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What Denomination am I?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Steven Yeadon, May 3, 2017.

  1. Steven Yeadon

    Steven Yeadon Well-Known Member
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    This is a not so easy question for me, but a very important one. I tried to find this online and hit my head on a wall.

    I have grown to enjoy some of the work done by Dave Hunt, and I am especially struck by how opposed to Roman Catholic dogma and historical actions my whole personal theology has grown to be. A theology which I am trying to base on the Word of God alone, but I understand I am not at all an infallible interpreter of the bible. Before, when I was a Pentecostal southern baptist, this issue didn't really faze me as I thought the Roman Catholic Church to be just another denomination. However, I have come to the point that I am questioning whether other denominations are accurately teaching the Gospel, and whether Roman Catholicism, when taken as a whole, is even the Christian religion. The problem is even a number of Catholics I meet seem to think that Catholicism is not Christianity.

    I am still a baptist as far as I can tell. I would say doctrinally I lean more Anabaptist, but that modern movement is pacifistic, which is a doctrine I believe the bible teaches against. The problem is I am definitely not southern baptist it seems to me. I say this because after reading this statement on Roman Catholicism, I now know that Southern Baptists view Roman Catholicism as a valid way of approaching Jesus that is very doctrinally unsound. I look to Jesus' warnings against false prophets in Matthew 7, his harsh teaching against tradition in Mark 7, and many more verses as in direct conflict with the idea that the doctrinally unsound will produce good fruit with false doctrine. In addition, 2 John also gives me the impression that the last thing I want to do is to ever be accepting of clergy in direct opposition to the Word of God.

    So my question is: What denominations are there that have believer's baptism, but outright reject Roman Catholicism? I would even add that if that denomination rejects Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, Pentecostalism and Charismaticism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and mainline protestant denominations, all the better!
     
  2. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    are you considering changing denominations?
     
  3. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    I'm not sure that 1994 resolution really says what you think it does. Even so, resolutions are completely non-binding, and they are only representative of the messengers to that specific year's convention meeting. Plenty of Southern Baptists would completely reject Catholicism.
     
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  4. Steven Yeadon

    Steven Yeadon Well-Known Member
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    I believe the answer would be "yes," but I really don't want to.
     
  5. Steven Yeadon

    Steven Yeadon Well-Known Member
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    I may well be getting that resolution wrong, but then again maybe its my own southern baptist church. I have been told all denominations are the same at my own church by the leadership.
     
  6. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    Maybe you should just try to find another church?
     
  7. rlvaughn

    rlvaughn Well-Known Member
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    In my experience most conservative-type Baptists reject the soteriology and ecclesiology of the bodies -- though some make an exception on some Protestant groups. Perhaps you just need to look for a different local church that rejects Catholicism, rather than seeking a new denomination.
     
  8. Steven Yeadon

    Steven Yeadon Well-Known Member
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    Thank you for directing me to changing churches and explaining the southern baptist convention of churches to me. I see that the real problem is that my current church is no longer a good fit for me, now that my theology has changed so much in the last year. This is a very painful choice, as this is the church that has mentored me for many years. Thank you for all of your comments.
     
  9. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    I don't view the Baptist body of belief as a "denomination" but as a "fellowship" which is the more biblical terminology.

    1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
    2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.
    3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
    4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
    5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
    6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
    7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

    We can have that very same fellowship that John and the other apostles had with Jesus Christ when they were here with Him in the flesh because it's origin is from the heart of the true and the living God via the Holy Spirit.

    In this passage in verse 7 I took note that fellowship one with another is associated with cleansing from sin.

    My own personal journey was one from the Church of Rome to a Baptist Church in Boston - Tremont Temple Baptist Church were my wife (a former Mormon) and I were baptized together in 1965.

    Having searched the scripture the Baptist fellowship seemed to us to be the closest in doctrine and practice to the church of the NT.

    The 8 Baptist distinctives appealed to me.

    The only bloodshed in the history of the Baptist fellowship was when they were the victims.

    Wherever we have gone we have always had a Baptist local church which we called our church home.

    HankD
     
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  10. JamesL

    JamesL Well-Known Member
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    I would offer this:

    Follow the Holy Spirit, not doctrinal leanings.

    I've been in your situation, thinking doctrinal agreement is the most important issue in the Christian life.

    While doctrine is absolutely important, you'll probably find that your doctrine will continue to change the more you study. If you pack your wagon and hit the trail every time you're at odds with your church's teaching, you're gonna find yourself on one long, dusty trail.
     
  11. rlvaughn

    rlvaughn Well-Known Member
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    Steven, I don't know enough about you and your church to direct you in changing churches. I only mention that as an option, in that there are many local Baptist churches that reject the false ideas of those denominations you mention. I don't think you should be quick to leave the church that mentored you, without much prayer. If I were personally acquainted with you and your church, I might offer more advice, but I believe this is all I can offer.
     
  12. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Were you into Charasmatic theology?
     
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  13. Steven Yeadon

    Steven Yeadon Well-Known Member
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    I'll call my church tomorrow and set up an appointment to talk with my pastor. We have talked about me finding another church in the past, because my theology is too conservative for the church I'm at right now such as on the role of women in leadership. I have changed considerably in the last year, which was sped up amazingly by this website getting me out of being a charismatic My pastor earlier indicated that it was a matter of conscience that I would leave, as my current church condones things I believe the Word teaches against.
     
  14. Mississippi John

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    Steven, I don't know you. But judging from your post I"d say you lean toward: hard-core independent fundamentialist all-American KJV-only Baptist.
     
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  15. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Find a good and balanced Baptist church....
     
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