Baptist Churches Turning Non-Denominational?

[Elzee]

Malachi4U:

They are leaving off the name “BAPTIST” from churches to keep from scaring off newbies.

JMJ

This is true!
The church my friend goes too just did this! They took the word ‘Baptist’ out of their name because it was scaring people off! The teachings remain the same, but their congregation has grown ever since they did it! How funny!!!

 

[Malachi4U]

Elzee:

This is true!
The church my friend goes too just did this! They took the word ‘Baptist’ out of their name because it was scaring people off! The teachings remain the same, but their congregation has grown ever since they did it! How funny!!!

Their name didn’t scare me off, thier opinions (i.e. heresies) did!:bigyikes:

You’d think, with nearly 48 million souls and 1 year of 't’radition repeated 400 times (back to c. 1609 and their founder John Smyth) they could connect the loose ends of their "ME"ology? One day I just came down from the high of the motivational seminar - I mean sermon - and in 2 hours two preachers and the Bible all contridicted each other. 3 opinions and all different in one church on one morning. The scales came off my eyes that day! I decided to read the Sacred Scripture to find out what to believe and not to read in vain one verse here and one there that ‘appeared’ to support what the preacher told me was true.

Countless preachers wrong. Bible allways right. Home to the Catholic Church I go.

 

[BOBKAT]

My sister and her husband along with my brother and his wife with some neices and nephews belonged to a Baptist church turned non-denominational. And for the most part they all have different beliefs and different views on things. I once ask my SIL how does she reconcile all the differences without asking questions. Her response is this makes me feel good, meaning the place she is at and she pays no attention to what others in her congregation believe. The sad part is she is having her 5th child and this baby will be the only one in the family not baptised. Anyhow just wanted to add my 2 cents

God Bless
Kathleen

 

[Malachi4U]

BOBKAT:

My sister and her husband along with my brother and his wife with some neices and nephews belonged to a Baptist church turned non-denominational. And for the most part they all have different beliefs and different views on things. I once ask my SIL how does she reconcile all the differences without asking questions. Her response is this makes me feel good…

“this makes me feel good” This is one of Satans favorite responses. He works so hard to make us believe this lie.

 

[Thal59]

The answer to your question is no.

I have attended numerous times now, bible study at a non-denominational church. It’s founder IS a Baptist minister. His church is not Baptist, it is simply a place for him to be in charge and teach what he personally wants.

It apparently seems to be the case that the Baptists really don’t care how many different denominations are bred. Each individual has the right to start their own church, no matter what is preached there.

Thal59

 

[Malachi4U]

Basically ALL Baptist churches are non-denominational since they each have their own pope who interprets Gods word his own way and each member is free to interpret it their own way which means they are all, well, wondering aimlessly.

 

[Texan_in_DC]

As a kid I was apart of a Southern Baptist Church, one week our Preacher left for California to go to a conference which was hosted by the Saddleback ministries. When our Preacher got back his message changed a bit, our traditions in our souther baptist church changed significantly, like for example after each and every service the preacher in a Baptist church would ask if anyone from the congregation would want to come forward, whether to join the church, more spirtitual guidence with counselors, or those whom asked Jesus to come into their lives and be saved…

But not this week. The elders and deacons of our church quickly formed a committe and voted our preacher out of the church. Our preacher was a Sunday School teacher at another church, and he grew his class to such a large draw they started meeting outside of the church, eventually in a school, and then raised enough money to build their own church, he was a unique preacher from the beggining he was divorced and remarried very rare for a baptist preacher.

But we threw him out. He attened Saddle back Ministires where all of this non denominational stuff started back in 1980 and exploded throughout the 90"s

saddleback.com/flash/default.htm

So in a way these non denomin are actually apart of saddleback but are in some way independent from each other, but there lesson are all derived from one.

My old church is now more like the Dr. Phil show than a traditional baptist church.

 

[NonDenom]

Press any non-denominational Christian long enough and they will admit that they are Baptist.

It is funny to say, but all non-denominational Christians I know, when questioned about thier beliefs, are full blooded Baptists.

So I guess we could say that “non-denominational” is actually the denomination of “non-denominational”. Ironic.

