Do you have Questions for a Southern Baptist?

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ltwin said:
Are you “Bapticostal”?
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No. The church I attend does have some emotional services but I’ve never heard speaking in tongues or anyone “slain in the Spirit” which are typical for Pentecostal services.

However, I have seen a few “miracles” in my life.

When I was in college I attended a small Southern Baptist Church. One of the elderly ladies was in the last stages of cancer and had an appointment in a clinic in another state to be seen by doctors who dealt specifically with the kind of cancer she had. The Sunday before she asked that the elders of the church anoint her with oil and pray over her.

Two days later she called and said the doctors at the clinic could find no trace of cancer in her body. I graduated and moved away a year or so later, but in the time I was there her cancer had not returned.
 
ffg said:
Favorite aspect?

Which debatable issue among the independent churches would you like to see uniformity?
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Those are tough questions. There are several things I think Southern Baptist do really well. First, they have done a good job of defending the faith against liberalism. Back in the 70s there was a rift in the SBC concerning the errancy of scripture. The conservative side prevailed and the doctrine of the Scriptures being without error prevailed. Lately, while the culture is promoting homosexuality, abortion and the like and many churches have chosen to abandon traditional Christian thought on those topics and marry homosexuals and allow homosexual clergy, the SBC has stood firm in the face of opposition. The SBC also does a really good job of supporting missionaries and causes. We have several children’s homes, hospitals, inner city missions, and the second largest disaster response team in the country (behind the red cross).

As far as personally favorite aspects, I would say it is the strong sense of community and purpose.

The biggest debate going on in the SBC world right now is Calvinism. I’ve alluded to this in other post. There is a movement among the upcoming generation of Southern Baptist leadership to embrace reformed theology. I’m afraid if this continues without some kind of, “let’s just agree to disagree” agreement then it will have a negative impact on the health of the Southern Baptist Convention.
 
lanman87 said:
T

I’ve read* Catholic and Christian* by Alan Schrek and Rome Sweet Home by the Hahns as well as numerous Catholic apologist articles and websites. So I’m becoming familiar with Catholicism.

Up until a few months ago all I knew about Catholics was you have a pope, you go to confession, your priest don’t get married, and you build the most beautiful church buildings in the world.
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Good books to read to start learning about Catholicism.

So, after reading these books, have your impressions of the Catholic Church somehow changed your perspectives?

If so, in what way?
 
I live in South Carolina and my grandmother was a Southern Baptist so I think I’ll pass. Good having you here though.
 
lanman87 said:
No. The church I attend does have some emotional services but I’ve never heard speaking in tongues or anyone “slain in the Spirit” which are typical for Pentecostal services.

However, I have seen a few “miracles” in my life.

When I was in college I attended a small Southern Baptist Church. One of the elderly ladies was in the last stages of cancer and had an appointment in a clinic in another state to be seen by doctors who dealt specifically with the kind of cancer she had. The Sunday before she asked that the elders of the church anoint her with oil and pray over her.

Two days later she called and said the doctors at the clinic could find no trace of cancer in her body. I graduated and moved away a year or so later, but in the time I was there her cancer had not returned.
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Interesting. How common is it among Southern Baptist churches to anoint the sick?
 
I didn’t even see that post but I imagine that it violates all kinds of rules on CAF
 
It is true that you do have the more fundamentalist Baptists that will say things like Catholics are going to hell and what not and that Catholics aren’t real Christians but I don’t think those are the majority I have very close Baptist friends that I like to talk to about the Bible. I don’t think they are the majority but they’re still more common than I’m comfortable with
 
Do Southern Baptist know anything about private revelations such as… Fatima, The Sacred Heart of Jesus and Divine Mercy ?
 
adamhovey1988 said:
It is true that you do have the more fundamentalist Baptists that will say things like Catholics are going to hell and what not and that Catholics aren’t real Christians but I don’t think those are the majority I have very close Baptist friends that I like to talk to about the Bible. I don’t think they are the majority but they’re still more common than I’m comfortable with
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Those are few and far between in Southern Baptist circles. Now the Independent Fundamentalist KJV only crowd is a different story.
 
pablope said:
Good books to read to start learning about Catholicism.

So, after reading these books, have your impressions of the Catholic Church somehow changed your perspectives?

