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are most baptist churches in error?

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by massdak, Aug 19, 2003.

  1. massdak

    massdak Active Member
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    Is the pastor supposed to preach every sunday morning for an altar call type sermon? is the gospel presented correctly? I would say that nine times out of ten the church service is made to be a sunday sermon to reach lost people that attend and have attended for many years given an occasional visitor or if a visitor drive is in effect. the church has missions going on also but i question how that all works also. does most baptist churches seem to be like the new testament churches the apostle paul founded? it would seem to me that the church is for making disciples and for edification so as to show Christians how to evangelize the lost, am i correct? are there any true biblical churches out there anywhere?
     
  2. Singleman

    Singleman New Member

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    I'm not sure if the New Testament describes what a typical church service is supposed to be like. I do agree that the main role of the local church is to teach and train Christians so that we may be equipped for service. Many churches avoid theology altogether, afraid to scare people off. But that doesn't rule out evangelistic messages from the pulpit. A pastor needs to be a teacher and a preacher of the gospel.
     
  3. Patriot

    Patriot New Member

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    In my church, during Sunday, it is also mostly dedicated to praising God and then theres a message, that like you said, its to reach the lost ones. This is a job that the Pastor must do, bringing those new ones into Christ. Now, in the afternoons that same Sunday, we go back to church and learn Christian doctrines. The Pastor gives really good biblical studies. It is here where I believe it edifies the church. Other days, like Mondays the congregation prays from like 9 to midnight. Every day is something different. Just try looking for a Pastor with a good program. Lol.
     
  4. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Since Baptist churches are imperfect institutions setup by humans, and Baptist pastors are humans, they will invariably and with some regularity make errors. But God, being perfect, appreciates the fact that we learn from our errors, whether it be in every day life, or every day worship.
     
  5. Lorelei

    Lorelei <img src ="http://www.amacominc.com/~lorelei/mgsm.

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    The church I used to attend had shallow messages but didn't really stress the altar call. The church I go to now really shares meat for christians but then at the end there is this big urge to come to the "old fashioned altar".

    I am not a big fan of the altar call because it isn't found in scripture and it seems to pressure people into responding to God rather than letting the Spirit work on them.

    But as someone said, we are human and there will always be some error. Altar calls can serve a purpose as long as the emphasis remains on Christ and not the act of responding to the "call."

    I do believe the church is supposed to be about Christians gathering to hear the teaching of the apostles and the Word of God rather than a time to "save souls." I think the emergence of the "altar call" over the years has changed that emphasis. Instead of witnessing we "invite people to church" so that they can get saved at the altar. The preacher can do the real work, we just need to "bring in the sheaves."

    Church should help to encourage and equip us to share the gospel with others and to grow in our walk with the Lord. It can't help you grow if it never gets past the salvation message, and bringing people to church is NOT our job. We are to witness to them and THEN bring them to church! Churches seem to be weak on helping Christians "grow up." We get them to "serve" before they really learn about the one they are serving.

    Fortunately, my current church is very strong in teaching and discipleship and mostly doctrinally sound.

    ~Lorelei
     
  6. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    I reject the entire corrupted "invitation system" that is practiced in many churches today.

    EVERY TIME I preach, there is a demand for action, for decision, for assent and compliance to the Word. If a public decision was required, I would be a failure if EVERY person didn't respond EVERY time.

    But man looks on the outward appearance (and gets his glory from it) while God works on the inner unseen man.

    I realize that even though it was a rarity in the NT, an unsaved person "might" come into our service. So try to share the simple Gospel as well as edifying doctrine. But our goal is to minister and feed the believer, not reach the unbeliever.

    Sad so many churches work on the assumption that they should bring folks to church and let the Pastor "win 'em". Where is THAT in the Bible?
     
  7. Sherrie

    Sherrie New Member

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    I agree Dr. Bob!

    I heard a pastor say one time, "Morning Worship" was for the not saved and newer people...and the "Evening Worship" was for the members and the saved mostly. And Wednesday Nights were when you could see who your true members were. The real die hards.

    He said stragglers would come in for the morning worship, but the evening were mainly the members and regulars.

    Why?

    Sherrie
     
  8. massdak

    massdak Active Member
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    dr. bob i do seem to agree with you a lot. i would like to see more and more of the baptist churches wake up to good doctrine. do you suppose that many baptist churches are apawned from free will baptist doctrine?
     
  9. Walls

    Walls New Member

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    Our services go like this, we have family Bible study the first hour, then during the first service we go through the Bible, one book at a time. We do have an invitation after morning service, it is not for people to come get saved, but to deal with sin, or service for the Lord, or just to pray.

    Then, for our afternoon service, the pastor gives a message of doctrine or to help our character and walk. Midweek service is prayer and exhortation. After services, our pastor encourages testimony and giving thanks to God.

    Our church has visitation each week and this is the time to reach the lost. If by chance we would have a visitor, then the pastor adds the gospel to his message.

    When you have hit and miss, or pick a passage messages, you get caught up in the emotion of it, that wears off by the end of the week and doesn't really change your life.

    We have been going to this church for 8 months and we have learned and have grown so much. Our pastor is so thorough and covers so much ground that for the first time, we feel like we are headed in the right direction.
     
  10. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    I think ours has a good combination of the two on Sunday mornings. All can learn from the sermon, but there also seems to be the plan of salvation given in there most of the time for visitors/unsaved, even if it has to be just said at the end of the service. It's interesting to watch how it's put into the sermon though. Christianity is based on the cross, so no matter what's being taught there's never a place it doesn't fit in. Neat, huh?
    There's always an invitation. I personally have never responded by going up there, but I've seen it work for others. If they feel better about going up there and praying for a minute who am I to say that's wrong?
    Gina
     
  11. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    At our Sunday morning and evening meetings, the emphasis is primarily for the saved, hence we will have praise, worship, prayer, Scripture reading and preaching and teaching from that Scripture, the idea being that all of this is not so much for Sunday but equipping and training for Monday morning and beyond; whilst we do sometimes have invitations for prayer and (re)commitment and 'mission weeks', the general idea is that evangelism and witnessing is an individual responsibility rather than corporate and is something we're all meant to do during th week having been suitably 'edified' and trained on Sunday and in weekday housegroups

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
  12. amixedupmom

    amixedupmom Guest

    *inserts her two cents*

    I got to Services to Learn more about the Bible, God, and how I need to be living my life. Witnessing to others is fine. But, our biggest witness is our attitude. What we believe and how we live our life. I don't know anyone who knows everything there is to know. Everyone can learn something from a sermon, be it, Witnessing to the Lost, Gossip, Being fishmen of men, Or The stories of noah and the ark. Every sermon will get to a Lost man. And every sermon will help a dedicated Christian of 40 years learn something new. That is the best part of the Bible. No matter how old it get's ...... It's still Brand new [​IMG] JMHO

    God Bless
     
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