Question about churches?

[blessedbygod]

I had a question about the different churches. My husband and I both grew up going to a Southern Baptist Church. My Mom grew up in an Indepentdent Baptist Church. I know a little bit of the difference between the two but not a lot. We are in the process of visiting churches and looking for a more conservative (very conservative) church to be in.

My question:
What is the difference between the
Independent Baptist
Fundamental Baptist
Free Will Baptist
and
Missionary Baptist in relation to the
Southern Baptist?

I was looking in the phone book for different churches....there are churches listed under all of the different baptist listed above.

Thank you in advance for anyone that could give us some insight and help us to understand the difference.

Love In Christ,
Kim

[Brother Ben]

Independent Baptists and Fundamental Baptists are basically the same, but someone who lists their church as a fundamental Baptist is probably wanting to be identified as more staunch or conserative over one issue or another, like the KJV, or music, or dress standards, not always each point. I've been to "Fundamental churches" that were strong on many points but had terrible music. So you can never tell by the label you just have to go through the tedious task of trying them out.

A Free-Will Baptist is a staunch Arminian church, that is to say, they do not believe in eteranal security. They would be very similar to most Baptists on many points, but they believe that you can apostasize from your faith and fall away from salvation, it is your free will that saved you and your free will that will let you fall away. NOTE: I do not believe this form of doctrine, it defies the changing and keeping power of the atonement of Christ and the Cross.

A Missionary Baptist is pretty much like your average Southern or Indepentant Baptist church. The SBC, and Missionary Baptist are both denominations with a president, mission board, school, etc, whereas independents often pride themselves on being "independent" and have no denomination, but they have a "Fellowship" with a president, mission board, school, paper, etc.

In general Baptists are the same, the differences are in organizational beliefs, i.e., a denominational headquarters or not, or stands on "Funamental" issues, like which version of the Bible, colleges, standards, etc.
When you say conservative, that will all depend on how you define conservative. You will have to find a church that holds to the issues you see as conservative. We have notice over the years this is getting harder and harder to do as the church grow lukewarm and moves closer and closer to the world.

I have seen all kinds of Baptists, and I have visited all kinds of Baptists, and it is usually "business as usual." It may take a while, but our desire is to see a new breed of Baptists come about. This is the principle behind the Pilgrim Baptist philosophy. As Baptists, our doctrines will be historically similar, but as far as practice goes, there needs to be some change in America if we are going to see authentic change at the core level, the family, the community, and then beyond.

Bro. Ben

[blessedbygod]

Brother Ben,

Thank you for answering our questions about churches. We too are finding it hard to find a very conservative church. The information you gave us with the differences within the different baptists churches really helps.
Thank you again.

Love In Christ,
Kim

[blessedbygod]

I had a simple question about Reformed Baptist/Calvinistic?
Would a Reformed Baptist church, as a whole, hold to the doctrine of calvinistic.....or would that just be the personal beliefs of different people?

Love In Christ,
Kim

[blessedbygod]

I forgot to add --Thank you-- for anyone that would be able to answer the question previously posted.

Love In Christ
Kim

[Brother Ben]

A Reformed Baptist is called "Reformed" because they believe the tennants of Reformed Theology as perscribed by John Calvin and the early "Reformers." They would be very calvinistic in their doctrine. I cannot say all the people in their churches would be calvinists, but if they weren't they would be fish out of water.

[blessedbygod]

------Thank you Brother Ben------- for helping with the Reformed Baptist/Calvinistic. My husband and I were not really sure about it (although we thought that reformed was calvinists) because of other comments heard in our home area. Thank you again for answering our questions.

Love In Christ,
Kim

[benshelpmeet]

Brother Ben said.......I have seen all kinds of Baptists, and I have visited all kinds of Baptists, and it is usually "business as usual." It may take a while, but our desire is to see a new breed of Baptists come about. This is the principle behind the Pilgrim Baptist philosophy. As Baptists, our doctrines will be historically similar, but as far as practice goes, there needs to be some change in America if we are going to see authentic change at the core level, the family, the community, and then beyond.

Bro. Ben
Logged

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In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.
John Bunyan 1628-1688, Preacher of the Gospel and author.
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Amen, may the Lord draw like minded baptist brethren together to start churches where we can fellowship and work together as blood baught believers to win lost souls to Christ and deciple and love others for Jesus sake.

I know I long for like minded fellowship and to be able to worship the Lord and serve Him together.

We've visited many churches within a two hour radious of our home and we might hear good preaching, but usually there is immodesty, flashy dressing, heavy lipstick and make up, high heels, tight clothing etc. Also the young peeple are not taught to be shamefaced and modest, they mingle with the oppisite sex, talking boldly, flirting. This is no big deal to the preacher and parents and the other members. It's a big deal to me. How do they expect there children to stay pure untill they get married. They can't be pure in there hearts and minds when they are interacting like that. I sure do not want all that going on around my precious children I'm raising for the Lord. What kind of role model is that for my children.My husband and son do not enjoy this kind of atmosphere eaither.

