Is it really that importatant for a Baptist church to have the name "Baptist" in their name?

[HeDied4U]

Before my wife passed away, for a while we were attending a church called Salem Baptist Church, and it was part of the Southern Baptist Convention. Not too long after we started attending there, we voted for a name change to Southbridge Church. The thinking behind the name change was that we would be a church building bridges to the communities in Chicago's southern suburbs. When the new church signage was put up, they included the tagline "an SBC church."

A couple of years later, after my wife had passed, I was over that way by our old church, so I drove past it and noticed that the "SBC church" line in the signs were gone. When I got back home, I looked up their website and noticed that they were now considering themselves a non-denominational church even though their 'what we believe' page read exactly the same when it was a Baptist church.

 

[Wesley Briggman]

I appreciate the church name revealing its' theological identity. I would not, on a regular basis, attend a church that did not identify as Baptist.

 

[Jerome]

Chucking the Baptist name often means substantive shifts are coming or are already afoot.

 

[carpro]

Not too long ago my church decided to change the name of the church for several reasons (I will mention those reasons). We went from Grace Missionary Baptist Church to New City Church. Because we took the name 'Baptist" out of our name, many of our brethren from other sister churches have given us a hard time because of it. A pastor even accused us of not being Baptist because we took the name "Baptist" out of our name.



We are still Baptist. Our doctrine has not changed and it will not change!


What is your opinion on this? Is it right that others are giving us a hard time over this?

I believe some will think you may be deliberately misleading prospective attenders to increase walk in attendance. Or worse.

 

[Felipe Rios]

I believe some will think you may be deliberately misleading prospective attenders to increase walk in attendance. Or worse.

At the end of the day, we are not here to please men. We are here to please God. So if changing a name helps people come through the churches, why not do it. We have to be wise, and we have to be strategic while staying biblical. And you are correct, some may think that we are trying to deceive.
But how are we trying to deceive? We are simply a Christian church. If we were calling ourselves Pentecostal and we weren't then that would be deception. Or if we were calling ourselves Presbyterian and we weren't then that would be deception. We are simply a Christian church who happen to be Baptist in doctrine and in practice. Nothing deceiving about that. What I have found out over the years is that sometimes we get stuck in our ways and its hard for us to change, especially many older traditional Baptists.

 

[Felipe Rios]

I appreciate the church name revealing its' theological identity. I would not, on a regular basis, attend a church that did not identify as Baptist.

Even if you knew they were doctrinally sound?

 

[Jerome]

Good advice from Annsni:

If you are Baptist, then say so - do not be ashamed.

 

[Felipe Rios]

Before my wife passed away, for a while we were attending a church called Salem Baptist Church, and it was part of the Southern Baptist Convention. Not too long after we started attending there, we voted for a name change to Southbridge Church. The thinking behind the name change was that we would be a church building bridges to the communities in Chicago's southern suburbs. When the new church signage was put up, they included the tagline "an SBC church."

A couple of years later, after my wife had passed, I was over that way by our old church, so I drove past it and noticed that the "SBC church" line in the signs were gone. When I got back home, I looked up their website and noticed that they were now considering themselves a non-denominational church even though their 'what we believe' page read exactly the same when it was a Baptist church.

In what way did they become non-denominational?

 

[Felipe Rios]

Chucking the Baptist name often means substantive shifts are coming or are already afoot.

Have all true churches of God always been called "Baptist?"

 

[Felipe Rios]

Good advice from Annsni:

Does that qualify us to be ashamed of being Baptist? If you think so, then that's your opinion. But we are not ashamed of being Baptist.

 

[Wesley Briggman]

Even if you knew they were doctrinally sound?

Since I don't intend to attend a church on a regular basis that does not have Baptist in its name, I will not know its doctrine. While sound doctrine would be fundamental criteria for regular attendance, other factors are to be considered for an acceptable worship environment.

I doubt any regular attender of any denomination, sect or cult would continue if they did not consider the doctrine to be "sound". I left a Baptist church because the Pastor change his position on the meaning of "one wife".

 

[JohnDeereFan]

At the end of the day, we are not here to please men. We are here to please God. So if changing a name helps people come through the churches, why not do it. We have to be wise, and we have to be strategic while staying biblical. And you are correct, some may think that we are trying to deceive.
But how are we trying to deceive? We are simply a Christian church. If we were calling ourselves Pentecostal and we weren't then that would be deception. Or if we were calling ourselves Presbyterian and we weren't then that would be deception. We are simply a Christian church who happen to be Baptist in doctrine and in practice. Nothing deceiving about that. What I have found out over the years is that sometimes we get stuck in our ways and its hard for us to change, especially many older traditional Baptists.

