Didn't see a sticky on this one...

[LovebirdsFlying]

I need to know my place here on the Baptist forum. I am a Christian saved by grace through faith in the Blood of Christ. I believe in baptism by immersion, after the decision is made to follow Jesus Christ and give your life to Him. In fact, I pretty much believe everything the average Baptist believes, yet I don't affiliate myself with any one denomination. I go where the Bible is preached, the Lord is present, and His children act as if they belong to Him. Currently I do attend a Baptist church, and it so happens that as a child I was saved in one.

Does this qualify me to post here as a Baptist?

I ask because normally I don't do debate; in fact I run from it. However, some of my posts may border on debate and I don't want to be in violation of any rules.

Thanks. :)

[arunma]

Well I'm part of a Presbyterian (PCA) church, and I still hang out here. Mostly it's because I was part of a Reformed Baptist church (which is almost the same as PCA) in college, and I still believe in credobaptism. I can confidently say that if you love Christ and hold the word of God in high esteem, you're quite welcome here.

[DeaconDean]

Currently I do attend a Baptist church, and it so happens that as a child I was saved in one.


As far this Moderator is concerned,

WELCOME to the Baptist area!

God Bless

Till all are one.

[FreeinChrist]

Welcome to the Baptist forum!

[Picklepie]

In fact, I pretty much believe everything the average Baptist believes, yet I don't affiliate myself with any one denomination. I go where the Bible is preached, the Lord is present, and His children act as if they belong to Him. Currently I do attend a Baptist church, and it so happens that as a child I was saved in one.
Hi LBF... the part of your quote I've bolded is important to me as well, and I'm considering attending a Baptist church. I've learned even within the denomination there is variation. I'm very concerned that the Word of God is both taught (including the Holy Spirit) and practiced. Could anyone enlighten me as to which 'variation' of the Baptist denomination would work for me?

[LovebirdsFlying]

Hi LBF... the part of your quote I've bolded is important to me as well, and I'm considering attending a Baptist church. I've learned even within the denomination there is variation. I'm very concerned that the Word of God is both taught (including the Holy Spirit) and practiced. Could anyone enlighten me as to which 'variation' of the Baptist denomination would work for me?
Hmmm. I'm not very knowledgable on the various subgroups within the Baptist church. There's Southern, Independent, Freewill, Primitive (whatever that is....) and some I don't know about and may never have heard of. I don't even know the difference between them, and I can't remember what branch of Baptist the church I was saved in belonged to.

Someone said there are as many types of Baptists as there are members. :)

For myself, I'd avoid the ones that are tooooo conservative, since a lot of times ultraconservative comes out to mean intolerant. But I'd also avoid congregations where the mere mention of sin is labeled intolerant. I just don't go for extremes either way, and I would apply that to any denomination, not just Baptists.

In finding the church I currently attend, I searched websites of local churches. And you'd probably need to church hop until you find one where you're comfortable. I weeded out the ones where the musical worship too closely resembled a rock concert, and the ones who didn't offer Sunday School. Another pet peeve of mine is churches where the secretary just happens to be the pastor's wife, the choir director is his cousin, the adult Sunday School teacher is his brother, his children rotate doing the special music, etc, etc. I don't want to belong to a church where you have to be related to the pastor in order to do anything besides hear the sermon and put your $ in a collection plate. Again this would apply to any denomination, not just Baptist.

And thank you all for the welcome. :)

[trinityisunity]

Welcome to the Baptist forum. You were saved in a Baptist church and currently go to a Baptist church........ You might as well hang out in the Baptist forum then!!!

[nzguy]

yeah.. the Baptist name in Christianity has as much variation as any other denominaton.

But I do know you got :

Baptists from the Baptist Union through the Protestant Reformation who have a universal church.. and some are into all the spiritual gifts.. often they are either arminian or calvinist.. these are prevalent in Britian, Australia, New Zealand especially.. as far as I know..with not so many in the States.

Then you got Baptists from the reformation with a universal church but will not accept arminian beliefs

The you got two strings of ana-baptists-- one out of the reformation with universal church who generally are neither arminian nor calvinist... mennonites, amish, hutterites, brethren

one that was never part of the reformation and never part of catholicism.. with no doctrine of a univeral church - independent baptists.. landmark baptists.. primitive baptists (alot of people challenge their heritage and put them in the same as mennonites etc and refute their Trail of Blood type history).

then you got Bapticostals.. who are pretty much Pentecostal or Charismatic who were once straight down the middle baptists and now have chosen to take on Arminianism, full-spiritual gifts, and emotionalism.

then of course you got variations within these bands.. with complete cessationists who have faith hope and love as the only remaning gifts and others who have ministry gifts still remaining..

I think a uniting thing (probably the only united thing in these bands) is the belief that Jesus is God.. part of the one triune God.. co-equal with the Father and Son.

And I would imagine a baptist church would never baptise a baby.. but I don't know if that is true across the board.