I have some questions about the Baptist denom.

[Kirch]

I hate to say it, but yes, you are wrong. As with all denominations, it will vary by church what they offer, but the Catholic Churches do indeed have groups outside of ministries within the parishes. Our church has a very strong youth group that is social as well as spiritual. We have various reading groups, women's groups, etc. and we are a relatively small parish. My mother's parish is huge and in a university town - you could occupy every day of the week with activities sponsored by the church. Of course, there are other parishes that offer very little outside of mass, but I think you will find that with any denomination.

 

Well, I'm glad to be wrong, then. That's great to know! :001_smile:

[asta]

I'm sorry to sidetrack...

 

Every time I see the title of this thread, I see:

 

I have some questions about the Baptist demon.

 

It's really throwing me off.

 

Interesting thread, though...

 

 

a

[vonfirmath]

Another thing that practically distinguishes them from other baptist churches (like Southern baptists, for example) is the fact that their missionaries raise money by traveling from church to church to church and getting pledges. They then use the money they have raised to go on mission until they have to come home on "furlough" and raise more money again. Southern baptists, also baptist churches who also look to the head pastor for Biblical interpretations, etc. would differ in the sense that they usually send funds to a central "convention" for mission work and that convention sends out missionaries so that their denomination's missionaries do not have to spend a year or more fund raising.

 

Hrms. Southern baptist missionaries never get support from individual churches, just the sending organization? I did not know that. I knew the F part of the Independent Fundamental Baptist church I was saved in was because it independently chose to support missionaries from a particular sending organization -- all the churches that did were loosely organized together. But I figured all missionaries had to gather support, not that they were 100% supported by their sending organization. I know Wycliffe missionaries have to gather support as well.

 

I go to an Evangelical Free church now, and we support independent missionaries, not just a missions board (including choosing how much to send each month to each particular missionary). So it seems our missionaries have to gather support and be individually accountable to their churches as well.

 

PS I just discovered I've belonged to three baptist churches -- the third being Berean Baptist in Houston. Large church. Doesn't care about skirts, very similar to the nondenominationals I've attended since.

Edited October 13, 2010 by vonfirmath

[lionfamily1999]

Hrms. Southern baptist missionaries never get support from individual churches, just the sending organization? I did not know that. I knew the F part of the Independent Fundamental Baptist church I was saved in was because it independently chose to support missionaries from a particular sending organization -- all the churches that did were loosely organized together. But I figured all missionaries had to gather support, not that they were 100% supported by their sending organization. I know Wycliffe missionaries have to gather support as well.

 

I go to an Evangelical Free church now, and we support independent missionaries, not just a missions board (including choosing how much to send each month to each particular missionary). So it seems our missionaries have to gather support and be individually accountable to their churches as well.

 

PS I just discovered I've belonged to three baptist churches -- the third being Berean Baptist in Houston. Large church. Doesn't care about skirts, very similar to the nondenominationals I've attended since.

Individual churches can have their own missions commitee, but they do give to misions supported by whichever group they're with (VA Independant Baptists, Southern Baptists, &tc). Our church, which is presently between groups, has always had their own missions commitee. We presently have three families living at missions year round in Tanzania, Lima, and Haiti. Every year our church sends more missionaries from home to aid them and bring more supplies. While we have joined forces for those trips with the churches around us, it doesn't really have anything to do with whatever group we charter with.

 

So, they can have individual missions, especially the at home missions (New Orleans, Appalachia &tc), but we also support larger missions (and take part with them) for our charter group.

[HS Mom in NC]

I attend Southeast Valley Baptist Church in Gilbert, AZ. If you google it you can read our statement of faith, church constitution, listen to weekly sermons, etc.

 

1. Our church doesn't care about the skirt thing. Pants and shorts are perfectly fine with them. I've seen all those things at services.

 

2. No one has ever worn a head covering to my church who was born and raised in America. We have a sister church of Romanian immigrants that visit sometimes and because of Romanian cultural issues, they do wear head coverings at our service. If we visit their church we are expected to do so out sensitivity to them, not because we agree with that teaching.

 

3. Most Independent Baptist are small. Ours is about 200 people.

 

4. I have never heard of anyone having any sort of issue with a teen attending alone. Our youth group would be delighted to have you if you lived here.

 

It's very important to understand that Independent Baptist churches are just that-independent. They can vary from congregation to congregation on many of these and other issues.

 

My church is Calvinist in its views of predestination (although not everyone there is a 5 point "TULIP" Calvinist.) We also tend to be fairly dispensational (The Church has NOT replaced Israel in our view) but we consider the OT to be applicable to our lives as believers with the NT being more primary. (They really need to come up with a theological term for that. Maybe there is one and I just don't know it....)

 

Feel free to ask anymore questions.