Or maybe some of us just don't see anything wrong with being Baptists.

We are what we are. If somebody is so turned off by the fact that we're Baptists, then there are dozens of other churches in the area for them.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

I believe some will think you may be deliberately misleading prospective attenders to increase walk in attendance. Or worse.

I just don't understand what's supposed to be so bad about telling people upfront who you are.

We're Reformed Baptists and so we call ourselves ______ Reformed Baptist Church.

Seems pretty simple to me.

 

[tyndale1946]

Does that qualify us to be ashamed of being Baptist? If you think so, then that's your opinion. But we are not ashamed of being Baptist.

I don't know about other Baptist Churches but in mine the word Baptist is our identity... There are Missionary, Free-Will, Southern just to name a few... If any of these churches that claim to be Baptist took the designation out of their name what kind of Baptist would they be and how do I know if I want to attend?... I can tell you right now that their is a member on here that goes to the same type of Baptist Church that I attend but we are located on separate sides of the map, I'm in California and he is in Kentucky... You say you are scriptural in doctrine and practice?... John the Baptist, baptized Jesus in the river Jordan... We the Baptist are know for the practice of total immersion and that is our identity... Drop the word Baptist and you might as well say you sprinkle... You need to check your history, innocent blood has been shed against those who were Anabaptist... They did not sprinkle!... And you claim you are not ashamed of being a Baptist?... Makes one wonder?... Brother Glen

 

[carpro]

But if you were a lost person, I guarantee you are likely to go to a New City Church as opposed to a New City Baptist Church. Put yourself in the shoes of the lost.

What happens when the "lost" person finds out they have been decieved?

 

[JohnDeereFan]

But if you were a lost person, I guarantee you are likely to go to a New City Church as opposed to a New City Baptist Church. Put yourself in the shoes of the lost.

If you're letting lost people dictate what you do as a church, then I don't think the problem is what name you call your church, but a flawed understanding of ecclesiology, as church is for the Body of Christ, not for the unregenerate.

Incidentally, I went to Bethel Baptist Church for years as a lost person and have absolutely no problem with it being a Baptist church. In fact, that's why I chose it.

Baptist churches are full of lost people.

 

[Felipe Rios]

I just don't understand what's supposed to be so bad about telling people upfront who you are.

We're Reformed Baptists and so we call ourselves ______ Reformed Baptist Church.

Seems pretty simple to me.

If that works for your church, then Amen to that.

 

[Felipe Rios]

If you're letting lost people dictate what you do as a church, then I don't think the problem is what name you call your church, but a flawed understanding of ecclesiology, as church is for the Body of Christ, not for the unregenerate.

Incidentally, I went to Bethel Baptist Church for years as a lost person and have absolutely no problem with it being a Baptist church. In fact, that's why I chose it.

Baptist churches are full of lost people.

You should try going around your neighborhood asking people if they know what a "Baptist" is. I had someone tell me once that they didn't want to come to our church because they didn't know if we were a "Christian" church. Now, I know that is not always the case but like I stated, we are not looking for Baptists to join our church, we are looking for the lost to be saved then to join our church.
We are not letting the unbeliever dictate what is best for us, we are making (traditional) changes to reach the lost. There is a difference.

 

[Felipe Rios]

What happens when the "lost" person finds out they have been decieved?

deceived how?

 

[Ziggy]

I for one appreciate the fact that some of those churches that are supposedly "Baptistic" (baptizing by immersion, etc.) are not really "Baptist" due to some severe doctrinal differences. If the designation name ever were to be dropped from a Pentecostal-type church, from the Church of Christ, or (even worse) a Mormon or Jehovah's Witness congregation -- all of which baptize "believers" by immersion -- I would lose any ability to make a doctrinal distinction without first having to attend such churches and ask various questions. As it is, I am far more comfortable when I see designations such as "Methodist", "Presbyterian" "Episcopal", as well as "Baptist", since these already give a clue toward belief and practice. The same applies to the various cultic groups, and I am glad they self-identify as such.

So why do Baptists (apparently alone among the major denominations) seem to think giving up the name distinction and thereby allowing all sorts of confusion with various non-named interdenominational or non-denominational churches is such a wonderful option? I just don't see it.