If so, in what way?
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It has helped me to understand that Catholics don’t just rely on “being Catholic” for their salvation. That Catholics do indeed preach and teach that you must have a deep abiding faith in Jesus.

I’ve also learned that Catholics don’t think like Protestants. Protestants tend to think in binary terms. You are either saved or lost, you either have faith or you don’t, you either sin or you don’t. You’re either forgiven or your not. You’ve been given the gift of grace or you haven’t.

Catholics, on the other hand, tend to think in layers. You don’t just have grace, you identify different kinds of grace, you don’t just have sin, you identify different levels of sin. You’re not saved or lost, but you on a journey where you hope to be saved in the end. God doesn’t just give you grace because of faith but He provides different avenues by which He offers you grace…
 
lanman87 said:
It has helped me to understand that Catholics don’t just rely on “being Catholic” for their salvation. That Catholics do indeed preach and teach that you must have a deep abiding faith in Jesus.

I’ve also learned that Catholics don’t think like Protestants. Protestants tend to think in binary terms. You are either saved or lost, you either have faith or you don’t, you either sin or you don’t. You’re either forgiven or your not. You’ve been given the gift of grace or you haven’t.

Catholics, on the other hand, tend to think in layers. You don’t just have grace, you identify different kinds of grace, you don’t just have sin, you identify different levels of sin. You’re not saved or lost, but you on a journey where you hope to be saved in the end. God doesn’t just give you grace because of faith but He provides different avenues by which He offers you grace…
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👍 Thanks for your insights. I admit, this is the first time I have heard of the binary and thinking in layer comparison…🙂

Anyway, as a follow up…has learning about the Catholic Church and what she teaches, somehow, have contributed to your own personal growth in faith? in Holiness? in some other ways?

What have you learned so far, that you like or would like your fellow SB’s to learn also?
 
For just starting to hunt, nice.

Way to stay on top of all the questions too.
 
What do SBs find compatible / incompatible with Calvinism? Is this an “essential”?
 
There is a reason for this…

The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary:

(1) "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.

(2) I will establish peace in their homes.

(3) I will comfort them in all their afflictions.

(4) I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.

(5) I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.

(6) Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.

(7) Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.

(8) Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.

**(9) I will bless every place in which an image of my Heart is exposed and honored. **
  1. I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
(11) Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart.

(12) I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."
 
pablope said:
:t

Anyway, as a follow up…has learning about the Catholic Church and what she teaches, somehow, have contributed to your own personal growth in faith? in Holiness? in some other ways?

What have you learned so far, that you like or would like your fellow SB’s to learn also?
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Anytime a person delves deeply into scripture they grow in faith. This is what has happened to me.

I have also told folks that we can learn a lot from Catholics. I especially like the Catechumen process for new believers. I’ve often thought our come forward, say a prayer, and get baptized process is lacking. Now, we do some counseling to make sure someone understands what faith is and what they are expressing by baptism. But I think a several month long class of doctrine and practice would be helpful in getting folks plugged into the church and active.
 
SyroMalankara said:
What do SBs find compatible / incompatible with Calvinism? Is this an “essential”?
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Official Baptist Doctrine is basically one point Calvinism. But nobody ask you if you hold to it when you join the church.

I saw a survey of Southern Baptist where around 1/3 of Southern Baptist say the believe reformed theology. It is not an essential either way, unless someone is a hyper-calvinist to the point they insist that evangelism isn’t necessary. They would be held in low regard.
 
lanman87 said:
Thank you for a kind reply. I just want to be clear that I’m not trying to defend Baptist or Protestant belief. I’m more interested in sharing information and getting information. One thing I’ve noticed is that there is a lot of misinformation going both ways between Protestants and Catholics. And there are those on the fringe on both sides who are openly hostile.

Even on this board I allowed myself to be drawn into some debate and I regret it.

I’ve read* Catholic and Christian* by Alan Schrek and Rome Sweet Home by the Hahns as well as numerous Catholic apologist articles and websites. So I’m becoming familiar with Catholicism.

Up until a few months ago all I knew about Catholics was you have a pope, you go to confession, your priest don’t get married, and you build the most beautiful church buildings in the world.
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I think the Orthodox are a close contender for that last category. 😃
 
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