Sola Denominatio

When Denomination Overrules Scripture

Introduction: Sola Scriptura vs. Sola Ecclesia vs. Sola Denominatio

The Protestant Reformers rallied around Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”) to affirm that the Bible is the highest authority for doctrine, over any church traditions or leaders. In contrast, Roman Catholicism operates on Sola Ecclesia (“the Church alone”), elevating the Church’s magisterium and tradition as the final arbiter of truth. But in modern evangelical circles ,  including many “non-denominational,” Baptist, and charismatic churches,  a new de facto authority often emerges: the denomination (or local tradition) itself. In practice, many believers who claim to follow the Bible end up filtering Scripture through the lens of their particular tradition. They might reject or downplay biblical teachings that conflict with their denomination’s stance, effectively embracing what we could call “Sola Denominatio,” meaning “denomination alone” as the guiding principle and ultimate authority.

Such Sola Denominatio is the tendency to prioritize one’s tribe over truth. As one observer noted, some Christians accept ideas without scrutiny if they come from “our people” and reject them if from “the other side,” rather than weighing all ideas against Scripture. What’s missing in these cases is an unbiased Berean spirit,  “examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Instead, doctrine can become an exercise in defending denominational distinctives at all costs. This mindset labels a human institution’s teachings as infallible, which one writer calls “idolatrous” when we “prize a person or group more than we prize the truth”. Exalting denominational loyalty over biblical fidelity ends up making an idol of our tradition. It is a trap that any group, from a loose “Bible church” network to a historic Baptist convention or charismatic movement, can fall into.

In the sections below, we will explore why this “Sola Denominatio” mentality is so damaging to the Body of Christ. We will see that Scripture itself condemns the spirit of division and sectarian loyalty. We’ll also examine how denominationalism harms Christian unity and witness. Finally, we will discuss why believers must continue the work the Reformers started, the work of continual reformation according to God’s Word, placing Scripture above all human authorities.

Unscriptural Divisions in the Body of Christ

One fundamental problem with denominationalism (organizing Christianity into competing sects) is that it has no basis in Scripture, in fact, Scripture condemns the division it creates directly. The New Testament never envisions the Church splintered into multiple denominational camps. Jesus prayed earnestly for His followers “that they may all be one… so that the world may believe” (John 17:20–21), expressing that Christian unity would testify to His truth. The apostles likewise pleaded for unity: “I appeal to you, brothers… that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). In the first-century church, factions were already beginning to form (“I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos…”), and Paul strongly denounced such sectarian alignment as sinful quarreling driven by carnality (1 Cor 1:11–13, 3:3-4). He reminds the Corinthians that Christ is not divided and human leaders didn’t die for them, therefore party spirit has no place among those who belong to Christ (1 Cor 1:13) .

Early Christians knew only one Church (the universal body of all true believers) and local congregations, not a plethora of denominational entities. As a Bible study outline asserts, “The Bible provides no foundation for dividing local churches into denominational bodies… No denomination can cite the Bible and say, ‘Behold that passage! There is our church!’”. Indeed, denominational structures, with hierarchical organizations and distinct names/creeds separating one group of churches from another,  are absent from the New Testament record. In Scripture, each local congregation was self-governing under Christ’s and the apostles’ authority (as recorded in Scripture), not under a regional board or man-made tradition. The only “higher authority” above the local church was Jesus Himself (the Head of the Church) and His inspired apostles speaking His Word.

Therefore, denominationalism is unscriptural (having no warrant in the apostolic teachings) and even anti-scriptural. It directly violates Jesus’ prayer for unity and the apostolic command to avoid schism. It effectively “opposes the efforts of Christ on the cross,” for Jesus died to reconcile all believers into one body, destroying dividing walls of hostility (Ephesians 2:14–16) . To willingly maintain divisions that fracture the one Body is to work against that purpose of Christ. As one preacher put it, just as willful sin fights against Christ’s atoning work, “so it is with denominational division”, it undermines the unity Jesus died to establish. No wonder Scripture equates a sectarian spirit with spiritual immaturity: “For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly…? ‘I follow Paul,’ ‘and I follow Apollos’… Are you not being merely human?” (1 Cor 3:3–4). In God’s design, His truth is meant to unite believers in a shared faith (Eph 4:4–6, 13), not spawn a maze of competing sects.

