Why I'm neither Catholic nor Protestant, but Baptist

[KennethC]

Good question. Can't answer it. Most Baptist denominations adhere pretty closely to the original tenets of the faith, from what I've been able to ascertain. Free Will tend to believe, though not across the board from church to church, that salvation can be lost. There are other quirks too, including those that get facetiously labeled "bapticostals" who embrace continuance of the miraculous gifts. But if you look at the mainstream Baptists, we all pretty much embrace the same doctrines, most important of which, to us, is local church autonomy and the word of God as final authority.

I'm blessed to get to know people like you, too, AWC, and most of the others on CC&F. There are a lot of Reformed/Calvinist Baptists. In fact, it's a movement among SBCers. They call themselves the "Young, Restless, and Reformed." I believe most of what they believe, but cannot see biblically that they can support limited atonement and irresistible grace. But that's another thread.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, dear friend, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Well I would just suggest you get around more and visit some more Baptist churches.
In the Kansas City / Independence, Missouri area where I grew up there are tons of Baptist churches, and I can tell you they all don't hold to the same teachings. Like I said the one's I mainly went to are a come as you are style Baptist church that does not turn anybody away, but a couple blocks away from one of them was another Baptist church that turned men and women away if they were not dressed nicely and taught in a snobbish condemning of others style...

 

[Willie-T]

I just cannot talk myself into the blue pill.

 

[Gr8grace]

Actually, when you get tired of fluctuating theories in your church, you are always free to go to a denominational church that, long ago, established their doctrines. I spent 20 years of my Christian life in nondenoms, and when I got tired of them changing their minds on their beliefs, I found a denom that rarely does, because they teach nothing but verse by verse in the Bible, instead of trends. I've spent equal amount of time there, fully satisfied with the doctrine. You'll get it, later. I hope.

I must of found a good one. They don't fluctuate in their beliefs.

Sounds like you had a bad run. Don't sweat it ,you will catch up. I hope.

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

Vigilant Warrior...I too was brought up a baptist minister's son, so I understand your study and conclusions. However, due to mom being extremely legalistic and NO gray areas, I presently am a member of a local pentacostal country church.

Sorry your mom was all black-and-white, but that is a thing of the past in all but the most legalistic denominations, particularly IFB.

It does not keep a clock on the back wall of the santuary to remind the preacher when Noon is near.

I don't think I've ever seen a clock in a Baptist sanctuary.

A bulletin is not needed to dictate the order of service.

That bothers me, brother. Paul said worship must be orderly. It isn't supposed to happen willy-nilly, even though I realize you believe that services are led by the Holy Spirit. I'm not so sure about that, given the chaos I've seen in some Pentecostal/Charismatic services.

Women do participate in all functions of the church body.

In ours too, except as senior pastor. I believe Paul's teachings are quite clear on that, as Eve was deceived whereas Adam sinned in following his wife.

THere is plenty of room for the Holy Spirit to be part of the worship service.

As He should be, but not to lead into chaos.

We sing praise songs along with the classic old hymns. When someone shouts out 'AMEN" or "PRAISE GOD!", nobody turns around and glares.

You can't count the number of times our pastors are "Amened" during any given service. Truth demands agreement.

In all my years of being a southern baptist, I never ever heard a sermon on the gifts of the spirit, but plenty of sermons on the 'fruits of the spirit".

I would hope you heard messages on the fruit of the Spirit. The word as used by Paul in Galatians is singular, and it represents the attributes brought to the Christ-following believer by the Holy Spirit within.

All visitors and families in my church are invited to participate in the LORD's Supper. I never saw that happen in my old baptist church! lol This is NOT ridicule, this is simple observation.[/quote[Even unbelievers?

