Former Indepent Baptist Searching....

[Tomster]

Read some books by James G McCarthy. you can buy them from Amazion. I am sure that the Lord will use them to lead you in the right direction, to a good Baptist Church

Just curious, allischalmers, why would you specifically direct Kristin to a “good Baptist Church.” Are you saying there are “bad” Baptist Churches? Why wouldn’t you direct her to a good Lutheran Church or a good Methodist Church or a good Episcopal Church or a good Presbyterian Church or a good non-denominational Church?

Why does it have to be specifically “a good Baptist Church?”

 

[allischalmers]

Just curious, allischalmers, why would you specifically direct Kristin to a “good Baptist Church.” Are you saying there are “bad” Baptist Churches? Why wouldn’t you direct her to a good Lutheran Church or a good Methodist Church or a good Episcopal Church or a good Presbyterian Church or a good non-denominational Church?

Why does it have to be specifically “a good Baptist Church?”

Could be because she is not being spiritualy feed in her current church, could be her current chruch is to liberal. She is now a Baptist so why not stay a Baptist at a good old Bible preaching, God fearing GARBC Baptist Church, they are the best God has to offer

 

[CWBetts]

Could be because she is not being spiritualy feed in her current church, could be her current chruch is to liberal. She is now a Baptist so why not stay a Baptist at a good old Bible preaching, God fearing GARBC Baptist Church, they are the best God has to offer

If they are the “best God has to offer” then why are they so new? Where have they been? Makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[Religio71]

Could be because she is not being spiritualy feed in her current church, could be her current chruch is to liberal. She is now a Baptist so why not stay a Baptist at a good old Bible preaching, God fearing GARBC Baptist Church, they are the best God has to offer

Luckily for Kristin, she’s interested in the best God has to offer, His Church, the Catholic Church.

 

[estesbob]

Could be because she is not being spiritualy feed in her current church, could be her current chruch is to liberal. She is now a Baptist so why not stay a Baptist at a good old Bible preaching, God fearing GARBC Baptist Church, they are the best God has to offer

Why would she settle for a pale shadow of the truth when she can have the fulness of Truth?

In the Catholic Church she can join the church that has stood as the receptacle of Truth for over 2,000 years. She can hold our Lord and Savior in her hands and follow his intructions to eat his body and drink his blood. You simply can not have a more personal relationship with Jesus than that.

 

[E.E.N.S]

If they are the “best God has to offer” then why are they so new? Where have they been? Makes no sense whatsoever.

You mean before the 17th century? They were Catholics. =P

Baptists, per se, separated from the Church of England in the early 17th century.[13] Puritan separatists John Smyth and Thomas Helwys are acknowledged by numerous historians as key founders of the modern Baptist denomination. The early Baptists were divided into General Baptists who were Arminian in theology, and Particular Baptists who were Calvinistic in theology.[14][15][16]

The Catholic Church traces its foundation to Jesus and the twelve Apostles.[38] It sees the bishops of the Church as the successors of the apostles and the pope (the bishop of Rome), in particular, as the successor of Peter, the leader of the apostles.[22][39] Catholics cite Jesus’ words, in the Gospel according to Matthew, to support this view: “… you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, … I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”[16][28][40] According to Catholic belief, this promised Church, the Catholic Church, was brought fully into the world when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles in the event known as Pentecost.[39]
Many scholars believe that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus and that the historical record confirms that the See of Rome in particular was considered a Christian doctrinal authority from its beginning.[24][25] Henry Chadwick cites a letter from Pope Clement I to the church in Corinth (c. 95) as evidence of a presiding Roman cleric who exercised authority over all the other local churches which comprised the Catholic Church.[41]

 

[manualman]

Well Kristen, I guess you can see why many folks say not to discuss religion in pleasant company - it gets nasty right quick.

None of us really know you or where you are coming from, but it is easy to make assumptions. Perhaps you’ve heard criticisms of the catholic church before. Perhaps some of what you’ve heard is distorted or outright wrong. The best way to learn about catholicism is to hear it from catholics. If you prefer, you should THEN hear its critics and examine their arguments.

As mentioned earlier, “Catholicism for Dummies” is a great into (don’t be put off by the name!). But don’t mix it up with “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Catholicism” which is truly dreadful. A superb text series is the “Didache” program by Midwest Theological Forum, which is used in some high schools and RCIA classes (the better ones!). This is an order of magnitude more detailed than the “Dummies” book.

If you choose to go and listen to the anti-catholic arguments, an excellent rebuttal is “Catholicism and Fundamentalism” by Karl Keating. The first half of the book is rather outdated and deals more with people than issues, but the later part of the book solidly addresses the vast majority of anti-catholic propaganda out there. It’s amazing how repetitive the anti-catholic tracts really are! There really are differences between the catholic church and protestantism of all varieties. But they generally AREN’T the differences that folks at places like CARM would like you to believe. Ignore the sizzle and focus on the steak and you’ll be fine!

