What does the very word "denomination" mean?

1) a religious group, usually including many local churches, often larger than a sect: the Lutheran denomination.

2) one of the grades or degrees in a series of designations of quantity, value, measure, weight, etc.: He paid $500 in bills of small denomination.

3) a name or designation, esp. one for a class of things.

4) a class or kind of persons or things distinguished by a specific name.

5) the act of naming or designating a person or thing.

A good example is of the money. You have denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20 and so on. Each one is designated by name and separated from the others. That's just what happened within much of our ranks the last 50 years. It's "Our version of the Word" vs the others. They have separated into their own little cultish denominations with a holier than thou attitude towards others not in their sect. In most cases the ministers only trade pulpits, no one goes out into another church with a little different view to minister or even fellowship. They all stay within their own little sect. Real denomination is a spirit, what one does and one's attitude towards others who aren't religiously grouped as you are.

Now, didn't the prophet come to knock down those walls of denomination? And shouldn't the water be higher than the walls so all the ducks can swim together? But they have simply built the walls higher than in even denomination. When he came to tear down denominational walls, it was for the Bride only, not all of Christendom. The rest of Christendom only got tighter but the true Bride came out of it and into Christ and true brotherly love.

Religious grouping is worse in our ranks than it is in other denominations. Many other denominations will fellowship with those not in their group, but if you aren't within their church grouping, for the most part, message people won't have anything to do with you. If that isn't religious grouping, I don't know what is. Bro Branham wasn't that way, neither was Jesus.

Definition number four is "a class or kind of persons or things distinguished by a specific name." Now, that's just what their religion is, it's known as "The Message." The only name a Christian should have is "Christian" and that's only because it means "Christ-like." Even the very word Christian shouldn't mean someone who follows Christ and the Bible, that's more denominational, it should only mean Christ-like because we have the Spirit of Christ and are continuing His works.

If we are true message believers, we have come out of denomination in body, spirit and soul, not just in body, and we have come into Christ and we are free of denominational barriers.

The sad part of all this is any wolf can come into the message sect dressed as an innocent lamb, under the guise of being part of the group and spew all kinds of poison and no one will take a stand against it because they are "one of us." I've seen it happen many times. Where's the discernment? They are simply blinded with denominational nearsightedness because they can see no further than the Message sect.

I do believe the real message is and has produced the real Bride of Christ, but much of the sect is just another denomination with another name, "Message" and at best will produce foolish virgins.

Religious grouping is the key here. Most of Messagedom itself is a denomination, separating themselves from others believing they are "The "Message." It's not on an official document that states, "we are the message denomination." But that's only formality. Real denomination is in what one does and one's attitude towards others who aren't religiously grouped as you are.

Then within the main religious message group, they have other religious groupings who do the same to those in the main message body but are on the outside of their group. It's the exact same spirit as say the Baptists. You have the main Baptist grouping and then the free will Baptists, Southern Baptists etc. But even the staunchest non-message group isn't as denominationaly minded as the message group and its sub groups.

Problem with a denominational spirit is their idea is "light" must come from them or their group of fellowships. I see that a lot. "If you aren't in our group you can't be elect. And if you are elect, you will end up in our group." But I have news, God's light goes beyond all sects. The message isn't a new church started by Bro Branham. The message is a message sent from God and it will never be an organization. It's never be an organism. You cannot box in the Spirit of God.

Many of these ministers and their followers go on these "witch hunts" against other ministers they disagree with. Even if it's all true, I don't see this type of "ministry" as being scriptural. It's the same thing people like the Branham haters do with Bro Branham. Agree with them or not or not, it's not our job go on these "witch hunts" and burn people we disagree with at the stake. I don't see Jesus doing it. He went about the Father's business preaching the Kingdom of God, and yes, many challenged Him, but He didn't go hunting them down "exposing" them. He only did it when they challenged Him. See this kind of attitude is denominational and rampant. All these pulpits bashing one another. It reminds me of the crusades when they murdered everyone that disagreed with the church. It's just not right. Bash against unbelief, not other ministers. If they teach false doctrine, speak against the doctrine, not the men.

