If you’re looking for a non-denominational church in Door County, Wisconsin, you have several options.
One thing worth keeping in mind, though, is that “non-denominational” doesn’t tell you nearly as much about a church as people sometimes assume. Two churches can both call themselves non-denominational and have quite different beliefs about Baptism, Communion, spiritual gifts, healing, worship, and the Christian life.
So rather than simply giving you a directory of non-denominational churches in Door County, we’ll try to give you a little sense of what each church is actually like and what theological tradition it represents.
Then, at the end, we’re going to suggest one church that technically doesn’t belong on this list at all.
Non-Denominational Churches in Door County
1. Door of Life Christian Church — Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Door of Life Christian Church is a non-denominational church located in Sister Bay in northern Door County.
The congregation describes its Sunday service as featuring contemporary praise and worship together with Bible-based teaching. Door of Life also offers children’s ministry and nursery care and describes itself as casual and welcoming.
Theological orientation: Charismatic / Rhema-influenced / Word of Faith
Door of Life comes from a recognizably charismatic theological background. Pastor Ed House and his wife Julie are both 1992 graduates of Rhema Bible Training Center, and that background shows up in the congregation’s emphasis on being led by the Holy Spirit, walking in victory, experiencing God’s presence, and fulfilling God’s purpose for one’s life.
That Rhema connection is useful to know if you’re comparing churches. Rhema is associated with the charismatic and Word-of-Faith stream of American evangelical Christianity. In other words, Door of Life is non-denominational, but it is certainly not theologically generic.
Location: Sister Bay, WI
Worship: Contemporary praise and worship
Theological orientation: Charismatic / Rhema-influenced
Good fit for: Those looking for contemporary worship and a charismatic approach to Christian faith and the Holy Spirit
For people searching for a non-denominational church in Sister Bay, Ephraim, Ellison Bay, or northern Door County, Door of Life is one of the more obvious options to look into.
2. Community Church of Fish Creek — Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Community Church of Fish Creek is an independent Christian congregation located at 9420 Cottage Row in Fish Creek. Its website lists Sunday worship along with prayer, children’s church, nursery, youth ministry, Bible studies, and other congregational activities.
Theological orientation: Conservative evangelical
The theology at Community Church of Fish Creek looks much more like conventional American conservative evangelicalism than the charismatic tradition represented by Door of Life.
Its statement of faith affirms salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, biblical authority, the bodily resurrection, eternal judgment, and the return of Christ. The congregation also teaches that Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are Christian ordinances, but are not means of salvation, and it affirms the right of the local congregation to govern its own affairs.
Those positions put Community Church fairly squarely within the broad “Bible church” or conservative evangelical tradition common among American non-denominational congregations.
Location: Fish Creek, WI
Theological orientation: Conservative evangelical
Church government: Independent/local congregation
Good fit for: Those looking for a traditional evangelical Bible-church approach without a formal denominational affiliation
If you’re looking for a non-denominational church near Fish Creek, Egg Harbor, Ephraim, or central Door County, Community Church of Fish Creek is worth considering.
3. Faith Alive Fellowship — Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Faith Alive Fellowship & World Outreach Center is a non-denominational Christian church located at 55 W. Walnut Street in Sturgeon Bay.
The congregation holds Sunday worship and a Wednesday service, and its website prominently emphasizes preaching and teaching, healing, tongues, deliverance, and prophecy.
Theological orientation: Charismatic / Pentecostal
Faith Alive’s published doctrine is explicitly charismatic.
The congregation teaches that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. It teaches salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and describes water Baptism as an ordinance that pictures what Christ has already accomplished rather than as something that saves.
Faith Alive also teaches a distinct Baptism in the Holy Spirit, with speaking in tongues as its evidence, and affirms that the supernatural or “sign gifts” of the Holy Spirit continue to operate in the church today. Its doctrinal statement also explicitly connects Christ’s atoning work with divine healing.
So while Faith Alive is non-denominational in the formal sense, its theology has substantial similarities to Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity.
Location: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Theological orientation: Charismatic / Pentecostal
Distinctives: Speaking in tongues, divine healing, prophecy, deliverance, continuing supernatural gifts
Good fit for: Those specifically looking for a Spirit-filled or charismatic church in the Sturgeon Bay area
For people searching for a non-denominational church in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Faith Alive is one of the clearest local examples.