 

[allischalmers]

Kristin
This is the book to read before you make up your mind. It is written by a man that grew up in an Irish Catholic home, went to school in an Irish catholic school and Irish Catholic college (you know how catholic those Irish are).
The mans name is James G McCarthy (not to be confused with John MacArthur) and the book is “The Gospel according to Rome”

And another book that might interest you is “A Short History of the Baptist” by Henry Vetter. It’s a real eye opener

 

[Trilor]

Kristin
This is the book to read before you make up your mind. It is written by a man that grew up in an Irish Catholic home, went to school in an Irish catholic school and Irish Catholic college (you know how catholic those Irish are).
The mans name is James G McCarthy (not to be confused with John MacArthur) and the book is “The Gospel according to Rome”

You mean the one who did that anti-catholic hatchet job called “Catholicism: Crisis of Faithg”?

 

[allischalmers]

You mean the one who did that anti-catholic hatchet job called “Catholicism: Crisis of Faithg”?

Dont know it he wrote that too

 

[E.E.N.S]

Kristin
This is the book to read before you make up your mind. It is written by a man that grew up in an Irish Catholic home, went to school in an Irish catholic school and Irish Catholic college (you know how catholic those Irish are).
The mans name is James G McCarthy (not to be confused with John MacArthur) and the book is “The Gospel according to Rome”

And another book that might interest you is “A Short History of the Baptist” by Henry Vetter. It’s a real eye opener

This book seems to ignores the existence of the Christian world outside of Europe and North America.

There are ancient Christian groups like the Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Chaldean, Malabar and Syriac Churches that have no connection to Rome. Their beliefs however, aside from the primacy of the pope are similar to Catholicism and they claim apostolic origins. They have sacraments, priesthood, tradition and scripture. They offer the Body and Blood of Christ in sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and have a faith and works theology which they also claim was passed to them by the apostles. These things are not unique to the Church of Rome and to suggest that it was all hatched there by Roman popes and bishops is at odds with the facts.

Why people completely ignore churches of the ancient world is beyond me. In all countries that the apostles preached and spread the faith, the Christianity professed flies in the face with any of the fundamentals of the Reformation. There is no sola scriptura, sola fidei or sola gratia in any of these places.

McCarthy, like most occidentals, believes that Christianity is something of the western world, which it is not. In the ancient Christian lands which were the cradle of the faith (aside from Rome), the politics that brought about the Reformation were not a factor. The confusion that the Reformation wrought just isn’t present in these countries, though the scourge of Evangelicalism is slowly but surely bringing a myriad of made to measure, suit your own bias brands of Christianity which were unimaginable until now.

This book is a farce, precisely because of this tunnel view that implies the true faith was largely absent from the world until some grumpy men from Germany, Switzerland, England, Ireland and Scotland who were smarter than the rest revealed their wisdom.

Ignorance of Christian history, a good helping of prejudice and a warped view of what constitutes the Christian world is the surest way to remain a firm Protestant. The author proves this axiom.

 

[Religio71]

Kristin
This is the book to read before you make up your mind. It is written by a man that grew up in an Irish Catholic home, went to school in an Irish catholic school and Irish Catholic college (you know how catholic those Irish are).
The mans name is James G McCarthy (not to be confused with John MacArthur) and the book is “The Gospel according to Rome”

Then after you read that, you can read “Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic” by David Currie. After that, you can read “The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages that Confound Protestants” by Scott Hahn. Then there’s “By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition” by Mark Shea, as well as "Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on ‘Romanism’ by ‘Bible Christians’ " by Karl Keating. All will help you realize the unbiblical teachings of evangelicals and fundamentalists, and will help you discover the Truth found in the Catholic Church, in contrast to the partial truths found in Baptist traditions. Take those truths, and bring them with you on your journey Home.

amazon.com/Born-Fundamentalist-Again-Catholic/dp/089870569X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250712267&sr=1-1
amazon.com/Catholicism-Fundamentalism-Attack-Romanism-Christians/dp/0898701775/ref=pd_sim_b_4
amazon.com/Catholic-Verses-Passages-Confound-Protestants/dp/1928832733/ref=pd_sim_b_3
amazon.com/What-Authority-Evangelical-Discovers-Tradition/dp/0879738510/ref=pd_sim_b_5

Enjoy!