It’s important to note that the Reformers themselves did not intend to start a slew of denominations bearing their names. In fact, they recoiled at the idea. “I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call themselves not Lutherans, but Christians,” pleaded Martin Luther, citing Paul’s prohibition against partisan labels. He urged, “Let us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians after Him whose doctrine we have” . Likewise, John Wesley later wished “that all party names… were forgot, and that the very name [Methodist] might never be mentioned more” . Even the great Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon remarked, “I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be a Baptist living! I hope that the Baptist name will soon perish, but let Christ’s name last forever.”. These leaders recognized that sectarian identities are ultimately a hindrance to the unity and simplicity of being “Christians” only. Yet, tragically, after the Reformation era the Protestant world did fracture into many denominations, often over minor doctrinal disputes or personality conflicts, and today that trend continues in evangelicalism.

The Damage Caused by “Sola Denominatio”

Prioritizing denomination above doctrine (or conflating the two) has serious consequences for the Church’s health and mission. Here are several ways Sola Denominatio inflicts damage on the Body of Christ:

• Fractured Unity & Sectarian Strife: Denominationalism inherently divides Christians into camps, often with an attitude of competition or even distrust. This violates the New Testament vision of believers as one family in Christ. Instead of the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3), sectarian mindsets produce an entrenched “us vs. them” mentality. Churches may spend energy defending their brand or debating other Christians, rather than “striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” together (Phil 1:27). In extreme cases, members are discouraged from fellowship with believers of other groups, as if loyalty to the denomination must come first. Such internal strife and factionalism not only grieve the Holy Spirit (who calls us to unity), but they also distract from the Church’s primary mission of making disciples.

• Stagnation in Error: When a denomination’s interpretations or traditions are treated as beyond question, it becomes very difficult to correct errors by appealing to Scripture. Sola Denominatio creates an environment where people reflexively defend their group’s longstanding doctrines or practices, “our church has always taught this”, even if fresh Bible study shows those teachings to be questionable. This stubbornness can lock a group into unsound doctrine. In contrast, Jesus and the apostles upheld Scripture as the testing standard for all teachings (Mark 7:7-8, Acts 17:11, 2 Tim 3:16). But if only the denomination’s party line is considered acceptable, believers may effectively become deaf to what the Holy Spirit is saying through the Word whenever it challenges their traditions. In short, denominational loyalty can blind people to uncomfortable biblical truth. As commentator Aaron Blumer observes, Christians easily fall into “forgetting that ‘our team’ is capable of error,” failing to examine and test claims before accepting them as truth. This misplaced loyalty replaces humble truth-seeking with prideful group-think.

• Endless Fragmentation: An extreme “denomination-first” mindset fuels the proliferation of more splits and sects. If every disagreement or preference becomes a reason to start a new church, the result is a continually fracturing landscape of micro-denominations. Protestant history sadly bears this out. When individuals insist on “my way or the highway” on secondary issues, they often break off and form a new group. One scholar has noted that a distorted view of “Semper Reformanda” (always reforming) combined with solo scriptura individualism became “the perfect formula for endless schisms.” Each faction believes it alone has the truth perfectly figured out. Today, especially in U.S. evangelicalism, we see a bewildering array of churches, many with only slight differences, multiplying in every town. The “church on every corner” phenomenon offers choice, but it can also breed confusion and competition rather than cooperation . New independent churches often function as denominations unto themselves, only without any accountability beyond their charismatic founder. The net effect is a fragmented witness and sometimes redundant efforts in Christ’s name. Instead of pooling resources to reach the lost, tiny splinter groups might each reinvent the wheel in isolation.

• Harm to Our Witness: Perhaps the gravest damage of denominational division is to Christian credibility in the eyes of the world. Jesus tied our unity directly to our witness: “May [believers] be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me” (John 17:23). When non-Christians see churches constantly disagreeing, splitting, and condemning one another, it undercuts the believability of the gospel message. Francis Schaeffer famously called the love and oneness of believers “the final apologetic” to the world. Conversely, a lack of unity is apologetic in the wrong direction. Unbelievers do take note of our divisions. It’s telling (and tragic) that “unbelievers are slow to accept the gospel coming from a divided church,” and skeptics often use our internal disagreements as an excuse for unbelief. Atheists and agnostics routinely point to Christianity’s denominational chaos, “Why should I believe you, when Christians can’t even agree with each other?”, as a rationale to dismiss the faith. Likewise, adherents of other religions (Islam, Judaism, etc.) cite the splintering of Christendom as a reason to doubt the truth of Christ. In some cases, denominational confusion has even given rise to new cults: for example, 19th-century figures like Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism) claimed that the profusion of warring denominations proved the need for an entirely new “restoration” of Christianity. While their logic was faulty, it illustrates how our divisions give ammunition to deceivers and enemies of the gospel. Simply put, a divided church diminishes our collective testimony to the one Lord and one Savior we proclaim.

