Does your church have Baptist in the name?

We have discussed taking the word Baptist out of our name, but have not done so or voted on the idea. The word Baptist in the name is a large liability here.

 

Yes. However, maybe the situation is different in the US, where it seems that not having the word "baptist" in the church name is looked upon as indicating disagreement with, or shame of, Baptist doctrines. Here, that is not necessarily the case. The church where Spurgeon was pastor is not called, "Elephant & Castle Baptist Church" (after the name of that part of London), but "The Metropolitan Tabernacle".

 

Macedonia Missionary Baptist of Carraway, Florida. 10 miles west of historic Palatka, Florida.

Unabashedly Baptist. :godisgood:

 

What happens when people visit and want to join, only to find out that it's a baptist church even though it does not have baptist in the name, and they feel cheated or lied to. If having baptist in the name is a liability, then how would people feel to learn it is a baptist church, they were just decieved by the removal of the baptist name.
If I were one of those who did not want to be baptist, or attend a baptist church, for wahtever reason, and I visited a church who refused to identify themselves as baptist, and then later learned they were a baptist church I've feel decieved and lied too.

 

People should be able to know right off what kind of church they are visiting.

 

The only reason I'm a Baptist is because only a Baptist ever cared enough about my soul to invite me to church and ask "Are you saved?" I had no idea what he meant, but I continued going and was eventually saved nearly a year later on May 18, 1963.

I don't believe the name Baptist is as important as what the church teaches and preaches. If I started a church, I think I would call it Grace Bible Church since we are saved by God's grace. The doctrine of that church would be that of a Fundamental Conservative (but not TOO conservative) church. Giving it a denominational name can be detrimental to getting some people to attend. Just calling it a Bible church shouldn't offend anyone who believes in or is interested in learning about the Bible despite their denominational leanings. Once they are there and hear the message of God's love and free salvation through Jesus Christ, hopefully they will stay (as I did) and eventually become a part of God's family. At my church we end every morning service with the chorus, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God."

Are we a part of the family of God? When we stand before the Lord, He will not ask, "Were you a Baptist on earth? If not then you can't come into My heaven. Only Baptists are allowed here." He will look into the the Lamb's Book of Life for our name. What denomination we were here won't even matter to Him.

Let us not be so proud of being a Baptist that we forget that Jesus did not start a Baptist church or any other denomination. He simply started a church of born again believers. Rejoice that your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life and not in the "fact" that you are in the "right" denomination. Yes, I believe that Baptist is the most accurate churches according to scripture, but Jesus said that "Ye must be born again", and not that you have to be a Baptist or whatever.

 

Donna, I agree. A church near us changed its name some time ago and removed "Baptist" from its new name. However on their web site, they still show they are an SBC church ---

"*** Fellowship is aligned doctrinally and cooperatively in missions locally, nationally, and globally with the Southern Baptist Convention." While they are not hiding their affiliation, they are not emphasizing it either.

 

So it will be a marketing decision then?

 

Calvary Baptist Church

 

Yes - and I am the preacher!

Faith Independent Baptist Church

 

No, we don't, because we're not Baptist.

It would be, however, a brilliant idea to randomly throw the word "Baptist" in the title. Just to mess with people.

 

First Baptist Church here.

 

Choice Hills Baptist Henderson, NV

 

We are not ashamed to have Baptist in our name.

We have also had thirty additions since Easter, All the glory to God!

Is that because we have Baptist in the name? I doubt it, but if it aient broke, don't fix it!:laugh:

 

Praise God for those thirty additions! Were they conversions, people moving from other churches, or a mixture?

Your comment, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" would equally apply to those baptist churches that have never had the word "baptist" in their church name. The church where Spurgeon was pastor is still going strong, even though it is not (and never has been) called, "Elephant & Castle Baptist Church" (after the name of that part of London), but "The Metropolitan Tabernacle".

 

Newport BAPTIST Church (although it's not capitalized on our church sign :thumbs: )