Adam

WRONG

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you are quite wrong on this. It may be that way in your town, but it’s not that way where I live. There are many NonDenominational church’s here in Iowa, and most of them that I know of arent “faith only” as are Baptist church’s. Baptist’s don’t believe that Baptism is essential for salvation, (which is kinda ironic) as to where we do. We also dont believe in the “rapture” as to where they do. There are other things that I wont go into. My point is that NonDenoms are not all Baptist.
Thanks.

 

[AquinasXVI]

Non Denom:

I understand where you’re coming from and I respect it.

I do have a series of questions:

What is the definitive and unanimous dogmas of the non-denominational communities? That in all 6 continents, each non denominational person will agree to as the official teaching of non denomiantionalism?

Does it have any similarities with the Unitarians in practice?

If it is syncretic, what part of it is derived from Catholicism?

Thanks in advance.

in XT.

 

[astralis]

Could someone define what a Baptist is?

 

[sadie2723]

Tonks40:

Hi y’all!

I was talking to one of my girlfriends the other night, and we were talking about how her husband is Baptist. Which is fine and dandy for her, but she told me when she found out from her husband before they got married, she said to him, “Oh, good! Coz our church is actually a Baptist church!” She’s a member a church that labels themselves “non-denominational” - and despite the fact that their pastor went to a Baptist college for his studies, it kinda came as a surprise to me.

Are non-denominational churches actually Baptist churches in disguise???

I can say this: Prior to my conversion, I went to Collage Park Baptist Church in Indianapolis. It is a mega-church (if you want to call them that), and the minister had repeatedly stated that he would like to have the word Baptist removed from the sign. In his opinion, and I think that there may be a few Baptists starting to share his view, the only thing that they need is the Bible, and any other affiliation is no longer needed. Just another example of the way that many modern Protestants have been convinced that the Bible is all you need and that a governing church is not needed. Of course, this is where they fall short, but it is starting to be a major viewpoint.

Brad

 

[Contarini]

NonDenom:

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you are quite wrong on this. It may be that way in your town, but it’s not that way where I live. There are many NonDenominational church’s here in Iowa, and most of them that I know of arent “faith only” as are Baptist church’s. Baptist’s don’t believe that Baptism is essential for salvation, (which is kinda ironic) as to where we do. We also dont believe in the “rapture” as to where they do. There are other things that I wont go into. My point is that NonDenoms are not all Baptist.
Thanks.

Am I right in saying that you belong to some form of the “Restorationist” movement? Perhaps the “Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ”? I understand your claim to be non-denominational, and it’s quite true that you don’t function as a denomination in terms of a centralized bureaucracy. But you are a distinct, identifiable fellowship of Christians within a particular tradition. When people speak of “non-denominational” churches they are generally thinking of churches with even looser ties to other local congregations than churches in your movement usually have.

If you aren’t a Restorationist, please excuse my mistake. And thanks for reminding us of the complexity of the “non-denominational” label.

Edwin

 

[gloryb]

Tonks40:

Hi y’all!
Are non-denominational churches actually Baptist churches in disguise???

No. However the similarities between Baptists and non-denominational fundamentalist churches are great. There are differences where Baptists and holiness/Pentacostals are concerned. Baptists feel about Pentacostals almost how they feel about Catholics!!! But not quite.

Gloria

 

[Franze]

It´s impressionant the diversity of protestant churches in US, for an european, it´s surprising.

 

[allischalmers]

Hi:
Someone early in this forum what a Baptist was. There are many people that call themselves baptist that are not at all baptist. But true Baptist holdn to seven princibles or distinctive if you will.
They are

1. Biblical authority
2. Autonomy of local chruch
3. Priesthood of every believer
4. Two ordinances
5. Separation of church and state
6. Believers baptism
7. Two offices (pastor and deacon)
   Also Baptist are a people that God has given a special understanding of scripture and a people that God has a special relationship with.

always Baptist
allischalmers

 

[Malachi4U]

allischalmers:

Hi:
Someone early in this forum what a Baptist was. There are many people that call themselves baptist that are not at all baptist. But true Baptist holdn to seven princibles or distinctive if you will.
They are

1. Biblical authority
2. Autonomy of local chruch
3. Priesthood of every believer
4. Two ordinances
5. Separation of church and state
6. Believers baptism
7. Two offices (pastor and deacon)
   Also Baptist are a people that God has given a special understanding of scripture and a people that God has a special relationship with.

always Baptist
allischalmers

Could you please give me the chapter and verse in the Bible that supports YOUR “OPINION”?

