Baptists are killing themselves!

When I started pastoring a Baptist Church I was surprised at the lack of male leadership and such poor knowledge of the Bible compared to other Bible believing churches I had been in. In one Baptist Chruch I pastored they took pride in being people of the Word. Too much time was spent studying the quarterly and about the Bible rather than the Bible itself.

Sometime just ask people in your Baptist Church to explain something as basic as salvation. Most of the time you wil get something about what awaits them but not the temporal aspect of salvation and how it affects them today.

My experience is that so many compare themselves to the dead liberal churches and commend themselves rather than being churches which are serious about the Bible.

Anything that has some life looks good compared to the dead.

 

Some of them so-called liberal churches have more book savvy than many Baptist Churches...it may not be the right book, but at least they do know what they believe.

Read my signature below..It explains much of what the modern evangelical is doing to-day. They depart before God speaks.

Cheers,

Jim

 

An fyi that this article is being discussed in the News forum.

http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=35648

 

I totally agree on this sad but true statement.

The Bible does say in 2The 2:3 "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" I believe this verse does not just mean those who have fallen away from believing in the foundation of Christ, but also them that have fallen away from taking our faith literally. When I use the word 'literally' here I mean what James said, to show our works because of our faith. (To walk by faith and not by sight.) Many Christians today are scared to walk by faith, they are scared to step out of their comfort zone and into the Lord's hands, they are scared of consequence, of offending and even standing for our Lord and what he stands for.

We are here to be the salt of the earth, the light that shines in darkness. But yet many of us are hiding the light under a bushel, many of us are taking away the power of the salt--the power of the blood. I am greatly saddened at this, to the point that my heart almost faints in the eyes of this truth. To realize how far the church has fallen and to see that the only ones who can grab the Lords hand to pull it back up are ourselves!!

 

Self called Christians who don't belong in the church are those who try to merge their religious and political beliefs so it's impossible to tell where one starts and the other ends. They are also hypocritical in that that are quick to point out the sins of others but unwilling to change their own sinful lifestyle.

I don't really care about the name Baptist. You can keep it. All I want is to be a genuine Christian.

 

Genuine Christains who knows the history of the "Baptist" wears their title proudly!!!!

 

My husband has been asked to speak at a variety of churches in different countries. Almost without exception, the 'denomination' we find to be the most biblically literate are the Brethren. We are delighted when we are asked to speak at a Brethren church, for we know that there is a 95% chance we will be talking to biblically literate brothers and sisters in Christ.

We get asked some pretty amazing questions at many of the other churches, including Baptist:

1. Does the Bible really say Mary was a virgin?
2. Where are the Ten Commandments?
3. What's the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?
4. Do you have to be born again to go to heaven? Can't you just be a good person and do good things?

These, and many like them, are from adults, folks -- adults in Christian churches who take the name of Christian.

It was because of this type of thing that Barry and I sat down a few years ago to ask ourselves "What should our goal be in these presentations?" And we decided that we would NOT focus on evangelism, but, rather, on building up the body of Christ -- that, to us, seemed to be in an almost emergency status.

 

Dead churches are those that focus on minor points of theology rather than the gospel message. They are filled with modern day Pharisees who cling to the law and call it heresy to believe that a Christian must recognize Christ as their Lord and Savior.

 

If the dominant issues that consume the hearts and minds of good people are whether or not "Merry Christmas" is said at the end of a business transaction or whether or not the 10 Commandments are posted publically we are truly in great need of a biblical reformation on a grand scale. Thsoe issues do not typify what the Lord defined as battle ground on which we are called to fight, nor is that being "salt and light" in the world.

Our main task is to be who we are in Christ regardless of the culture. Fulfill both the Great Commandments and the Great Commission. If we make those our priority, people will be changed and transformed forever. I don't think we can say the same things if our goal is to restore some false concept of bygone era.

The culture is not our focus, people are!

Blessings,

 

IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT ARE SPLITTING CHRIST'S CHURCH OVER POLITICAL ISSUES. WHO DO YOU SERVE, GOD OR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?

 

S&N;
When you YELL IN ALL CAPS I think that my friend soulman has hit a nerve in you.

Perhaps the "politicizing" is not all on his side of the street. In fact, after readin the enitre article, I am of the opinion that Soulman has hit the trouble spot on.

When liberal limp wristed wanna be christians choose to distance themselves from a name which has historically been one that holds to biblical distinctives and holiness; then indeed the time has come that the lines of demarcation must be drawn. It is obvious which side of the line you have chosen in spite of your LOUD PROTESTING!!!!

I say: if you (whoever you are) do not like the name Baptist, then perhaps you have either never been saved or you are in a backslidden state and fear the displeasure of man more than the displeasure of God.

I will keep thr name of Baptist because most people in this country see it as being narrow minded, and I LIKE that since Jesus was narrow minded also.

 

What gets me are these churches that are affiliated with Baptist denominations, but yet don't want anyone to know that, as they are so afraid of "turning someone off".

If a church doesn't want to be identified with a group, then don't hide the affiliation--terminate it and become a genuine non-denominational, independent church. I have no beef with that.

 

We have not all been "assimilated" into the world thinking of man's fourth century Christ-mass. I believe the Catholic church, which does preach a belief in our Lord Jesus Christ to be in error of Christmas, and the "churches" have taken up the cause. The ACLU and other's that may or many not believe in a God, but evidently don't believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, are against any that wish to worship as they please.

It is the "church" and her "churches" that gives the ACLU and the like their forum to cause confusion and discard among the churches. The churches have put themselves in position of defending what God never asked we defend. Can you fight these people with His Word, or just man's word against man?

 

Yeah, these new problems within the church are terrible. Insest, rampet divorce, preachers preaching for profit, void of qualified leadership, idolatry and legalism all bringing division to the body of Christ. Oh wait...that's the New Testament.
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I agree. We did the Lifeway studies for years in our previous church and they are pretty shallow. We go to a different church now and study straight from the Bible and the growth is amazing.

 

Amen. Christmas fits perfectly.

 

Amen. That fits nicely into this discussion. We found Christmas when we left the Bible.

 

It is so good to see the Body of Christ showing up more. This shows we are thinking more about the "Body Church", than the "Kingdom Church".