Exactly.
The Reformation churches (Protestant Churches) may well be a transitional group. They provided the freedom for people to search the Scriptures for themselves and form new "assemblies", or what we call churches. The Reformed churches for all their good were still influenced to some degree by the Roman institution they broke from.
Now Christians search the Scriptures for guidance and see when a church falls into error. If it can't be turned back to Scripture Christians leave. Non-Denominational Christian churches are growing and have members from all churches. IOW, Christians are seeking other Christians to fellowship with regardless of what older churches say. I think this explains why we feel a common bond even though we may have differences. We are united by our Faith in The Gospel and are members of the Body of Christ.
We are truly returning to the pre-Nicea Christianity where Christians were united by Faith not by force and membership was determined by Faith not by birth.
This is a particularly astute observation, wmfights.
If one looks across the length of it all, even as the apostate church becomes amorphous, consisting of not only Rome and her paganism, but also the fallen mainline churches of Protestantism, so the Church becomes more evident, as they inevitably "come out of her"...
Soon enough, the congealing of the apostate church in it's profane ecumenicism will occur, made ready for the lawless one to arise... And the Church will be winnowed yet again, one final time.
And one can be sure that it will be adherence to the Scriptures that will be the significant hallmark of the Church, and that adherence will be very hard to do and live.
In that light, I agree with you that the Reformation churches were transitory - and quite likely, the Evangelical non-denoms are too...