churches dropping the word "Baptist" from their names

Followers of Christ are usually Christians, but not always. Christians are usually followers of Christ, but not always. We must endeavor to be both.

 

To my mother-in-law Christian means going to mass every Saturday night and trying to be a good person. It's relative.

 

It is deceitful, immoral, unethical and a sin. People do not have a problem with the name Baptist. They have a problem with Baptists the people. When you work to hide who you are you are lying, misleading, and deceiving. If you have a problem with the name Baptist as a church and wish to separate yourself from it the responsible thing to do is to quit being a Baptist all together rather than hide the title of what you are. In the end simply removing the name to hide yourself is a reproach on the Kingdom of God. All the name removers need to just go non denom.

 

Note that I said however misused the word "Christian" may be, it's in Acts 20 as what the first believers called themselves. Some New Agers call themselves Christians; this does not keep me from using it.

It is the most accurate and biblical term we have.

 

One should not presume that removing one's denomination from the shingle means that one is hiding the fact that one is a Baptist. One need not have the word "Baptist" on the sign outside in order to be unashamedly Baptist, anymore than one needs to have the word "Christian" on the sign outside to be unashamedly Christian.

 

The bigger problem is some are working to hide who they are. Baptists are an offense to some so they hide that fact by removing the name. Christians are an offense to some so the work to hide who they are by removing the name. Satan has got them running in false circles.

 

I would point you to the Underground Church in areas hostile to the Gospel where they "hide" who they are every waking moment to further the Gospel message, even going so far as to change some of the terminology in Scripture. For instance, to someone who has never seen snow in a tropical area, they change Isaiah 1' "...though your sins are as scarlet they shall be as white as snow" to "...as white a coconut flakes.

You should read some of Richard Wurmbrand's life experiences (Voice of the Martyr's). You're entire point is invalid when compared to the persecuted Underground Church.

 

You are elevating the word Baptist to a very unhealthy level...

 

No I'm not. You need to reread what I posted. It is not about the name it is about hiding who you are.

 

Really? Would you deny Christ to further the gospel?

 

Non Sequitur...nobody is denying Christ when they remove Baptist from the name on the building, they are doing so with furthering the Gospel in mind.

 

Is there a sin in that? Christians all across the world hide who they are to further the Gospel. Some even join the secret police in order to find out inside information that aids the Underground Church. They pretend to be persecutors.

Let me ask you this...is it permissible to hide the Baptist name to further the Gospel? If I had a friend that was molested by a Baptist pastor, would "hiding" my affiliation be permissible?

 

How is it different? How is the agenda any different? Both want to see the lost come to Christ. How is keeping "Baptist" relevant to them coming to Christ?
Nobody has said they don't want them to know they are not Baptist...they remove the name to remove any potential barrier to them coming to Christ.

Would you remove the name from your church if you knew it would lead more to Christ than keeping it?

 

Dropping the name "Baptist" from your name is hardly hiding who a church is.

Should they put the words "inerrant Bible" in the name also because we don't want to hide the fact that we believe in inerrancy? or any other doctrines we believe are important such as deity of Christ or substitutionary atonement?

 

Nope because it is a false argument that anyone would not be lead to Christ because of being Baptist.

 

If someone does not want to go to a Baptist church and you knowingly hide that information from them that is deception.

What does a lost person know about those things. As uncommon as it is for you that is a strawman.

 

Nope to which question?
I never made that argument, btw.

 

Removing the name means you do not want them to know.

 

Can someone be drawn to the Gospel without wanting to go to a Baptist church? All deception is not sin, btw.