3 Reasons Denominations Are Important

I have spent my life connected to a denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention. I have also been a consistent student of culture and particularly church culture in North America. One of the mantras I have heard repeatedly is that we now live in a post-denominational church world. I find this embraced more among our younger leaders. Before jettisoning the denomination as an historic relic akin to the dinosaur, perhaps we should consider what their benefit might be. I would like to offer three benefits for your consideration.

1. For the local church, denominations should "service a common core" so that it is unnecessary to reinvent the wheel. 

Each congregation, if healthy, consists of large group worship and small group interaction. In the context of these two, we find a litany of purposes: evangelism, discipleship, worship, missions, stewardship, fellowship, ministry, and communications. Each congregation has to have organizational structure and doctrinal distinctives. Much of these can be provided by the denominational machinery. As churches embrace this common core, it provides a measure of "authenticity." It is the essence of a brand, that which distinguishes a Baptist Church from a Roman Catholic congregation for example.

2. For the local church, denominations can assist in facilitating each congregation's unique expression. 

Each church is different. Each community is different. Each church has its own "identity." Each church has a distinct methodology of how it goes about fulfilling its mission. The denomination that can assist local churches in understanding their own uniqueness while embracing a common core will find itself invaluable. This is a challenge for all denominations. Can they assist their constituent congregations to discover and maximize their own uniqueness? Again, this is of critical importance.

3. For the local church, denominations can assist in replicating healthy "reproduction." 

Each congregation is part of a larger whole which must reproduce. We are called to reproduce believers. This is evangelism. We reproduce disciples. This is discipleship. We reproduce servants and leaders. This is ministry and administration. We are called to reproduce churches. This is church planting of new congregations. We are called to reproduce missionaries for world evangelism. We are in need of apologists and polemicists. I believe that much of this can be better accomplished through the cooperative work of a denomination than by each congregation attempting to reinvent the proverbial wheel.

In short, denominations can be valuable if they assist their constituent congregations in embracing a solid authenticity, in developing their own unique identity, and replicating a healthy reproduction. The key then, for each church when assessing the role of the denomination is a terse cost-benefit analysis. Is the quality and quantity of service provided by the denomination worth the investment of expenditures? Is it accurate to conclude that churches together can accomplish more than the individual congregations can do separately? Where is this most applicable? Where is it least applicable?