Holy multi denominational Baptist batman.....

What baptist churches are nearest you what do you think about their differences are the differences apparent how many different baptist church are in your town what do you observe concerning the morals of each church?

 

In alot of cases there is not alot of difference between some Baptist Denominations. Even churches within denominations can be different.

Go visit a whole bunch and find one that suits you.

Here are my reccomendations.

http://www.pfwb.org/

http://www.fullgospelbaptist.org/

http://www.seventhdaybaptist.org/

Here is a good one called Messiah Baptist that I found online, I dont know what Baptist denomination they are though.

http://www.messiahbaptist.org/

 

Having served both in SBC and IFB I can tell you that the only differences are the way missions is handled, the feeling and roles of leadership in the Church, and the general attitude towards worship.

SBC believes in using their own missions board where annual offerings and a portion of the cooperative program (the money every Church pays into the work and ministry of the collective convention itself). Missionaries are salaried and mainly answer to the elected members of the board for accountibility (they are watched like hawks). To be a missionary you simple go to Bible college, language school, gain moral support of your Church and show proof of your calling and burden through interviews and field studies.

the IFB beleive that the missionary must raise monthly support by going around various Churches and asking for it through deputations. They must fund everything from food to materials to travel expenses etc. They give an account to the Churches directly. (These are the major differences in opinion).

Leadership of a typical SBC Chruch is through the members through democratic process, but most are actually run by deacons (unbiblical IMHO).

leadership of the IFB is run from the pulpit (pastor). Though a majority family or prominent member of the community usually ends up making the major decisions on his own in many cases.

finally, typical IFB Churches feel that an Amen MUST be said in a worship service. No excitement usually, just an occasional amen. In many SBC chruches no Amen is said at all!

Bapticostal are pentecostal Churches that used to be Baptist by denomination. They left the typical baptist views but kept the name.

 

Recommend the following book:
HANDBOOK OF DENOMINATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES,
(11th Edition Abingdon, 2001). Ealier
version are suitable and are sold USED.

This book has real good data on various
flavors of Baptists. I don't see how any
minister of the gospel (even a Youth Minister)
can get much milage without this book.

 

It is right that the major differences lie in church polity, not belief. How things are run and how they are administered. As to the remark about deacons running the church in SBC, not sot in the SBC churches I've been a part of, although I can't speak for all SBC churches.

One thing left out is that Independant Baptists are much more likely to be KJV only or KJV preferred.

One thing that I have noticed is that one sect of Baptists is always saying something bad about the other sect of Baptists. "Out of the same mouths come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!"

 

There is much more difference between SBC and IFB than that. IFBs have there share of deacon run churches. The biggest difference is IFBs are fundamental separatists, while SBC are the whole gamet of liberal to conservative and are non-separatists.

 

True, so true, What I said are just the tips of the iceberg that first pop into most minds.