Try saying that 3 times real fast. That's how Gov Palin is being described. Raised in Assemblies of God but doesn't consider herself to be Pentecostal.
Jean Gibson used to joked that if you learn enough of the big words you don't need to go to Seminary.
In any case, this "post" or "non" denominationalism isn't a surprise to any of us who grew up PB. We were told to take on no name but that which was used in the Bible for believers.
So then, it was an awkward reality that whenever we were asked "what denomination" are you, we'd just stutter and say something like "We're just New Testament Believers" or "We're Brethern." Of course that usually left people wondering what kind of odd sect or cult we belonged to.
Sometimes we'd give in and say "We're Evangelicals" but that wasn't enough for some. That would escalate to saying "Sorta like Baptists but without belonging to a denomination." If pushed further, we would say "if we didn't go to 'The Chapel' we'd probably go to Mountain View Baptist. That's where we'd fit in best."
90% of the time that then would satisfy the questioner. Then there were those times the person was either so persistent or so dense that we'd give in and admit we're "Plymouth Brethern." Then quickly explain "It's NOT a denomination! It's a movement!" As if "movement" mean't something to the average person.
Of course, a wee twinge of guilt or inadequacy would follow you the rest of the day as your conscience tweaked you for taking on an un-Biblical or extra-Biblical name.
As you got older you got more refined and figured out how to dodge that guilt a bit by not saying "We're Plymouth Brethern" but instead saying "People refer to us as Plymouth Brethern." Not so much guilt that way. ;^)
See? It just depends on what your definition of "is" is.
I guess we were post-denominationalists before it was cool. Some Christian musical "Ar-teest" oughta write a country song... But that's a whole 'nother blog.
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