From Where Did Various Church Groups, or Denominations, Come?

Type of Doctrine: Typically Secondary

"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

-John 17:20-21 ESV

Why Does It Matter?

Unity is a big deal in Scripture. Yet, today there are many different church groups (often called denominations). Where did the church groups come from? This article will answer this question.

While the need for unity is clear in Scripture, it is usually secondary issues that lead one group of Christians to break off from another and form a different denomination.

What Is It?

There are many different church groups, or denominations, on the globe. Some even claim that the number is close to 45,000 different denominations.[1]

Yet Jesus desires unity. In John 17, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed. At some point in his prayer, he began to pray for unity. He prayed,

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me (John 17:20-23). 

As Christians, we should desire and pursue unity as well. Here's the problem: in a fallen, sinful world Christians may have disagreements on doctrine which have significant implications on how we "do church". Many doctrinal or philosophical disagreements have massive implications on churches (e.g., infant vs. believer’s/immersion baptism, charismatic spiritual gifts, the roles of men and women in ministry, etc.). Clearly, churches who take opposite sides on these issues would have a difficult time without separating. (Of course, in addition to secondary issues, some issues rise to the level of primary issues which are central to the Christian faith. In these cases we should definitely separate. On the other hand, sadly, sometimes churches unnecessarily split over issues which are tertiary.)

Thus, the church is stuck with a challenging situation in its present condition. We want perfect unity, but it is very difficult to achieve. Some doctrinal issues are too difficult to reconcile. It seems best to maintain a posture of humility and a heart for unity while at the same time splitting over secondary issues which impact churches significantly (although we should be slow, prayerful, and thoughtful before doing so). (Click here for more on the idea of theological triage.)

With that being said, the following will cover 2,000 years of church denominations and splits.

2,000 Years of Church Denominations

Due to space, I can't go into every detail. However, the list below shows the most influential denominations and who they broke off from, along with the year they broke away. Generally speaking, the church was fairly unified for the first 1,000 years. In the year 1054, the church broke into the East (Orthodox) and West (Roman Catholic Church) after a dispute over doctrine. The list below will pick it up from there.

After the split in 1054, called the Great Schism:[2]

• 1054 - Orthodox Church (Eastern Church)

• 1054 - Roman Catholic Church (Western Church)

  After the Reformation, various groups broke away from the Catholic Church:

  • 1517 - Lutheran Church

    • 1525 - Anabaptists

      • 1537 - Mennonite (USA 1725)

      • 1530 - Hutterite

      • 1693 - Amish

    • 1536 - Calvinists (Reformed; Presbyterians)

      • 1607 - Baptists

        • 1801 - Churches of Christ / Non-Denominational Churches

        • 1844 - Adventists

        • 1845 - Southern Baptist

        • 1915 - National Baptist

        • 1924 - American Baptist and others

      • 1607 - Congregationalists

    • 1885 - Evangelical Covenant

    • 1950 - Evangelical Free

  • 1534 - Anglican Church (Episcopal)

    • 1738 - Methodists

      • 1814 - African Methodist Episcopal (AME)

      • 1880 - Salvation Army

      • 1887 - Christian and Missionary Alliance

      • 1901 - Pentecostals

        • 1897 - Church of God (TN)

        • 1907 - Pentecostal Assemblies

        • 1914 - Assemblies of God

        • 1927 - Foursquare Gospel

        • 1965 - Calvary Chapel

        • 1983 - Vineyard Ministries

      • 1908 - Church of the Nazarene

  • Late 20th Century - the Rise of Church Planting Networks (Many are technically non-denominational but some function like denominations. Some church planting networks allow a church to remain connected to a denomination while others do not. I'll list various prominent church planting networks below.)

    • Association of Related Churches (ARC)

    • Acts 29 Network

    • Harbor Network

    • New Frontiers

    • Stadia

    • NewThing

    • Converge

    • Redeemer City to City

    • Send Network

    • Dove International

    • Convergence Church Network

    • Crossway Network

Application

Here are three final thoughts for application:

• Pray for unity and pursue unity. Unity for the church is God's heart and desire.

• Research what you believe about church leadership/government and baptism, and that will help you narrow denominations down significantly. (Why? Because various denominations are typically either episcopal, congregational, or presbyterian in church leadership structure. Also, most groups have typically taken a side on either infant baptism or believer’s baptism.) Then, begin to look into some more nuanced doctrines to figure out your best fit (i.e., Calvinism vs. Arminianism, liturgical vs. nonliturgical, seeker sensitive movement, charismatic gifts/continuationism vs. cessationism, etc.). Finally, pray and pick the group which you fit with best.

• Put your final trust in Jesus to bring clarity and perfect unity. Ultimately, unity will happen perfectly at the second coming of Jesus when he establishes his kingdom fully.

Where Can I Learn More?

Endnotes:

[1] Todd M. Johnson, "Christianity Is Fragmented--Why?", Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, November 6, 2019, https://www.gordonconwell.edu/blog/christianity-is-fragmented-why/.

[2] This list is adapted from Rose Book of Charts, Maps, and Time Lines (Torrance, CA: Rose Publishing, 2005), 179.