"Bible Church" or Baptist church ???

Often when they drop the name Baptist they also drop closed communion, only baptized membership and they think the anonymous aspect will be less offensive than Baptist.

Then there are legitimate congregations who want to be called Bible Chapels or some such.

Why do some Baptist churches keep the name Baptist and behave like the others?

Cheers,

Jim

 

Some Bible churches believe in plural eldership and are independant aren't they?

 

Much of the nomenclature probably depends on the area and circumstances.

One of my best friends is the founding pastor about 35 years ago, of a church that started in a storefront, and was known as the "City" Bible Church. When the church was able to acquire a little property, and built a small edifice which was a few miles out in the suburbs, the church changed its name to "Street Name" Road Bible Church which was the road on which the church located, and then, when upon outgrowing those facilities, was able to acquire a fairly large tract of land a few miles away on the same road, moved while keeping the same name, which is and was an aid in identification.

But the church has since altered its name to "Street Name" Road Bible Baptist Church. The reason for this is that in that general area, churches that were 'Pentecostal', 'Neo-Pentecostal', 'Charismatic', 'Full Gospel" or what have you, along those general lines, started hijacking (you know, kinda' like some BB threads) names, and several were calling themselves 'Bible' and/or sometimes 'Fundamental' in their names. To differentiate from this, and because the "SN"RBB Church is one of 'generally sound doctrine', whatever that means, and other churches in the area of mostly 'like' 'generally sound doctrine' were predominately known as 'Baptist' and with most 'Baptist' churches in that area NOT being aligned with Pentecostal movement, this move was made.

"The names have been withheld to protect the guilty!" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I assure you that the stance has not changed in that 35 years. And I further assure you that I have deliberately not identifed that congregation, for I have no intention of generally naming any other body I am not affiliated with, at any place, where they cannot defend themselves, although I am in major agreement with their stands.

Ed

 

I like Jerry Falwell too.:thumbs:

 

As a group (denomination), the Bible churches were affiliated with DTS.

Over time other churches have acquired the name.

Their theology is different, but I notice that 'new' Baptists consider Bible Church Theology to be Baptist Theology . . . And many Bible Church 'attenders' that I have known call themselves 'Baptist'.

 

That is not whom I was referring to, as I have never come close to meeting him. :tongue3: :smilewinkgrin:

Besides, to my knowledge, that church has alway been known, at least as long as Jerry Falwell has pastored there, as the Thomas Road Baptist Church, and never had "Bible" in its name.

Ed