are most baptist churches in error?

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

*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 JMHO

God Bless