• Culture of Pride and Isolation: Denominationalism can foster a prideful attitude of superiority (“our group has the real truth”). Each tribe creates its own echo chamber of theology and subculture, sometimes casting suspicion on outsiders (even fellow Christians). This sectarian pride is the opposite of the humility and love that should mark Christ’s followers (Phil 2:1-3). It also cuts off fruitful exchange: Christians from different traditions have much to learn from each other, as each may emphasize different biblical truths. But if Sola Denominatio thinking prevails, such interactions are shunned, and believers become isolated on their little islands. That insularity stifles growth, understanding, and the refinement of ideas that comes from “iron sharpening iron” across traditions. As George Aldhizer observed, when Protestants actually dialogue across denominational lines, it quickly becomes clear “there isn’t a true center of authority” among them, no agreed arbiter, which can be disorienting. Often the only thing Protestants share is a vague appeal to Sola Scriptura, yet each subgroup interprets Scripture differently. Realizing this should humble us, not drive us further into corner camps. Unfortunately, many respond by doubling down on their denominational identity to fill the authority vacuum, rather than humbly seeking greater consensus around the clear core of biblical truth.

In summary, Sola Denominatio produces division, stagnation, confusion, and a weakened witness. It takes what should be our supreme unifying standard (God’s Word) and subordinates it beneath sectarian loyalty. This not only harms those within the churches, but it also erects barriers for those outside looking in.

Always Reforming: Loyalty to Truth, Not Tribe

How do we counter the pull of Sola Denominatio? The answer is to recenter ourselves on Sola Scriptura in practice, and to continue the work the Reformers began. The Protestant Reformation was not about creating a thousand splinters; it was about returning to the authority of Scripture and purging errors that had accumulated in the medieval church. The Latin motto Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda ,  “the Church reformed, always reforming (according to the Word of God)” ,  remains profoundly relevant. Far from an excuse to keep inventing new doctrines, this principle means the Church must continually measure all of its teachings and traditions against the Bible, and be willing to correct course. “The Reformation was not a one-time event. It is not finished. It is ongoing,” as one modern pastor explains. “We still protest. The church is to be always diligent and wary … following a biblical life in our day and age.” In every generation, we must be vigilant to realign with Scripture, because human organizations (and yes, denominations) tend to drift. We are called to Semper Reformanda, to “be on the lookout… lest we stray from Biblical truth,” and to test our church’s teaching and culture by “searching the source, The Bible.” We must “not be afraid to challenge when [we] see something” that doesn’t square with God’s Word. This is not a rebellious attitude, but a Berean one (Acts 17:11), done in humility and love for the Church’s purity.

Continuing what the Reformers started means prioritizing truth over tribe. Our ultimate loyalty is to Jesus Christ and His Word, not to any human leader, network, or tradition. However much we may appreciate our church’s heritage, we must remember that “only Scripture is infallible,” not our denomination’s distinctives. As the Sharper Iron article emphasizes, “Our sources aren’t always right… even the best of ‘our guys’ are wrong sometimes.” Therefore, “we forget [this] to our peril” if we assume our camp has a monopoly on truth. God’s Word alone can claim total truthfulness (John 17:17). This should cultivate a healthy openness to correction: if solid biblical evidence is presented against some cherished doctrine of “ours,” we must be willing to say “we were wrong” and adjust, rather than bending Scripture to fit our system. In practice, this might mean revisiting contentious issues (baptism, spiritual gifts, liturgical style, etc.) with fresh eyes on Scripture, possibly alongside brethren from other backgrounds, and being willing to reform together toward greater biblical fidelity.

Moreover, continuing the Reformers’ work means laboring for unity in the gospel truth. The Reformers themselves, despite differences, shared core convictions summarized in the Five Solas (Scripture alone, Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, God’s glory alone). Those core truths should still unite all evangelicals. We should major on those essentials rather than erecting walls over secondary matters. Where differences in non-essentials remain, they need not always lead to division if handled with charity and a shared commitment to Scripture as the final judge. Our aim should be a Church that is “undenominational” in the sense that Luther and Wesley dreamed, known simply as Christ’s Church. This doesn’t necessarily mean abolishing all organizational distinctives overnight, but it does mean refusing to place our identity or confidence in them. As Philippians 3:3 says, “we are the [true] circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” Denominational credentials are “of the flesh”, human labels and lineage. The true Church is composed of all who are born again by faith in Christ and hold to His true gospel, regardless of denominational tag.