The very fact he's always trying to prove someone else wrong shows there's something not right with him, it's a denominational spirit bashing behind denominational walls. Most of this bashing one another is not defending the faith but they are after a following. They bash the other guy to try and get you to follow them instead. They do that all the time in denomination. And they do it thinking they are serving God.

There's even message believers out there who bash Bro Branham, and those who follow him... why? They want you to follow them.

There's some American pastors who preach sermon after sermon after sermon bashing Bro Joseph Branham. Digging up every little thing they can find on him and preach whole negative sermons on him. That's just not right to do that to any man, especially another brother. I am sorry but they are still in denomination in their heart.

The denominational spirit is in the message. We can come out of denomination and into the message in body, but until we are born again and die to denominationalism we are still denominational at heart. Here in the US where everything's denominational you can tell what denomination many message churches have come out of because they act the same. If they came out of Baptist, they are cold and formal and intellectual. If they came out of Pentecost they major on sensations and such. If they came out of Catholic they idolize their saints etc. If they came out of Apostolic they are dictators and rule the people with an iron fist just like they did back in denomination.

The message is more than just making a new religion. It's the restoration of the original. We should not be a retread tire, but a new creature in Christ Jesus.

Denominationalism is the replacement of the Holy Spirit leadership of the church with man's leadership. That's why they don't preach the same Holy Ghost Bro Branham did and what he had anymore. It's backslid into man's leadership again.

 "He (Paul) knew they would implement a way of worship that excluded the people from any part in a Holy Spirit ministry. And even right today among those who claim to be free and full of the Spirit there is not too much freedom in the laity, and the best we can see is a few preachers with inspired preaching while the flock just sits there and tries to absorb it. This is a far cry from Paul who said that when all came together, all had the leading of the Spirit, and all participated in Spiritual worship." - WMB

"Oh, it started so small, so quietly, so inoffensively. It looked so good. It seemed so sound. Then it caught a hold, and like a python, it squeezed out the very breath and killed all the spirituality there was in the church. Oh, that false vine is subtle. It is like an angel of light until it gets a hold on you. Now I want to say that I believe in leadership. But it is not the leadership of men I believe in. I believe in the leadership of the Holy Ghost coming through the Word." - WMB

I get asked a lot by message believers if I believe the message. It's because most have those denominational blinders on and can't see what the devil is doing to the message. And when you sigh and cry against these abominations they think you are speaking against the message and the prophet. But the Message sect is not the same as the message sent. The message sent was to dress a bride, not make a new religion. It dresses the Bride by restoring the old of the Book of Acts. Anything short of Acts is a perversion of the message sent, regardless of how much we claim to love and follow the prophet and how well we know the mysteries. Bro Branham had the same problem when he sighed and cried against the abominations done in Pentecost. They even asked him if he even believed in Pentecost. Why? They had denominational blinders on. People bound by a denominational spirit never see the abominations done in their denomination.

Paul's wolves he spoke of were the "deeds of the Nicolaitans." That later became the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. The deeds as such was a milder form that you could also say was the spirit of Nicolaitanism. The same with denomination. You can have it in different forms, a doctrine a deed or a spirit. What I find in the Message churches is not denominational doctrine but the spirit and deeds of denomination.

It’s nothing new. It's the very same thing Bro Branham preached and what Paul warned them about with tears for 3 1/2 years, as to what would happen after his departing. What is it that Paul was warning the flock about day and night with tears in these following verses? And more importantly what was it that they did after he left? Was it making major changes to his teachings? Or was it subtle changes and they crept in slowly disguised as brethren? Has the same happened after our prophet has left the scene? If so, how? ACTS 20:28-31 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Paul warned his people day and night for 3 1/2 and with tears about the wolves that would come into his MESSAGE after his departing, but they didn't listen and guess what? They were devoured and the others were scattered.

It's important to be able to discern between them. The two spirits are so close they would deceive the very elect if possible.

Yes, the Bride does come out of the Message groupings and the message groupings are the furthest along followed by the Pentecostals, the Holiness groups, the fundamentals and then the Catholics. But all of them are dead denominations and in the end, the Bride will be out of them all and in Christ restored back to the original, free of a denominational spirit.

Revelation 3:1b, "I know thy works, that thou has a name that thou livest, and art dead."  Thou has a name of Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal or Message that thou livest and art dead.

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