If You're Baptist, Why Not Say So?

Over the years I've tried the nearest church, it hasn't worked well for me. I have marked off some names on churches because they were not near what I believe, lets say liberal. Most Methodist church or should I say United Methodist, but have found some great Southern and Independent Methodists and two real great United Methodist. Being brought up as a Presbyterian I've been to them and I stay away for the most part unless it is a Cumberland Presbyterian, most of them I've been blessed in their service. I've tried some charismatic and pentecostal churches and they just haven't been for me or on that Sunday or Wednesday night. I'm sure all have good and bad but a name gives you a place to start. Many truck stops have a chapel service by preachers of all types, today most are pentecostal, I use them if I can't get near a church to park or if I can't get to a church that I believe I will agree with their stand.

I know in your part of the country when I drove out there, I had a hard time finding a church that I could get near and park or that I agreed with there doctrine. But in the middle of your state, I didn't have much of a problem, some of the best teaching and preaching that a Christian could ask for and lots of parking. I'm sure in Southern Cal. there are many good churches but I have to get a tractor trailer near it to park, so that cuts a lot of them out.

So the name helps, gives a place to start, so I start with Baptist and Dispensational churches, then I move to CMA on the east coast, then Bible Churches (many are BJU pastor started), Cumberland Presbyterian and Southern Methodist and so on, it gives me a place to start. Like I don't care for hamburgers and fries so I don't eat in places that , that is there big line of food to offer, I pick a place that I can have a plate lunch and a supper with salad.

But for the local folks, they can learn and have time to find the church where they can grow and service to the glory of God the best, they can see what is behind the name.

 

It's not that hard. If you were traveling through our town, even though we don't have baptist in our name, you could find us through the State Convention website or our local SBC Association web site.

 

Yes, and the man who is pastor there now, Dr Peter Masters, is a Baptists, and reformed. I won't use the word "albeit" - it makes it sound as though being reformed somehow lessens one's "baptist-ness" . Its web site http://www.metropolitantabernacle.org/ starts:

Founded c1650. Pastored by C H Spurgeon 1854-1892.
Still a large congregation proclaiming
the Gospel of Christ and the doctrines of grace.



​

​

Metropolitan Tabernacle
Baptist Church (Spurgeon's)
Pastor: Dr Peter Masters


​

 

Great! But I don't know where I'm going untill I'm dispatched,and I don't have a way to get on line to look it up at that time. Names just speed up the hunt, as I pull off the Interstate and start hunting..

 

So you find a church building with a name sign that includes the word "Baptist". Is that really what you are hunting for - just a name? Surely not! I don't know about the United States, but here, there are some churches with "Baptist" in their name which are ecumenical, and some not, some are Charismatic, others not, some liberal in theology, others not....and so on. So at least here in the UK, a person relying on the word "Baptist" in a church name for an assurance of that church's soundness could be greatly misled.

 

I'm driving a tractor trailer about 70 ft. long, I have to find a place that I can get to and park at or near by, within the local law. I can lose about an hour and a half, so when I pull off I ask or read the phone book and then call the police and see if I can get in there. Ask a non christian about a church and you get some strange looks at times. You are correct about a lot of Baptist churches over here aren't what I'm looking for, but so many of the others aren't either. Lets say it give me a center point to start, if it isn't the next time I'm in that town, I have that church marked off and can try another. Here in the south east, I have to say I have found that all of the Bible Churches that I've been to have been a blessing and most all of the CMA but being a member of a baptist church I start with that first. Many churches are very nice, knowing I can't drive my rig to them, they will send a person or the pastor will come and get me and take me back after the service. Now it isn't as bad as it looks, about 75% of the time I'm at a town I've been in before.
But for me, I start with the Baptist Churches first or less some one tells me of another church which might not be baptist or don't have the Baptist name but preaches and teaches sound doctrine.

 

Been there and was blessed. Dr. Henry Morris told me about that church. Also been to many other churches with well known SBC pastor and been blessed, like, W. A. Criswell, and Charles Stanley, Adrian Rogers, Jerry Vines and non SBC churches with know pastors like Warren Wiersbe, John R. Rice( he wasn't the pastor but was preaching), S. M. Lockridge and non Baptist Churches and heard Homer Kent, Jr., Thomas Ice, John Whitcomb and Stewart Custer and many great preaches that aren't well know nation wide. I have been blessed by the preaching of so many pastors doing what they were called to do.