Confused Baptist

[govteach51]

Found this site and have taken some interest in see what Baptist belief and doctrine is right now. I recently retired from teaching high school after 30+ years, and I am not your "normal" Baptist in the pew. I graduated from SWBTS with a M.Div. in the 1980s. Was never ordained. ( My choice) Served for a brief period as Music Minister bi-vocational, but most of my professional career was in public school. ( Actually felt it was my calling.)
The year before I graduated from Southwestern, both my wife and I saw the trouble within the denomination coming. Both sides are to blame, I don't care who or what you quote. My problem is this, I am having a hard time finding a church in which we are happy. For a period of time, we attended a Cumberland Presbyterian Church when we lived in North Texas after seminary, but we wound up in East Texas where the nearest Cumberland Church is 150+ miles away, so that leaves us with Baptist. The Presbyterian Church USA has grown too "Progressive" for us.
There seems to be just not enough "Meat" in the sermons and churches I attend now. No thought in sermons, no inspiration, we attend a small church in our area, and the sermons are just too well, repeat the same idea over and over:sleep:....and it isn't just in our small church, it's in the other area churches too. I don't know if it is because so many of the pastors now have alternative degrees or no seminary, or if this is the product that the seminaries are now turning out or just what....I need some sort of hope or suggestions here folks, I seriously to the point I dread going to church....:tear:

 

[Ruiz]

Found this site and have taken some interest in see what Baptist belief and doctrine is right now. I recently retired from teaching high school after 30+ years, and I am not your "normal" Baptist in the pew. I graduated from SWBTS with a M.Div. in the 1980s. Was never ordained. ( My choice) Served for a brief period as Music Minister bi-vocational, but most of my professional career was in public school. ( Actually felt it was my calling.)
The year before I graduated from Southwestern, both my wife and I saw the trouble within the denomination coming. Both sides are to blame, I don't care who or what you quote. My problem is this, I am having a hard time finding a church in which we are happy. For a period of time, we attended a Cumberland Presbyterian Church when we lived in North Texas after seminary, but we wound up in East Texas where the nearest Cumberland Church is 150+ miles away, so that leaves us with Baptist. The Presbyterian Church USA has grown too "Progressive" for us.
There seems to be just not enough "Meat" in the sermons and churches I attend now. No thought in sermons, no inspiration, we attend a small church in our area, and the sermons are just too well, repeat the same idea over and over:sleep:....and it isn't just in our small church, it's in the other area churches too. I don't know if it is because so many of the pastors now have alternative degrees or no seminary, or if this is the product that the seminaries are now turning out or just what....I need some sort of hope or suggestions here folks, I seriously to the point I dread going to church....:tear:

My family moved about a year ago and in looking for a church, the first priority was to find a church with in-depth teaching and not merely seeker focused, moralistic, or more focused on felt needs. We did find a couple of churches in our area that met those criteria and are blessed that our preacher preaches 45 min to an hour and truly does engage theologically from the pulpit.

Here are a couple of suggestions on what we did.

First, I went to websites where I knew people more serious about preaching would advertise. Now, not all the churches on these sites were where I wanted them to be, but I got to narrow it down using these sites. Examples of sites I used was the 9marks.org, shepherds conference site, etc....

Secondly, if there are no Baptist Church, you may want to look at other denominations that you know have some very indepth teachers. For me, I would go to the PCA and OPC. Not all their churches will give you the in-depth preachers that you may want, but they have a good percentage with the right focus.

 

[JesusFan]

My family moved about a year ago and in looking for a church, the first priority was to find a church with in-depth teaching and not merely seeker focused, moralistic, or more focused on felt needs. We did find a couple of churches in our area that met those criteria and are blessed that our preacher preaches 45 min to an hour and truly does engage theologically from the pulpit.

Here are a couple of suggestions on what we did.

First, I went to websites where I knew people more serious about preaching would advertise. Now, not all the churches on these sites were where I wanted them to be, but I got to narrow it down using these sites. Examples of sites I used was the 9marks.org, shepherds conference site, etc....