What man invented this list? It wasn’t God. Smyth? Luther? Calvin? allischalmers?

I am a BORN AGAIN Catholic, PRAISE GOD. And proud to say EX-Baptist.

 

[JoeyWarren]

There are other issues as well as why one is denominational as I can speak from experience of my own fundamentalist dad, that started his own church. And it’s not just my dad, I have seen this all over Alabama.

1. The person that starts a new non-denomination because he has had doctrinal issues with every church he has been a part of.
2. If you are non-denomination, you don’t have to pay per-capita dues or what some call tribute to the corporate office.
3. An owner of a non-denominational church can hire and fire a pastor at will.
4. A pastor that starts a non-denominational church is for the most part, a pastor without any formal Theological training, these feel they are called to preach the word, so they can do so without any credentials to speak of.

Those are just a few, but for the most part the essence.

My own dad, eventually hired his own son to be the Pastor of his church and after several years, they joined the Church of God denomination, where my brother was ordained a bishop. No doubt when my brother gains his own Bishopric, my Dad may revert back to non-denominationalism so he can pick and choose pastors based on his own preference…

Be mindful, I am speaking from personal experience, so not all the reasons mentioned are applicable to all. Life in the north is different from the south…

 

[Kevan]

Malachi4U:

What man invented this list?

Slightly reworded, the list forms the acronymn “BAPTIST.” Traditionally, that’s just what Baptists believe. Denying any of them puts one at odds with the Baptist tradition.

They believe that each item can be defended scripturally. Of course, y’all believe that each one can be refuted scripturally. But, anyway, those are what Baptists believe to be their core doctrines that give them a Baptist identity.

If a group believes most of these things, or if they believe them all along with some novel things like Pentecostalism, that group may properly be called “baptistic.”

From my experience, I think that nondenoms traditionally fall into two broad categories: Charismatic and “Bible church.” The former might lean toward Joey Warren’s description (above). The latter group is motivated by a desire to be free of bureaucracy and traditional baggage, and a desire to just “believe the Bible.” A third category, under discussion in this thread, is Baptists who drop the name. This is a modern, recent phenomenon driven by principles of marketing. But in the past, nondenominationalism was not so.

 

[Kitty_Chan]

There is a forgotton part ( I dont believe anyones mentioned it) of a non demo church maybe aligning to say a Baptist or Pentacostal.

Everyones big on the thread about splitting etc and that may be a issue, Im not arguing that. Its a Catholic strength and a Protestant weakness. Please be charitable about this being stated people Im being honest, actually a Baptist minister pointed this out.

I attend a non dem church near my summer spot. But I wouldnt go if I knew they were “on their own” I have to know they answer or dialoge with another body. It seems that all these churches are alone but they are not because they have to follow accountability. If they dont then they are suspect.

As each of the congretation must also follow accountability, and the leaders and pastor or preacher and the church body as a whole. Maybe the board here does not realise this. Its not all that out of control as it seems.

And a side note about a pastor being trained Baptist and not leading a Baptist church. Dont forget the really easy answer there. The Theological schools are run by ? Not every church has its own school, so one may end up in a Baptist school. More practical than anything else.

 

[Tonks40]

Kitty Chan:

And a side note about a pastor being trained Baptist and not leading a Baptist church. Dont forget the really easy answer there. The Theological schools are run by ? Not every church has its own school, so one may end up in a Baptist school. More practical than anything else.

Forgive my own simple Catholic reasoning (or maybe reasonable reasoning) - but if a pastor was trained at a Baptist college (or any other religious college in theology, for that matter), wouldn’t that pastor epouse the Baptist ideas of Christian theology, thus pass that on to his/her congregants? I would think they would - otherwise, my girlfriend wouldn’t have been so adamant about her ND church being Baptist…