Why are there so many different Christian denominations? There are several reasons. For starters, let’s remember that denominations are made up of churches and churches are made of people; and sometimes people just don’t get along. After all, just because people are Christians doesn’t mean they always agree.
Moreover, Christians still struggle with pride, selfishness, and stubbornness, and this means they sometimes respond to relational conflict poorly. This has often led to debates and divisions within churches and denominations, which in turn leads to the creation of new churches and denominations.
It’s an unfortunate situation, but a reality given human nature. Maybe this is why Jesus focused so much on unconditional love and forgiveness as an expression of the kind of people he wants us to be.
Another reason Christians are divided is legitimate disagreements about biblical interpretations. What does baptism mean and who should get baptized? How should local churches be structured? Who should fill leadership roles? How often should communion be practised? How should certain passages in the Bible be interpreted? These are good questions and the answers aren’t always clear in the Bible. Perhaps this is the reason the Bible exhorts us to exercise wisdom and humility when it comes to secondary issues (not essential to salvation) where genuine differences exist (
Romans 14-15).
The rise of Christian denominations within the Christian faith in 16th century can be traced back to the Protestant Reformation, the movement to
“reform” the Roman Catholic Church, out of which four major divisions or traditions of Protestantism would emerge: Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican. From these four, other denominations grew over the centuries.
The Lutheran denomination was named after Martin Luther and was based on his teachings. The Methodists got their name because their founder, John Wesley, was famous for coming up with
“methods” for spiritual growth. Presbyterians are named for their view on church leadership—the Greek word for elder is presbyteros. Baptists got their name because they have always emphasized the importance of baptism.
Each denomination has a slightly different doctrine or emphasis from the others, such as the method of baptism; the availability of the Lord’s Supper to all or just to those whose testimonies can be verified by church leaders; the sovereignty of God vs. free will in the matter of salvation; the future of Israel and the church; pre-tribulation vs. post-tribulation rapture; the existence of the
“sign” gifts in the modern era, and so on.
The point of these divisions is never Christ as Lord and Saviour, but rather honest differences of opinion by godly, albeit flawed, people seeking to honour God and retain doctrinal purity according to their consciences and their understanding of His Word. Denominations today are many and varied. The original
“mainline” denominations mentioned above have spawned numerous offshoots such as Assemblies of God, Christian and Missionary Alliance, Nazarenes, Evangelical Free, independent Bible churches, and others.
Some denominations emphasize slight doctrinal differences, but more often they simply offer different styles of worship to fit the differing tastes and preferences of Christians.
http://www.wbfmfamily.com/why-there-are-so-many-christian-denominations-part-1/