No offense, but allowing unbelievers to receive the Lord's Supper, including the children of church members, attendees, and believers ,is not biblical. It is the only restriction we have on serving Communion. You must be a confessing believer to receive the wine and the bread. Many people have misunderstood that aspect of the Lord's Supper as served in the Baptist church. It isn't membership, but belief, that governs the service. Still, that is on the individual worshiper. We don't check for membership cards of baptismal certificates at the door.

I was discouraged to never dance, even at weddings, for dancing is a SIN.

Only IFB still cling to that, as far as I am aware, though I don't discount that certain legalistic SBC congregations could continue to hold to that concept. It is a legalistic viewpoint the SBC as a whole long ago rejected.

I was not allowed to attend my own prom. My dad was asked to pray over the food at my daughter's wedding. HE leaned over and informed me that he can't, because someone put an iced champaigne bucket as part of the decor. He told me that baptists don't pray over any food table that has alcohol on it. I said the blessing of the food and event.

Your dad is old school SBC, and his legalistic viewpoints were tossed out the back door with the liberal seminary agendas Adrian Rogers dispensed with in 1980. Ironic that both liberal and legalistic views were both frowned upon by the biblical inerrancy champion of the SBC, I know, but them's the facts.

I'm sorry you experienced the worst time frame of the SBC in the 20th Century. I think you would find things much different if you walked through the doors of such a church today. But I don't ask you to come back. You're obviously happy where you're at, and that being the case, be blessed of God and serve Him where you are, brother.

 

[A_Friend_In_Christ]

Sometimes there is some bashing around here sad to say.

 

[KennethC]

I must of found a good one. They don't fluctuate in their beliefs.

Sounds like you had a bad run. Don't sweat it ,you will catch up. I hope.

Yes not all Non-Denominations fluctuate in their beliefs, and this may not apply to all but the ones that I have noticed do fluctuate are one's that actually even though they go by non-denom they actually adapted a denominations teaching. Therefore they are slowly changing their teachings as they find more and more fallacies when studying the word.

A true Non-Denomination does not let outside influences interfere with the word, they study and stick to nothing but the word and let the Holy Spirit's guidance direct them. This is at least what I have experienced so far !!!

 

[crossnote]

I visited a Missionary Baptist Church once and underneath the clock on the BACK wall were the words of reminder for those who kept looking back, "Remember Lot's Wife".

 

[Gr8grace]

I visited a Missionary Baptist Church once and underneath the clock on the BACK wall were the words of reminder for those who kept looking back, "Remember Lot's Wife".

Now that is some salt!

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

I visited a Missionary Baptist Church once and underneath the clock on the BACK wall were the words of reminder for those who kept looking back, "Remember Lot's Wife".

Our church has no clock in the sancturay, but a quote of the last portion of John 12:21 --"these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and began to ask him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

 

[Elin]

No, I am not a Protestant, not that I accuse any today of being as those Protestants were, just as I do not accuse Calvinists of being the murderous John Calvin. I am proudly, fundamentally, and always a Christian who calls himself a Baptist, Southern variety.

Love those Baptists, Southern variety!

 

[crossnote]

Love those Baptists, Southern variety!

I was baptized through a So. Baptist minister, am I included?

 

[Viligant_Warrior]

I was baptized through a So. Baptist minister, am I included?

You're acceptable, yes.

 

[dcontroversal]

Without a doubt there are groups which hold to the valid teachings of the bible and with no regret whatsoever at all I will also say that there are many groups that name Christ yet teach heresy and have no resemblence whatsoever at all to the church that Jesus started when he called out his already prepared disciples.......!

 

[MarcR]

I don't label myself Baptist; but I substantially agree with their theology. There are several denominations, who, like the Baptists, follow a body of teaching which, as VW points out, has been practiced since before the mid second century.

The teachings of Jan Hus, Menno Simons, and the Waldensians, span four centuries before the reformation; and substantially agree with each other and with the earlier teachings which VW mentioned.

Several denominations, beside the Baptists, came out of the same movement; and are very similar if not doctrinally identical with the Baptists.

