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Featured When is a "Bible Church" actually a "Baptist church"

Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by Salty, Aug 19, 2017.

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  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Many folks are members of "Bible Churches"

    My response is that "They are Baptists who will not admit it."

    Open for discussion!
     
    #1 Salty, Aug 19, 2017
  2. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    When they are biblical.

    The term "Baptist" is not a denomination but a distinctive. Within this distinctive there are denominations. "Bible Churches" (and "non-denominational churches") that fall within what it means to be Baptist are Baptist, even if they don't recognize the fact.
     
    #2 JonC, Aug 19, 2017
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  3. Reformed

    Reformed Well-Known Member
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    Since when do Baptists ever agree on anything? The only distinctives that are common among Baptists are believers baptism, baptism by immersion, and the autonomy of the local church. After that, it becomes a free-for-all. Need proof? Just look at the debate forums on this board.
     
    #3 Reformed, Aug 19, 2017
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  4. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    You forgot one... LUNCH!... Brother Glen:D
     
    #4 tyndale1946, Aug 19, 2017
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  5. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    Any church that accepts the Baptist Distinctives is a Baptist Church regardless of the name on the door. And any church that does not accept the Baptist Distinctives is not a Baptist church no matter what name is on the door.
     
    #5 TCassidy, Aug 19, 2017
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  6. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Exactly. And that is what makes a church a Baptist church.

    You are still considering "Baptist" to be a denomination. It is not. It is that distinctive that is common among Baptists. You hit the nail squarely on the head. Does this mean all Baptist churches agree? Of course not. There are denominations of Baptists (SBC, Free Will Baptists, Independent Baptists, ect.). But what they have in common is the Baptist distinctive, without which they would not be Baptist.
     
    #6 JonC, Aug 19, 2017
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  7. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    We are NOT a Denomination from the point of view that we have a higher Headquarters, such as the United Methodist Church.
    but we are a denomination in that we have similar beliefs From Merriam-Webster

    Bottom line - this concern over the term denomination is Much Ado About Nothing

    Yes, Autonomy of the local church is a very important doctrine for me. Even though we are SBC,
    they do not direct us to do anything. They may advise us - but it is up to our local church - as to weather we decide to follow that advice. Often we dont.
     
    #7 Salty, Aug 19, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2017
  8. One Baptism

    One Baptism Active Member

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    Would 7th day Baptists be considered "Baptist" by the definition given by those on this forum?
     
    #8 One Baptism, Aug 19, 2017
  9. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Excellent question
    I would say yes -
     
    #9 Salty, Aug 19, 2017
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  10. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Concur with Salty. The SDAs aren't the only ones who meet on Saturdays.
     
    #10 Squire Robertsson, Aug 20, 2017
  11. AwesomeMachine

    AwesomeMachine Member

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    The 8 distinctives form a noble creed. But I can't help but notice that without a centralized authority structure the Baptists are fragmented, divided, and as a result, only as strong and authoritative as each individual church. And each individual church has authority only over its members, and then only to certain degree.

    If the members of a Baptist church are unaware that they belong to a Baptist church, and the church itself doesn't realize it's a Baptist church, it really doesn't matter what semantics are employed, because Baptist is only another name for Protestant.

    Protestant is more than just a word. It's a worldwide movement over 500 years old. It has defining doctrines that have been observed by many miliions of the faithful for centuries. It is a movement that has stood the test of time and thrived.
     
    #11 AwesomeMachine, Aug 20, 2017
  12. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    SAY WHAT!!!!
     
    #12 Salty, Aug 20, 2017
  13. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    Easy Salty... What else would you expect from a Non Baptist Christian!... I'm only saying... Well actually I could say a few other things but I'm being nice... Brother Baptist Glen:)
     
    #13 tyndale1946, Aug 20, 2017
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  14. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    If we were to look back through the mists of time, we would probably find most Bible churches were started by or are descended from churches started by Baptists. In the denominational battles of the last century, many sought to distance themselves from the "blood shed."
     
    #14 Squire Robertsson, Aug 20, 2017
  15. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Would be interesting to see what the doctrine statement of his church reads!
     
    #15 Salty, Aug 20, 2017
  16. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    I don't think that "Baptist" meets the definition Merriam-Webster provides. If you were to say Southern Baptist, then I'd agree because we are united by belief (not church structure). But there are Baptists who fall outside of what other Baptists would consider enough of an agreement in belief for unity.

    It is like other words...."Reformed"..."Calvinistic"..."Charismatic"..."Baptist". Those words describe a distinction that fails to meet the definition of a denomination.
     
    #16 JonC, Aug 20, 2017
  17. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    Maybe if you ask him nice he will give you his church website... No harm in asking... Brother Glen:)
     
    #17 tyndale1946, Aug 20, 2017
  18. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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    The original 'Bible Christian' churches were a breakaway from the Methodists.
    Bible Christian Church - Wikipedia
    Where I live you can still see the words 'Bible Christian' over the door of some Methodist chapels.
    The most famous Bible Christian was a chap called Billy Bray. There's a link to him on the Wiki article.
    'If they put me in a barrel, I'd shout "Glory!" through the bung hole!'
     
    #18 Martin Marprelate, Aug 21, 2017
  19. MennoSota

    MennoSota Well-Known Member
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    A Bible Church is a Baptist church when it is fully immersed after the creek rises...
     
    #19 MennoSota, Aug 21, 2017
  20. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    Go and Seine no more... Brother Glen:Biggrin
     
    #20 tyndale1946, Aug 21, 2017
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