If you hang around in that kind of situation for too long, your children start saying I like sister so in so she's so sweet, Then they start making excuses for their sin and then around the home you will start to notice signs in your children that are negative or less than. ( Compromise ) What a dirty word. You might even feel tempted to comprimise yourself so you can fit in more and be excepted with the other sisters. Not that you would change real bad, but enough to make a noticeable differance. The devil tells you ( no other baptist christians practice like this ) he'll say ( You need fellowship, your children need a church ) he'll say ( WHY??? are there not men of God out there starting these kind of churches??? Why don't like minded christians move together and start these kind of churches??? IF all this godly living stuff is so right!!!

This is what satan has said to me more than once and I know he says it to others out there. I have deeply pondered these things and I'm even more deeply impressed by the Lord to keep on the straight and narrow path of godly living. The Lord is very real and worthy to be praised and honored by His people. I cannot turn back. In my heart of hearts I would be commiting great sin against my conscience and my very soul. I know we must be in the end times because of all the confusion, comprimise and complacency.

How can we as christians give our precious Lord second best.

We as christians do not need to understand the why to all these questions, we just need to pray harder and stand firm on our convictions.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17


Praying for likeminded churches to be started and likeminded christians to move to these churches for fellowship and service to the Lord, ~ sister Darlene ~ Hebrews11:6

[ruth]

I feel the same way. Oh i do hope i can get to the camp meeting so i can meet you Sister Darlene. I think we would get on great.

[MrsDeweySmith]

Sister Darlene, I SO needed to read those words. We have just relocated here to Mississippi and while we have found a seemingly wonderful, Bible-Teaching Baptist church, there is a culture shock of sorts for us here. Up north, we had fellowship with our Baptist church and even our Mennonite friends, but the continually teaching to our children of what the Word truly spoke on various subjects...modesty in dress, purity in heart, etc. Those things that are important to me as a mother, yet not taught by our churches.

Now down here, I have seen such a shift in our lifestyle. The firends made at church are, well, nice enough on a very casual level I suppose, but the underlying current is not one I wish to catch myself or my children up in. There is a very large bend toward appearance here...everything is so coordinated, everyne is so perfectly coiffed and made up. My eldest daughter is 12 and of course, at that age where she notices her peers and begins to allow those whispers in her head to make way toward her heart thoughts. We have battled it continually with family and other friends we've had...what is a simple pair of jeans going to hurt? Why not let them have funwith their freinds once in a while, it's only one afternoon, the long teaching of the parents can't be discarded in only an afternoon...ugh. It can...it lays seed to what grows into larger thorns and the path back is soon hidden from view and things can progress so much easier. I've seen it. I'm watching it now with my children and even knowing that OUR LORD will keep us as we pray and move along this path, I sit here with those whispers of doubt in my head and saddness in my heart.

I miss the outward appearance fellowship, kwim? I miss being around those who dress in a similar modest fashion, those who cover, those who believe in purity of both body and mind. And I do allow those whispers an ever-so-slight hold in my mind, which only gives them nurture to grow. So slowly they grow, barely noticed, until soon my mind seems filled with dismay and I feel utterly alone.

Thank you Lord for keeping Your Promises in my heart that I may readily take up Your Word and revive my weakened heart and spirit and receive those Words as my armor! This is a battle and I am but one of millions in His Army. We can and will stand strong in Him.

Deanna

[benshelpmeet]

Pro 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

We as parents do not need to slack off even just for a while because the results are lasting scars.

I can't find my dictionary. Look up ( fool)


1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.


Look up ( communications )


Jam 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Jam 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Jam 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Jam 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jam 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jam 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.


Friendship with the world......... Worldly christians are a picture of the world and the lusts thereof. Don't make exceptions. My preacher use to say the Lord says in the bible ............ ( it was good in the sight of the Lord or it was Evil in the sight of the Lord. There are no gray areas with God only with comprmising christians.

It might seem lonely out there, and I know that all too well, but we have to protect our children from the pull of the world even at church. It is truely a shame the state our churches are in we must draw together and start like minded churches.


When we go to worldly churches and I'm talking about our strong Fundemental Independant Baptist churches, we keep our children with us even our 18 year old son. If we go to a home or church fellowship to eat and fellowship we keep our children in eye site and close ear shot if not just sitting with us. This may seem strange but it has good results for many including us. We do not let our children sleep over, talk on the phone, or go to friends houses. Our children are each others friends.

The verses I have listed have helped me greatly, they encourage me to stand strong in the Lord.

[keepthyselfpure]

blessedbygod said:

I had a simple question about Reformed Baptist/Calvinistic?
Would a Reformed Baptist church, as a whole, hold to the doctrine of calvinistic.....or would that just be the personal beliefs of different people?

Love In Christ,
Kim

Any church with the title "Reformed" is Calvinistic in doctrine.

[Brother Ben]

Actually, there are some churches called "Reformed" that do not adhere to Reformed Theology. They are classic "cult" type churches, but there is the 7th Day Adv. Reformed, and the the Reformed LDS (Mormon) churches. They believe they have "reformed" their religion. Of course they have only changed their teachings from one kind of wrong to a new kind of wrong. I have only seen one of these groups really make astounding change and that is the group formerly known as the World Wide Church of God (Armstrongism.) They had an actual "reformation" about ten years ago, but they still have some teachings that need to purged out.

[Deleted]

Could somebody please tell me what kwim is short for?
Just something that's bugging me a little.
Thanks,
Linda

[benshelpmeet]

kwim...know what I mean ;D