So Many Different flavors of Baptist

I think every one is different.
Most baptist churches are independent of each other, so it all kind of depends on the pastor really. This can be a strength, but it also can be isolating, because, if you only meet with the same people ALL the time, you get insular and a 'us and them' mentality.

As a contrast-
When I go to a quaker meeting, they are always having visitors from other meetings, and anyone can join in one, plus they organise a camp every year in different locations. You can go to any meeting in any location and there won't be this bragging about what they do or believe that I find with other churches (we've got the biggest, we believe this and not that) but just a quiet acceptance that God meets people there in quiet worship and will aways be there.

The things Quakers do as ministry, are what the Holy spirit convicts them to do, so it's kind of more personal in a way. In other churches everything is 'programmed'.
 
Lanolin said:
I think every one is different.
Most baptist churches are independent of each other, so it all kind of depends on the pastor really. This can be a strength, but it also can be isolating, because, if you only meet with the same people ALL the time, you get insular and a 'us and them' mentality.

As a contrast-
When I go to a quaker meeting, they are always having visitors from other meetings, and anyone can join in one, plus they organise a camp every year in different locations. You can go to any meeting in any location and there won't be this bragging about what they do or believe that I find with other churches (we've got the biggest, we believe this and not that) but just a quiet acceptance that God meets people there in quiet worship and will aways be there.

The things Quakers do as ministry, are what the Holy spirit convicts them to do, so it's kind of more personal in a way. In other churches everything is 'programmed'.
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Actions do speak louder than words. I've seen groups that were very warm and inviting, that had many who came early and stayed late on the Sabbath fellowshipping. I have seen churches that had many practicing pure religion (James 1:27). God's way of life is more than hearing the word. If our hearts and minds are truly filled with God's law in time it will actually begin to practice God's law of love and faith.
 
CPerkins said:
There are so many variations. Can someone explain perhaps first the major divisions like reformed, traditional, and freewill. Perhaps with a few bones in place the picture might take proper shape. For me there is a picture but it is very hazy indeed.

blurry-eyes.jpg (671×371) (silverhccenter.com)
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There are particular Baptists like myself, who would be seen as Calvinists, there are alsoReformed Baptist, Free will baptists. and Bapticostals even!
 
Many Baptists insist that the general Baptist denomination dates back to the early church while most historians cite the protestant movement in Europe.

Baptists, in general, believe in the priesthood of the common believer, meaning that the church can instruct and lead, but the individual is responsible in his own right.

As an extension, many Baptists churches are singular congregations that do not acknowledge a higher denominational hierarchy, although they may make associations with other similar churches to promote such things as missionary work.

At the other end of the Baptist spectrum there are wider, more solidly united forms of Baptist who attempt to define and enforce a core set of teachings.
The Southern Baptist church was and remains the largest and most tightly controlled group.

In the U.S. a fairly unified Baptist church was split at the civil war between the American Baptist church and the Southern Baptist church. The American Baptist church is more theologically liberal, allowing such things as female preachers and pastors.

In general Baptists believe in the centrality of scripture and that the common man does not require a priesthood. The way these play out within a given congregation varies. Baptism is Believers Baptism (no infant baptism) and done by immersion. Some congregations prefer or require a natural body of water, while most allow any pool. There is a record of an early Baptist preacher in pre-revolution America being jailed for preaching baptism by immersion.

Most Baptist churches are Calvinistic while others (such as Free Will Baptist church) embrace Armenian doctrine.
 
CPerkins said:
There are so many variations. Can someone explain perhaps first the major divisions like reformed, traditional, and freewill. Perhaps with a few bones in place the picture might take proper shape. For me there is a picture but it is very hazy indeed.

blurry-eyes.jpg (671×371) (silverhccenter.com)
Click to expand...

Great question. I did an extensive study myself about 40 years ago on the same thing. There is a an excellent wed site that will save you a lot of time in the library like I spent and it is.........Baptist Beginnings – Baptist History and Heritage Society

Personally, I believe, at least why "I" am a Southern Baptist is because we try to follow and grasp the written Word of God more than do other denominations.

"Sola Scriptura" was the rally cry of the Reformation in 1500 and I think that it still applies today.


