Baptists VS Bible Church - What's the Difference?

[Tangible]

If some of you guys could take a look at this thread [haz clik aquí] and comment, I would appreciate it.

Cheers, CD

 

[desmalia]

I'll respond here because I don't post in the non-denom section anymore.
I attended a large Bible church a while back. I believe it had belonged to a Baptist denom initially and eventually they broke away from it. They maintained the orthodox doctrines, but from what I understand, the denomination itself had starting liberalizing doctrines, and the church could not support that. So that is why they left.

I imagine there are quite a large number of Baptist-like churches that do not belong to a specific conference for quite a wide variety of reasons (some good, some bad). The one I shared is just one.

 

[Benefactor]

If some of you guys could take a look at this thread [haz clik aquí] and comment, I would appreciate it.

Cheers, CD

I was a member of a Bible Church for around 7 years and it was associated with the Dallas Theological form of moderated Calvinism, 4 Point, then. Not sure where they are today.

There is a group called "Bible Baptist". There is one not far from where I live and it is a KJV independent church.

Churches today are ditching the name Baptist for community and other names. The SBC has churches that do not use the name Baptist, Shadow Mountain, California, Dr. David Jeremiah as an example, He is a Dallas graduate.

 

[JohnDB]

Dr David Jeremiah....

hummm...did ya know that?

 

[LiveInSpirit]

I attend a "Bible Church" that is affiliated with the EFCA (Evangelical Free Church of America) and it is all Bible driven. Led by a fine Bible loving pastor.

One of the pastor's made light of being accidentally called a "Baptist" church in a letter a few weeks back and it kind of ruffled my feathers a bit. I believe their disdain for the Baptist name is that they believe the Baptist church (SBC) has gone liberal and away from conservative doctrine, especially that of salvation and grace. I'm not sure why that is the consensus here in Colorado but I have heard that opinion more than once.

 

[desmalia]

I attend a "Bible Church" that is affiliated with the EFCA (Evangelical Free Church of America) and it is all Bible driven. Led by a fine Bible loving pastor.

One of the pastor's made light of being accidentally called a "Baptist" church in a letter a few weeks back and it kind of ruffled my feathers a bit. I believe their disdain for the Baptist name is that they believe the Baptist church (SBC) has gone liberal and away from conservative doctrine, especially that of salvation and grace. I'm not sure why that is the consensus here in Colorado but I have heard that opinion more than once.

I understand the disdain for the Baptist name because of how liberal many of the conferences do seem to be going. However I'd rather reclaim the name for what it stood for for so many years than abandon it because of more current developments.

 

[Ringo84]

What's the difference? We worship the same God. We follow the same Bible.

Bible church is no different from Baptist, Catholic, or Methodist. They're all the same, aside from minor doctrinal differences.
Ringo

 

[JohnDB]

What's the difference? We worship the same God. We follow the same Bible.

Bible church is no different from Baptist, Catholic, or Methodist. They're all the same, aside from minor doctrinal differences.
Ringo

Not hardly...LOL...and you are what kind of Baptist?

Methodist are closer in beliefs to Baptist than Catholics...but still with huge disparities in doctrine. Methodists can and have had women priests as well as practicing homosexual priests and they do have a central leadership council (if I am remebering right)

Catholics of course have a multi stepped tier of leadership...with the Pope being the leader. They have so many practices and beliefs that the Baptists do not share....the Baptists believing many of those practices to be heresy.

Baptist churchs are each independant. There is no central leadership. We have only a Southern Baptist convention for purposes of common literature and mission efforts. No one participating member has to subscribe to either or both...but that is the purpose of the convention. One or more Baptist church might start a plant church and support it until it grows to sufficient size to support itself...and be there to guide them until that goal is acheived...but that is about it. The plant church does have the ability to pull away at any time...but it is highly reccomended that they don't until they can support themselves financially.

Currently the SBC is really short on funds due to a real lack of giving to those mission efforts and the Lifeway stores are going broke. Missionaries are going to have to start coming home (to stay) soon if things do not have a real turnaround and soon. Many of our mission programs have had to be stopped and curtailed already.

There is a trend to stop having the "Baptist" tag simply for a perceptional reason. Some baptist churchs in the past in some areas have been rather legalistic and or scare mongering in nature and the stereotype has been inherited to this day to undeserving congregations. Also there has been differences of opinions inside of the convention on a wide range of doctrinal issues...all the proponents of which get upset when they are not supported for their doctrine...or removed from membership for their very definable doctrinal beliefs. (Baptists prefer undefinable)

 

[TimRout]

What's the difference?

TONS! Considering that the majority of contentious doctrinal issues are soteriological in nature, the consequences of these distinctions are eternal.

We worship the same God.

Not in every case.

We follow the same Bible.

No...we DON'T! Baptists hold strictly to sola scriptura, verbal inspiration, inerrancy. I'm betting you don't. RCs certainly don't. It is purely falacious to assume that we are indistinct. The very presence of all these subforums on CF illustrates just how diverse we are.

Bible church is no different from Baptist, Catholic, or Methodist. They're all the same, aside from minor doctrinal differences.

Ringo

I'm sorry Ringo, but I can see no factual basis for this assertion. Perhaps you would find it meaningful to review the Baptist Forum SoF?

 

[TimRout]

I understand the disdain for the Baptist name because of how liberal many of the conferences do seem to be going. However I'd rather reclaim the name for what it stood for for so many years than abandon it because of more current developments.

Absolutely!

 

[Ringo84]

The Baptist Forum SoF doesn't bar different ideas.

Never mind, though. My time is better spent elsewhere.
Ringo

 

[LiveInSpirit]

I understand the disdain for the Baptist name because of how liberal many of the conferences do seem to be going. However I'd rather reclaim the name for what it stood for for so many years than abandon it because of more current developments.

Well said. I agree wholeheartedly.