Secondly, if there are no Baptist Church, you may want to look at other denominations that you know have some very indepth teachers. For me, I would go to the PCA and OPC. Not all their churches will give you the in-depth preachers that you may want, but they have a good percentage with the right focus.

attended for awhile an Evangelical Free Church, seemed like a baptist like church based upon their statement of beliefs and practices!
Check one of those out in area...

 

[HAMel]

There seems to be just not enough "Meat" in the sermons and churches I attend now. No thought in sermons, no inspiration, we attend a small church in our area, and the sermons are just too well, repeat the same idea over and over

My wife and I have been attending Baptist Churches since 1972. Take a guess at how many times we've been preached to about our need for salvation?

...lets see here..., two to three times a week for 39 years equals to..., uh, well, you get my drift.

Just recently however the Lord led us to a church with a real teaching Pastor. Are we impressed? Praise the Lord..., indeed we are.

I do hope you find what you're seeking in the way of a church, gov.

 

[freeatlast]

Found this site and have taken some interest in see what Baptist belief and doctrine is right now. I recently retired from teaching high school after 30+ years, and I am not your "normal" Baptist in the pew. I graduated from SWBTS with a M.Div. in the 1980s. Was never ordained. ( My choice) Served for a brief period as Music Minister bi-vocational, but most of my professional career was in public school. ( Actually felt it was my calling.)
The year before I graduated from Southwestern, both my wife and I saw the trouble within the denomination coming. Both sides are to blame, I don't care who or what you quote. My problem is this, I am having a hard time finding a church in which we are happy. For a period of time, we attended a Cumberland Presbyterian Church when we lived in North Texas after seminary, but we wound up in East Texas where the nearest Cumberland Church is 150+ miles away, so that leaves us with Baptist. The Presbyterian Church USA has grown too "Progressive" for us.
There seems to be just not enough "Meat" in the sermons and churches I attend now. No thought in sermons, no inspiration, we attend a small church in our area, and the sermons are just too well, repeat the same idea over and over:sleep:....and it isn't just in our small church, it's in the other area churches too. I don't know if it is because so many of the pastors now have alternative degrees or no seminary, or if this is the product that the seminaries are now turning out or just what....I need some sort of hope or suggestions here folks, I seriously to the point I dread going to church....:tear:

I know the feeling and there is no good solution unless you want to move to where a good bible church is and then I can point you to a couple one in Denton Texas and one in Ca and a few other states.
Other then that you will just have to live with it and perhaps see if you can teach and speak the truth instead of what is being done today in most churches.

 

[calebreedgordon]

Found this site and have taken some interest in see what Baptist belief and doctrine is right now. I recently retired from teaching high school after 30+ years, and I am not your "normal" Baptist in the pew. I graduated from SWBTS with a M.Div. in the 1980s. Was never ordained. ( My choice) Served for a brief period as Music Minister bi-vocational, but most of my professional career was in public school. ( Actually felt it was my calling.)
The year before I graduated from Southwestern, both my wife and I saw the trouble within the denomination coming. Both sides are to blame, I don't care who or what you quote. My problem is this, I am having a hard time finding a church in which we are happy. For a period of time, we attended a Cumberland Presbyterian Church when we lived in North Texas after seminary, but we wound up in East Texas where the nearest Cumberland Church is 150+ miles away, so that leaves us with Baptist. The Presbyterian Church USA has grown too "Progressive" for us.
There seems to be just not enough "Meat" in the sermons and churches I attend now. No thought in sermons, no inspiration, we attend a small church in our area, and the sermons are just too well, repeat the same idea over and over:sleep:....and it isn't just in our small church, it's in the other area churches too. I don't know if it is because so many of the pastors now have alternative degrees or no seminary, or if this is the product that the seminaries are now turning out or just what....I need some sort of hope or suggestions here folks, I seriously to the point I dread going to church....:tear:

My church Trinity Baptist Church ( http://www.tbc-ok.com ) has TONS of "Meat" my pastor brings each week...and totally feeds us like crazy!

If you live in OKLA this is the place to be!!!