American Baptist

[Foundthelight]

I just left the denomination I grew up in due to its growing public rejection of the Bible as the Inspired Word of God. Instead they have chosen to interpret in light of today's society and ignore clear teaching. So, I am looking for a new home.

I believe in credobaptism as the correct form of baptism.

Do American Baptists tend to be Reformed or Arminian? Is this distinction something they really care about?

Thanks!

[seebs]

Some have strong preferences. Many are neither.

[Foundthelight]

Some have strong preferences. Many are neither.
I need to clarify my question.

I am asking about the Denomination. The American Baptist Church.

[seebs]

Oh!

I don't know for sure. I don't think they have an official definite stance on the issue. Baptists have historically tended to avoid making dogmatic statements much beyond "Bible true, Jesus good".

If you're coming from a creedal background, you may find it rather weird going to a church that doesn't particularly expect its members to agree on theological issues.

Here's a sample:

http://www.bethanybaptist.ws/content.php?ID=45

That's "North American Baptist Conference", not sure it's the same thing. I have to admit that I honestly can't keep all the Baptist groups straight in my head; I'm not much for remembering details like that. By and large, they're Christians, and they seem to like to talk about Jesus, and that's good enough for me. :P

[JPPT1974]

They are Christians and it
Doesn't matter what denomination we
Or they are just as long as we believe in
Jesus as the Savior & Lord in the world!

[MrJim]

I just left the denomination I grew up in due to its growing public rejection of the Bible as the Inspired Word of God. Instead they have chosen to interpret in light of today's society and ignore clear teaching. So, I am looking for a new home.

I believe in credobaptism as the correct form of baptism.

Do American Baptists tend to be Reformed or Arminian? Is this distinction something they really care about?

Thanks!

I've been going to an ABC and like seebs says, I don't think they know what they are. The interim pastor said a few weeks ago that he definitely wasn't calvinist, and there wasn't a stampede or "burn the heretic" sort of response, 'course there's never much of a response, and thinking about it, don't know if half of them could discuss the differences intelligently.

ABC has its issues-tend to be on the liberal end of the spectrum, and but if that's you, and you don't mind women pastors/elders/deacons and the flak about the "Evergreen Assoc" then jump in.

I'm not nor will be a member-it's just a place to go on Sunday morning.

BTW, howdy foundthelight!:wave:

[mac6195]

I just left the denomination I grew up in due to its growing public rejection of the Bible as the Inspired Word of God. Instead they have chosen to interpret in light of today's society and ignore clear teaching. So, I am looking for a new home.

I believe in credobaptism as the correct form of baptism.

Do American Baptists tend to be Reformed or Arminian? Is this distinction something they really care about?

Thanks!
My wife and I both grew up in American Baptist Churches but they were as different as night and day. One example may give you a feel for the many differences: Her pastor wore the clerical black robe, my pastor wore a suit or sport coat, which often came off when he got going on the message, and sometimes he would roll up his sleeves if it was hot or he was getting very active on the dais.

As far as I know, every American Baptist Church that I am familiar with only baptizes those who could and did acknowledge a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

I no longer feel comfortable with direction of the American Baptist leadership. They are embracing acceptance of homosexuality and they are very liberal on their political and social views. I feel in many cases that they have abandoned scripture if it disagrees with the political or social causes they wish to support.

That being said - one of the good things about American Baptists is they allow the local church to call their own pastor. That is one of the reasons now and historically that their has been so much variance in churches in the A.B.C. My youngest sister still goes to an American Baptist church that is very evangelical and biblically sound. Many in that church though are extremely frustrated at where their national and state leadership is going. Several in my sister's church have discussed splitting with the A.B.C. and affiliating with another group or becoming independent. Their state organization is strong and vocal in their support of homosexuality.

[Foundthelight]

Thanks everyone.

I am looking for a Baptist church that is more conservative than what is being described here. I really appreciate your comments.

Willis

[Daniels]

In India,
1.Tamil Baptist.
2.Telegu abptist.
3.Hindi Baptist.
4.Punjabi Baptist.
5.Malayala Baptist.
6.Goan Baptist.
7.Kannada Baptist.
8.Marathi Baptist.
9.Bengali Baptist.
10.Gujarathi Baptist.
11.Oriya Baptist.
12.Bihari Baptist.