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Major said:
Great question. I did an extensive study myself about 40 years ago on the same thing. There is a an excellent wed site that will save you a lot of time in the library like I spent and it is.........Baptist Beginnings – Baptist History and Heritage Society

Personally, I believe, at least why "I" am a Southern Baptist is because we try to follow and grasp the written Word of God more than do other denominations.

"Sola Scriptura" was the rally cry of the Reformation in 1500 and I think that it still applies today.

MODERATOR'S CAUTION:
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I'll checkout the link. Thanks.

cp
 
I recall someone from a reformed church visiting the baptist church, looking at our library and declaring it was 'too liberal'.

I've also visited a baptist church that was so independent that every other church was looked at as wrong. If so they can pride themselves on being the only one in the entire country/world that was right. It didn't have many members....
 
Lanolin said:
I recall someone from a reformed church visiting the baptist church, looking at our library and declaring it was 'too liberal'.

I've also visited a baptist church that was so independent that every other church was looked at as wrong. If so they can pride themselves on being the only one in the entire country/world that was right. It didn't have many members....
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Hi Lanolin;

Yes, when churches allow their practiced autonomy to expose their pride and ego, they can become judgmental toward the church down the street. This is why I have an issue with denominations.

I teach and preach on the 400 years of Baptist heritage but also remind our church family that we are foremost God's Christian Church.

In the end God is not going to judge us on our denominations but our hearts, and what did we do, squabble (2 Timothy 2:14) or introduce Christ to those who don't know Him?
 
Major said:
Great question. I did an extensive study myself about 40 years ago on the same thing. There is a an excellent wed site that will save you a lot of time in the library like I spent and it is.........Baptist Beginnings – Baptist History and Heritage Society

Personally, I believe, at least why "I" am a Southern Baptist is because we try to follow and grasp the written Word of God more than do other denominations.

"Sola Scriptura" was the rally cry of the Reformation in 1500 and I think that it still applies today.
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There is a vocal but minority group within Baptistdom that trace the first Baptists all the way back to Acts, and believe called landmark Baptists!

They hold that only churches who follow Baptist theology are real NT churches, so reformed need not apply!
 
CPerkins said:
Thanks, so these might be considered the major groups within the denomination?

cp
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There are also primitive Baptists, who hold to Hyper cal, as see no need to do missions/envagelism, and have no pastors or sunday schools, as all can teach and parents teach their own kids.
landmark baptists see the first Baptists in Acts in jerusalem, and see basically only baptist or baptist like churches are real NT churches!
 
YeshuaFan said:
There is a vocal but minority group within Baptistdom that trace the first Baptists all the way back to Acts, and believe called landmark Baptists!

They hold that only churches who follow Baptist theology are real NT churches, so reformed need not apply!
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I know that and I believe they are called "Anna" Baptists.
 
YeshuaFan said:
They are very strange baptists, them and the Bapticostalists!
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Believe it or not.....I am actually a "Bapticostal" so you can call me strange as well.

We have encouraged the church to worship freely. We raise hands, clap hands, shout AMEN and Glory to God.

In fact, when the sermons are preached if there is not a lot of emotional activity I think that something is wrong. We even have people cry and bow their knees to pray.

I find that all of those things are Biblically acceptable.
 
Major said:
Believe it or not.....I am actually a "Bapticostal" so you can call me strange as well.

We have encouraged the church to worship freely. We raise hands, clap hands, shout AMEN and Glory to God.

In fact, when the sermons are preached if there is not a lot of emotional activity I think that something is wrong. We even have people cry and bow their knees to pray.

I find that all of those things are Biblically acceptable.
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I have no problem with that, I just have a big problem with Word of faith and Charismatic chaos!
 
CPerkins said:
I've heard of Anabaptists, I wasn't sure they were related to the Baptist denomination.

cp
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YeshuaFan said:
They are very strange baptists, them and the Bapticostalists!
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YeshuaFan said:
Some see them as being the forerunners of certain Baptist groups1
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Hello brothers Chuck and YeshuaFan;

The Anabaptist were a diverse group of the early reformers in the 16th century during the Reformation era. They were under the umbrella of the early Baptist church of England and Holland.
 
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