They are:

The Mennonites, the Plymouth Brethren, the Christian Church, the Evangelical Free Church, the Christian Missionary Alliance, the Mission Covenant Church, Calvary Chapel, and In Faith. I am sure there are others which I am unfamiliar with.

In addition, except for differences in church polity, the Free Methodists are also very similar doctrinally.

Many non- denominational churches also have similar doctrine.

 

[dcontroversal]

Well I would just suggest you get around more and visit some more Baptist churches.
In the Kansas City / Independence, Missouri area where I grew up there are tons of Baptist churches, and I can tell you they all don't hold to the same teachings. Like I said the one's I mainly went to are a come as you are style Baptist church that does not turn anybody away, but a couple blocks away from one of them was another Baptist church that turned men and women away if they were not dressed nicely and taught in a snobbish condemning of others style...

(Tons) hey.........!

 

[MarcR]

Vigilant Warrior...I too was brought up a baptist minister's son, so I understand your study and conclusions. However, due to mom being extremely legalistic and NO gray areas, I presently am a member of a local pentacostal country church. It does not keep a clock on the back wall of the santuary to remind the preacher when Noon is near. A bulletin is not needed to dictate the order of service. Women do participate in all functions of the church body. THere is plenty of room for the Holy Spirit to be part of the worship service. We sing praise songs along with the classic old hymns. When someone shouts out 'AMEN" or "PRAISE GOD!", nobody turns around and glares.
In all my years of being a southern baptist, I never ever heard a sermon on the gifts of the spirit, but plenty of sermons on the 'fruits of the spirit". All visitors and families in my church are invited to participate in the LORD's Supper. I never saw that happen in my old baptist church! lol This is NOT ridicule, this is simple observation.
I was discouraged to never dance, even at weddings, for dancing is a SIN. I was not allowed to attend my own prom. My dad was asked to pray over the food at my daughter's wedding. HE leaned over and informed me that he can't, because someone put an iced champaigne bucket as part of the decor. He told me that baptists don't pray over any food table that has alcohol on it. I said the blessing of the food and event.

I hope you realize that NOT all baptist churches practice that kind of legalism; or any kind of legalism.

 

[Gr8grace]

I was baptized through a So. Baptist minister, am I included?

I don't know where I get this but when I think of SOUTHERN Baptists.......I envision a little white building, in a clear cut, out in the middle of nowhere, a cut in the trees for a path to it that is 5 miles away from any thing "civilized", a sermon on drinking is sin and they have a still in the back for relief and fund raising!

I must of got it off a movie or something!

 

[dcontroversal]

I don't know where I get this but when I think of SOUTHERN Baptists.......I envision a little white building, in a clear cut, out in the middle of nowhere, a cut in the trees for a path to it that is 5 miles away from any thing "civilized", a sermon on drinking is sin and they have a still in the back for relief and fund raising!

I must of got it off a movie or something!

Kind of like prohibition when they were dumping the alcohol into the river....that is when (shall we gather at the river) was written.....

 

[KennethC]

(Tons) hey.........!

It is a symbolic term many lots, as just in the Independence, Missouri area alone I know of no less then 30 Baptist churches and some of them are not come as you are and accepted no matter how you look like the bible says churches should be.

I have gone to a couple where I was turned away because I was not wearing a suit and tie, and was told the women in my family also had to wear long dresses.

I grew up in a Baptist background in my family and seen the ways they teach, and not all of them are biblically sound !!!

 

[dcontroversal]

It is a symbolic term many lots, as just in the Independence, Missouri area alone I know of no less then 30 Baptist churches and some of them are not come as you are and accepted no matter how you look like the bible says churches should be.

I have gone to a couple where I was turned away because I was not wearing a suit and tie, and was told the women in my family also had to wear long dresses.

I grew up in a Baptist background in my family and seen the ways they teach, and not all of them are biblically sound !!!

I agree...the ones that teach you can lose salvation are defintely false!