[MrJim]

In India,
1.Tamil Baptist.
2.Telegu abptist.
3.Hindi Baptist.
4.Punjabi Baptist.
5.Malayala Baptist.
6.Goan Baptist.
7.Kannada Baptist.
8.Marathi Baptist.
9.Bengali Baptist.
10.Gujarathi Baptist.
11.Oriya Baptist.
12.Bihari Baptist.

:scratch:So are those geographic groups or are they factions of baptists?

[seebs]

You should probably just go to a bunch and see what they're saying; Baptist groups vary pretty widely even within any organization, so your best bet is to find a specific congregation, rather than trying to find a group that will all agree.

[Sweet Pea]

http://www.abc-usa.org/identity/idstate.html

[mac6195]

http://www.abc-usa.org/identity/idstate.html
Thanks for that link. I went to the homepage from there and noticed that there is also a letter from the General Secretary that addresses the issue of homosexuality. If you read between the lines you can tell it is an issue that is causing a problem in the denomination.

I also should add that both my grandfather and great-grandfather were pastors in the American Baptist Church. My grandfather just passed away 2 years ago and in his last few years was very disturbed with the direction both his state ABC organization and the national group were going on homosexuality and several other political, social issues.

But it still comes back somewhat to the local church and their freedom to call the pastor that they feel will lead them the best.

[TwinCrier]

Thanks everyone.

I am looking for a Baptist church that is more conservative than what is being described here. I really appreciate your comments.

WillisSince you are a Calvinist you may want to look at the Presbyterian denomination. They are usually conservative and hold very similar doctrine to Baptists but also hold to the TULIP theology as well.

[Foundthelight]

Since you are a Calvinist you may want to look at the Presbyterian denomination. They are usually conservative and hold very similar doctrine to Baptists but also hold to the TULIP theology as well.

I just left the PCUSA because they have just voted to allow the local church and presbytery make a decision on whether gays can be ordained. The PCUSA has been moving farther and farther from biblical obedience and I can no longer be associated with them.

There is no PCA in my area, so they are not a choice.

There is no Southern Baptist, which is a reformed denom., in my area either.

[NothingButTheBlood]

You may be looking for an Independent or Southern Baptist church. I am Independent and we are Bible believeing and fairly conservative.

[Robinsegg]

I grew up in an ABA church. In about the year 1999, the ABA decided that missionaries who had been divorced (even if their wives had left them or if they'd never remarried) would no longer be supported.

They have a tendency to be legalistic (I know the churches we associated with were).

Most ABA churches are not Calvanistic, believe OSAS, believe in baptism by immersion and closed communion (though they can't generally explain why cc is the way to go).

Accepting or granting letters from/to other churches isn't often done because they think if the church doesn't believe in any of the above, they're not Scriptural and can't have your letter or be trusted to baptise anyone.

They preach Jesus and Him crucified, salvation by faith, faith being the gift of God through the hearing/reading of His word.

I hope that gives a good overview.

Rachel

[ZiSunka]

The only ABA church I ever went to was very liberal. The pastor preached on how abortion is a private matter and the church should have nothing to say on it. He said the Bible is irrelevant in the 20th century (shows you how long ago it was) and should only be considered a series of morality stories, and even then the morality should be taken with a grain of salt. Afterward, I was talking to one of the of the members and she said, "I am so glad you were here for this sermon. We had a visiting pastor the last few weeks and he was constantly telling us what to think. Our pastor doesn't do that because he knows he would be out on his ear in a minute if he did."

I asked her what she thought about the pastor's remarks about abortion and she said that abortion is legal and is therefore it is wrong for anyone to speak against it.

I never went back.

[PETE_]

I just left the PCUSA because they have just voted to allow the local church and presbytery make a decision on whether gays can be ordained. The PCUSA has been moving farther and farther from biblical obedience and I can no longer be associated with them.

There is no PCA in my area, so they are not a choice.

There is no Southern Baptist, which is a reformed denom., in my area either.
I have a similar problem, but most Southern Baptist churches are not reformed, at least in my experience. I attend Bellevue Baptist, very big you may have heard of it or Adrian Rogers. I generally do not like such large chuches but the number of people gives you a lot of opinions. So Sunday School classs become a great place to dive into those areas.