What About Other Non-Denominational Churches in Door County?
You may come across other congregations identified as non-denominational in online church directories.
For example, local directories have listed Open Door Christian Fellowship in Sturgeon Bay as non-denominational. There is considerably less current information online about its worship, doctrine, and schedule, so anyone thinking of visiting should verify those details first.
And this is probably a good place to point out something that becomes fairly obvious once you start comparing the churches above.
“Non-Denominational” Doesn’t Mean “No Particular Theology”
All three churches are non-denominational. They are also quite different from one another.
Door of Life has strong connections to the Rhema charismatic tradition. Faith Alive explicitly teaches speaking in tongues as evidence of Baptism in the Holy Spirit and places a strong emphasis on healing, prophecy, and other supernatural gifts. Community Church of Fish Creek represents a more conventional conservative evangelical approach and describes Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as ordinances rather than means of salvation.
None of that is meant as a criticism. It simply illustrates that every church has a theology, whether or not it has a denomination.
Every church has to answer basic questions about what the Bible teaches. What is Baptism? What is the Lord’s Supper? How does the Holy Spirit work? What is Christian worship for? How is salvation given? What should the Church preach?
A congregation doesn’t stop having a theological tradition simply because the name of that tradition isn’t printed on the sign.
So if you’re choosing a church, the more useful question may not be, “Is it non-denominational?”
A better question is probably, “What does this church actually believe and teach?”
And if you’re willing to ask that question, we’d like to suggest one more Door County church.
Have You Considered Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church?
First, the obvious disclaimer:
Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church is not non-denominational.
Not even a little bit.
We’re a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), and we’re quite comfortable saying so.
Saint Peter’s is a historic, confessional Lutheran church located in Forestville, Wisconsin, serving people throughout Door County as well as neighboring Kewaunee and Brown Counties. Our congregation bases its teaching on the Bible, confesses salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and centers its worship around God’s Word, prayer, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.
So why mention Saint Peter’s in an article about non-denominational churches in Door County?
Because “non-denominational” is sometimes the search term without being the thing a person actually cares about most.
A lot of people who search for a non-denominational church are really looking for a church with biblical preaching, clear teaching about Jesus Christ, serious Christianity, good Christian education, opportunities to study the Bible, and a congregation where people actually know one another.
If that’s what you mean when you type “non-denominational churches near me” or “Bible churches in Door County” into Google, then the denominational label may not be the most important part of your search.
Those are things you’ll find at Saint Peter’s too.
Bible-Based Christian Teaching
At Saint Peter’s, we believe Holy Scripture is God’s Word.
Our preaching and teaching center on Jesus Christ: His incarnation, His death for sinners, His bodily resurrection, the forgiveness He won on the cross, and the eternal life He gives.
We also believe salvation is God’s gift. It isn’t something we earn by becoming sufficiently moral, spiritual, successful, victorious, or religious.
Lutherans teach that the Holy Spirit creates and sustains faith through God’s Word and Sacraments, through which Christ gives sinners the salvation He won for them.
That’s recognizably Lutheran theology, and we don’t try to disguise it as generic Christianity. If you want to know what we believe, we’ll tell you.
What About Baptism and Communion?
This is one of the places where the differences between churches become especially important.
Some of the non-denominational churches above describe Baptism and the Lord’s Supper primarily as ordinances: things Christians do because Christ commanded them.
Lutherans understand them differently.
We believe God is acting through His Word and Sacraments. In Baptism, God joins His promise to water and gives His grace. In the Lord’s Supper, Christ gives Christians His true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.
You may agree with that. You may disagree with it. You may never have thought much about it before.
But it is worth thinking about.
What a church believes Baptism and Communion actually are is probably more significant than whether the church puts the name of a denomination on its website.
What Is Worship Like at Saint Peter’s?
Saint Peter’s will feel quite different from many non-denominational churches in Door County.
Our worship isn’t contemporary. We don’t have a praise band, stage lighting, or a concert-style service. We worship using the historic Christian liturgy.
On a typical Sunday, you’ll hear Scripture readings, hymns, prayers, a sermon, the Creed, and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The service is reverent and Christ-centered, with the focus on what God gives to us through His Word and Sacraments. (doorcounty.church)
If you’ve never attended a liturgical church before, some of it may be unfamiliar. That’s fine. Visitors aren’t expected to arrive already knowing what to do.
