If a church has decided to be unscriptural and they should at least take baptist out of their name and admit their stance on that to the populace. That would be a good reason to stop being baptist is if one stopped being scriptural.[/b]
Well we are not talking about any church that has decided to be unscriptural. Just a church that is distinct from other Baptist churches in the region.
Of course, this begs the question... What is a Baptist? It is not a brand, but rather a historic movement that has certain distinctives.
Baptists are very diverse, so it creates so confusion to people both outside and inside the Baptist world as to what we truly believe. The vast majority of Baptists affirm the following as Baptist distinctives (when affirmed as a whole):
What Are the Eight Baptist Distinctives?
These teachings may be remembered by associating them with the letters that form the word “BAPTISTS.”
Biblical Authority
The Bible is the final authority in all matters of belief and practice because the Bible is inspired by God and bears the absolute authority of God Himself. Whatever the Bible affirms, Baptists accept as true. No human opinion or decree of any church group can override the Bible. Even creeds and confessions of faith, which attempt to articulate the theology of Scripture, do not carry Scripture’s inherent authority.
2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:20, 21
Autonomy of the Local Church
The local church is an independent body accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. All human authority for governing the local church resides within the local church itself. Thus the church is autonomous, or self-governing. No religious hierarchy outside the local church may dictate a church’s beliefs or practices. Autonomy does not mean isolation. A Baptist church may fellowship with other churches around mutual interests and in an associational tie, but a Baptist church cannot be a “member” of any other body.
Colossians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, 19, 23
Priesthood of the Believer
“Priest” is defined as “one authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and God.” Every believer today is a priest of God and may enter into His presence in prayer directly through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. No other mediator is needed between God and people. As priests, we can study God’s Word, pray for others, and offer spiritual worship to God. We all have equal access to God–whether we are a preacher or not.
1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 5:9, 10
Two Ordinances
The local church should practice two ordinances: (1) baptism of believers by immersion in water, identifying the individual with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and (2) the Lord’s Supper, or communion, commemorating His death for our sins.
Matthew 28:19, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Individual Soul Liberty
Every individual, whether a believer or an unbeliever, has the liberty to choose what he believes is right in the religious realm. No one should be forced to assent to any belief against his will. Baptists have always opposed religious persecution. However, this liberty does not exempt one from responsibility to the Word of God or from accountability to God Himself.
Romans 14:5, 12; 2 Corinthians 4:2; Titus 1:9
Saved, Baptized Church Membership
Local church membership is restricted to individuals who give a believable testimony of personal faith in Christ and have publicly identified themselves with Him in believer’s baptism. When the members of a local church are believers, a oneness in Christ exists, and the members can endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 4:3
Two Offices
The Bible mandates only two offices in the church–pastor and deacon. The three terms–”pastor,” “elder,” and “bishop,” or “overseer”–all refer to the same office. The two offices of pastor and deacon exist within the local church, not as a hierarchy outside or over the local church.
1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 20:17-38; Philippians 1:1
Separation of Church and State
God established both the church and the civil government, and He gave each its own distinct sphere of operation. The government’s purposes are outlined in Romans 13:1-7 and the church’s purposes in Matthew 28:19 and 20. Neither should control the other, nor should there be an alliance between the two. Christians in a free society can properly influence government toward righteousness, which is not the same as a denomination or group of churches controlling the government.
Matthew 22:15-22; Acts 15:17-29
However, for biblical baptist churches there is no reason to allow the world to change our name.
1) The world is not changing our name. Some churches decide to do it for their own evangelistic reasons.
2) The world actually gave us the moniker, "Baptists," so rejection of the world is not a very good argument for keeping the name.
We are what we are. Anyone who has an ounce of initative can research and find out what a church teaches before they go there especially in this modern age.
Yes, but the call of evangelism is to go to the lost, not expect them to have "an ounce of initiative" and come to us. In the spirit of the Great Commission calling, we are to make the first move (in human terms) by removing barriers to communication and understanding.
By the way, when you talk to an unbeliever about Christ, do you throw out words like soteriology and/or propitiation without at least explaining the terms? Because anyone with "an ounce of initiative" could research the meaning of those words on their own time...