A Call to the American Church

In the context of U.S. evangelicalism, where denominationalism and independent movements abound, this call to unity and ongoing reformation is especially urgent. American Christians have pioneered countless new church groups, some over doctrinal convictions, others over consumer preference. We’ve seen the rise of the “nondenominational” megachurch culture, which often claims to be free of sectarianism, yet many so-called nondenominational churches simply become denominations under a different name. (In fact, sociological data shows that nondenominational evangelicals are often nearly indistinguishable from Baptist churches in theology and practice.) The label might be different, but the tendency to follow a particular popular pastor or trend instead of collectively seeking biblical truth can be just as strong. Whether one’s loyalty is to the local multi-campus megachurch brand, the Baptist General Convention, the Pentecostal revivalist tradition, or any other sub-group, the danger is the same: elevating “our way” as the only way and refusing biblical correction from outside voices.

Yet, encouragingly, there is a yearning among many believers today for truth over tradition. We see Christians (especially younger ones) crossing denominational lines in search of authentic, Bible-based faith. This provides hope that the tribal silos might be broken down. To truly continue the Reformation, we must nurture this trend by pointing people back to Scripture and the great historic truths of the faith, rather than to novel programs or sect loyalty. It means teaching discernment: as individuals, we each need to cultivate the habit of testing everything against God’s Word. Church leaders, for their part, should foster an environment where questions are welcome and Scripture, not institutional authority, settles debates. If a member shows from the Bible that a long-standing practice is unbiblical, we should rejoice in the correction rather than react defensively. That kind of humble, truth-seeking culture is how revival and reformation take root.

Conclusion: “One Church, One Faith, One Lord”

The antidote to Sola Denominatio is a return to sola Scriptura in both principle and practice. We must reject any attitude that declares, “We belong to Denomination X, and that’s the ultimate word,” and go back to “We belong to Christ, and His Word is final.” The moment a denominational identity or tradition demands priority over biblical truth, it has become a stumbling block to the church’s fidelity and unity.

Paul reminded the Ephesians that Christ in the cross has made believing Jews and Gentiles into “one new man,” forming one body (Eph 2:14-16). Likewise, all who are born of the Spirit today are part of that one body, the Church. We dare not segment what Christ died to unite. As Christians, we should celebrate our shared salvation in Christ more than we champion denominational labels. We can appreciate our heritage without idolizing it. In the end, no denomination died for our sins or can save our souls;  only Jesus Christ can. The Reformers understood this, which is why they pointed us back to Christ alone and Scripture alone. Now it falls to us to carry that torch forward.

Let’s therefore recommit to being “loyal to truth, not tribe.” Let’s heed the words of Scripture and the godly voices through history that urge us toward unity. When faced with a choice between a clear teaching of the Bible and a tenet of our denomination, we must choose the Bible every time. When interacting with brethren from other traditions, let’s listen with charity and learn, testing all by Scripture, and embracing whatever is good (1 Thess 5:21). In doing so, we may find that we have more common ground in Christ than we realized.

Above all, let’s continue reforming our own hearts and churches under the Word of God. This is not a one-and-done project, but a lifelong and church-wide posture. “Semper Reformanda!”, always reforming, means always willing to realign with God’s truth. If we commit to that, Sola Denominatio will yield to Sola Scriptura in our communities. The result, by God’s grace, will be a stronger, purer, more unified Church that presents to the world a compelling witness of one Lord, one faith, one baptism. May we devote ourselves to that vision, for the glory of God and the good of Christ’s body.

Sources:

• Holy Bible (e.g. John 17:20–23; 1 Corinthians 1:10–13; Ephesians 2:14–16)

• Pastor Mike Thompson, “Why Denominationalism is Wrong,” pastormikesays (WordPress), outlines denominationalism as unscriptural, anti-scriptural (unity and division passages).

• Executable Outlines: “Why I Believe in Undenominational Christianity,” Mark A. Copeland, discusses harm of denominational division to Christian witness  and quotes Luther, Wesley, Spurgeon on rejecting sectarian names.

• Aaron Blumer, “Why Christians Must Be Loyal to Truth, Not Tribe,” Sharper Iron (2021), on the importance of prioritizing Scripture over any group allegiance.

• “Solo Scriptura, Semper Reformanda: The Great Downfall of American Protestantism,” Young, Textless, and Reformed blog (Sept 16, 2025), notes how misusing individual interpretation + “always reforming” led to endless schisms .

• George Aldhizer, “Denomination Discombobulation: The Disorienting Effect of Protestantism,” Conciliar Post (2015), reflects on the fragmentation of authority in Protestantism .

• Stonebrook Community Church, “Reformation Sunday: Semper Reformanda” (Sermon, Oct 2022), emphasizes that the Reformation is ongoing and the church must continually be reformed “by the Word of God”  .

• Religion in Public (Ryan Burge), “Nondenominational Protestants are Basically Southern Baptists”, data showing many non-denom evangelicals align closely with Baptist profiles .

• Facebook comment (c.2018) highlighting the principle “Sola Scriptura… not Sola Denominatio”