You can follow along, listen, participate where you’re comfortable, and ask questions afterward.
And you may find that Christian worship doesn’t have to fit neatly into the categories of “contemporary” or “dead.”
Historic Christian worship can be reverent without being lifeless, structured without being cold, and traditional without becoming a museum piece.
A Small Church Where People Will Know Your Name
Saint Peter’s isn’t a megachurch.
We don’t really do anonymity.
Our congregation includes lifelong Lutherans, people who joined us later in life, children, seniors, people from Forestville, Sturgeon Bay and other communities around Door County, and people who drive from neighboring counties to worship with us.
Saint Peter’s has proclaimed the Gospel in Forestville for more than 150 years and continues to offer Christian worship, Sunday School, Bible study, catechesis, community service, and outreach. The congregation also conducts Hispanic ministry and English as a Second Language classes.
There are some real advantages to a smaller congregation.
People notice when you’re there.
Eventually, they notice when you’re not.
We think that’s a good thing.
Can I Visit Saint Peter’s If I’m Not Lutheran?
Of course.
You don’t have to be Lutheran to attend a worship service at Saint Peter’s. You don’t have to understand the liturgy beforehand, know when to stand or sit, or pretend you believe things you’re still thinking through.
Come. Listen. Read the Scriptures with us. Hear the sermon. Sing if you want to. Meet some people.
Our Sunday Divine Service is currently held at 10:00 a.m., with Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. during the school year. Saint Peter’s is located at 316 W. Main Street in Forestville, Wisconsin. (doorcounty.church)
Looking for a Church in Door County? Look Beyond the Label
Choosing a church matters, and we don’t believe every church is interchangeable.
In fact, the variety among non-denominational churches in Door County demonstrates exactly why.
Churches that all use the same “non-denominational” label can have significantly different beliefs about Baptism, Communion, healing, speaking in tongues, salvation, worship, and the work of the Holy Spirit.
So visit churches. Read their statements of faith. Listen carefully to what they preach. Ask questions.
Ask what they believe Baptism is.
Ask what they believe happens in Communion.
Ask how sinners receive forgiveness.
Ask what they believe Christian worship is actually for.
And if you’re looking for a Bible-based Christian church in Door County, we’d invite you to put one Lutheran congregation on your list.
Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Forestville.
Yes, we’re denominational.
Very denominational, actually.
But if what you’re really looking for is a church centered on Jesus Christ, grounded in Scripture, serious about historic Christianity, and committed to proclaiming the forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ, then you may find that “non-denominational” wasn’t really the most important part of your search after all.
Come visit us sometime.
Frequently Asked Questions About Non-Denominational Churches in Door County
Are there non-denominational churches in Door County, Wisconsin?
Yes. Non-denominational churches in Door County include Door of Life Christian Church in Sister Bay, Community Church of Fish Creek, and Faith Alive Fellowship in Sturgeon Bay. Although all three are non-denominational, they represent different theological traditions.
Are there non-denominational churches in Sturgeon Bay?
Yes. Faith Alive Fellowship is a non-denominational charismatic church located in Sturgeon Bay. Local directories have also listed Open Door Christian Fellowship as non-denominational, although visitors should verify current information before attending.
Are all non-denominational churches basically the same?
No. “Non-denominational” generally refers to a church’s lack of formal denominational affiliation, not to one particular theology. In Door County alone, churches using the label include charismatic, Pentecostal-influenced, and conservative evangelical approaches.
Are there charismatic churches in Door County?
Yes. Door of Life Christian Church in Sister Bay has a Rhema-influenced charismatic background, while Faith Alive Fellowship in Sturgeon Bay explicitly teaches the continuing supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, divine healing, and speaking in tongues.
Is Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church non-denominational?
No. Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Forestville is a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). It is a confessional Lutheran Christian church centered on Scripture, salvation by grace through faith in Christ, and God’s work through Word and Sacrament.
Can I attend Saint Peter’s if I am not Lutheran?
Yes. Visitors are welcome at Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church. Sunday Divine Service is currently at 10:00 a.m. at 316 W. Main Street in Forestville, Wisconsin.