession of parishioners to receive the bread and wine from the priest in front of the altar, and, finally, a closing prayer. Check out this video to see what a service looks like.
Organizational Framework: It is hierarchical in the order of deacons, priests, and bishops.
General Feel: Ceremonial, scripted, predictably ordered, and activating the senses through the use of incense, bells, icons, communion, and chanting.
By asking yourself some questions about the type of environment and school of thought with which you most connect, and by learning about your options, you will have a better sense of the denomination that best fits you. I encourage you to visit some churches in your search. Ask questions of the leaders and check out their statement of faith available in paper form or online.
One final thought: I caution you about churches that may appear to be just a different denomination when, in fact, they ascribe to beliefs that are unscriptural. Some examples include: Jehovah's Witness, Mormonism, Christian Science, and Unitarianism.
Check out this article:
Quick Guide to Christian Denominations (thegospelcoalition.org)
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Got questions? Comment below or reach out to us directly. We’d love to hear from you!
Do you live in the Concord, NH area? We invite you to visit us. Grace Capital Church is located at 542 Pembroke Street in Pembroke, NH. Grace Capital is a Foursquare Church which is under the Pentecostal denomination of the Protestant Branch of Christianity. Here is our statement of faith.
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