 

[allischalmers]

Then after you read that, you can read “Born Fundamentalist, Born Again Catholic” by David Currie. After that, you can read “The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages that Confound Protestants” by Scott Hahn. Then there’s “By What Authority?: An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition” by Mark Shea, as well as "Catholicism and Fundamentalism: The Attack on ‘Romanism’ by ‘Bible Christians’ " by Karl Keating. All will help you realize the unbiblical teachings of evangelicals and fundamentalists, and will help you discover the Truth found in the Catholic Church, in contrast to the partial truths found in Baptist traditions. Take those truths, and bring them with you on your journey Home.

amazon.com/Born-Fundamentalist-Again-Catholic/dp/089870569X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1250712267&sr=1-1
amazon.com/Catholicism-Fundamentalism-Attack-Romanism-Christians/dp/0898701775/ref=pd_sim_b_4
amazon.com/Catholic-Verses-Passages-Confound-Protestants/dp/1928832733/ref=pd_sim_b_3
amazon.com/What-Authority-Evangelical-Discovers-Tradition/dp/0879738510/ref=pd_sim_b_5

Enjoy!

Then you should read “Far from Rome, Near to God” a book written by a group of former catholic priests that saw the light and left the catholic church.
What better provef is there when the catholic clergy abandions their own church

 

[Religio71]

Then you should read “Far from Rome, Near to God” a book written by a group of former catholic priests that saw the light and left the catholic church.
What better provef is there when the catholic clergy abandions their own church

proof of what? you mean like when baptist and other protestant pastors abandon their own churches for The Church?

 

[E.E.N.S]

Kristin, if you happened to live in the Phoenix, AZ area, I have plenty of good books that you could read/borrow…here are some of the books at my house:



(In fact, this room used to be nearly all protestant books, as I am a convert myself, but now these are all Catholic books…I have since thrown away thousands of dollars worth of books, as I didn’t want to give that garbage to anyone to confuse them.)

Here are some more bookshelves in my house:









=)

 

[josie_L]

Kristin, if you happened to live in the Phoenix, AZ area, I have plenty of good books that you could read/borrow…here are some of the books at my house:

http://i28.tinypic.com/oirexh.jpg

(In fact, this room used to be nearly all protestant books, as I am a convert myself, but now these are all Catholic books…I have since thrown away thousands of dollars worth of books, as I didn’t want to give that garbage to anyone to confuse them.)

Here are some more bookshelves in my house.
=)

:bigyikes:

 

[CWBetts]

Then you should read “Far from Rome, Near to God” a book written by a group of former catholic priests that saw the light and left the catholic church.
What better provef is there when the catholic clergy abandions their own church

That is not proof. So what? Have you heard of the COming Home Network? It is a lay apostalate dedicated to help Protestant clergy who are investigating Catholicism to help them through the conversion process. But I do not offer that as proof. I, myslef was studying at one point to be a Baptist missionary, but I am now Catholic. That, by itself, proves nothing.

 

[nancy_dalrymple]

Hi, I grew up Independent Baptist and was Baptized as such. Currently I am searching as I do no believe the same way that I did. A friend who I grew up with in the Baptist Church is currently converting to Catholicism, so they have pointed me in this direction. If anyone has any advice as to where I should start on my search and so forth it would be greatly appreciated.

Most Sincerely

Welcome to CAF, now I think you should realy go to your church and talk to your minister before you change to catholic or anything else because you do want to be certain and have all the facts before you make a jump of faith. Love of Christ Nancy

 

[celticsfan1983]

Welcome Kristin! As a former Southern Baptist who was confirmed into the church in April, I can understand a little where you are coming from on the Baptist thing.

Along with this web site and forum, which helped me tremendously, listening to The Catholic Channel on Sirius XM satellite radio REALLY helped me understand the faith. They have great programs that present the faith in a fun format that really helped me learn about the Church and cleared up some bad misconceptions I had about the Church.

I know it probably sounds like a bad advertisement, but if it wasn’t for that channel, I probably wouldn’t be Catholic: they were that instrumental in bringing me to the faith. Visit thecatholicchannel.org and you can probably sign up for a free trial to listen.

 

[Bob_Crowley]

First question are you saved? If not you will not find salvation in a religion salvation is only found in the person of Jesus Christ and Him alone.

Rember what Jesus said in Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,** I never knew you**: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Jhn 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 3:3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jhn 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Jhn 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

How do you hear the voice of God ? He speaks to His sheep in that still small voice of your heart after the Holy Spirit comes to live in you through His word.

Jhn 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the** word **that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Jhn 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Jhn 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Psa 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psa 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Psa 119:105 NUN. **Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. **

Jos 1:8 **This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. **

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 **That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. **

Naturally you left out the bit about Christ founding His Church on Peter, as stated by Christ himself. Likewise you left out the bit about the authority Christ gave Peter, and hence his office.

Usual case of Protestant pick and choose.