Featured Must I leave BB?

Nah, just move down to the other denoms threads and read only in the Baptist only sections. I'll most likely be down there with you before the end of the year. I'm in the process of deciding if I want to continue being part of a Baptist church as the sole member of my family or if I want to join my children at the local Episcopal church. Most likely, unless I find something aggregious with the local church, I'll be moving.

 

Sorry to hear of your concerns with the local congregations.

I don't have a vote but I would hope that if you still consider yourself Baptist and have to attend a non-Baptist fellowship because no acceptable Baptist church is in your area, that you would still be welcomed here and considered Baptist in context of the message board. I assume a Mod will correct me if I am wrong.

 

I think the other denominations would be for people that were never Baptist. You have gone to a church of like faith and order. That is what we base our acceptance of baptisms on. There are types of Baptists that are not of our faith and order, and there are non Baptist churches that are of our faith and order (SBC). That is up to the moderators but that is my take on it. Hope you do not leave anyhow. Enjoy your posts. It is obvious you are a mature Christian for making the move and an honest one for informing us about it.

 

Ditto!

In my non-voting humble opinion, it's what's in your heart that counts. Not what's on the sign in front of the church that you're currently attending. If you consider yourself to be a Baptist, you're a Baptist. Simple as that.

 

Old timer is the final authority. He was one of John the Baptist's disciples. Actually, Old Timer left out his middle name. It is Old Old Timer.

 

Yep, just turned a year closer to being with our Lord.

 

I got a story for you. In my small community just outside of town the people get their water from two private wells which are identical, each well supplies water for the people within a 100 acre area and the people that live there and own it and must manage the well and its upkeep amongst themselves.

Group A got together and had the attitude that everything must be very official. They were very eager to hold elections and long formal meetings and establish regulations with the goals to write long lists of rules and enforce them. The members have been able to come up with many rules by going around to any organization or supposed authority they can find that might have a say so or input about the management of a well such as, the City, County, State, building department, public water management, corporation committee, other large private well corporations etc. “Anyone” they can find that could be “helpful” to guide them in how to establish leadership roles, set up rules, enforce compliance, etc. They have had legal battles, lawyer fees, set strict restrictions on usage, harsh penalties for “over usage” and late payments, management costs, etc. and it has resulted that the owner-members of that well pay hundreds of dollars for yearly assessments and $4.00+ and growing per 1000 gallons etc. All their meetings are very disagreeable, argumentative and unpleasant to attend.

Group B got together to set up their non-profit corporation as required and quickly agreed that they just wanted to keep the well running and we all are owners of the well so we should be all be responsible for maintenance for it equally and should be able to benefit by being an owner of a non-profit well. Now to keep the running costs fair I said we should probably build a kitty to be prepared for repairs and maintenance, how about $10.00 per owned acre per year and if we have a major repair that we can’t get together and fix ourselves cheaply then we’ll just assess for that cost equally, other than that we have the expense of the electricity that calculates out to about 30 cents for every 1000 gallons pumped. How about we pay 50 cents per 1000 gallons and see if that keeps us afloat? As owners of our own well I think it would be nice to be able to use it as much as we like, within reason, I mean someone can’t start irrigating 5 acres, yuk-yuk, so if someone wants to use a lot of water and demand exceeds output we might have to schedule large amounts the water usage so they aren't all at once. The members said that sounds great why don’t "you" keep track and send us the bills, Mr. President/Treasurer – yuk-yuk! That was 18 years ago and we still charge $10 dollars per acre per yearly assessment and 50 cents per 1000 gallons of usage and the well continues to run just fine with a couple of repair assessments over the years. If someone falls behind on their bills I politely remind them they are due, maybe all of $50 for the last few months; I've made it clear that I would rather pay someones bill than shut off their water because they can't afford it. Our yearly required corporation meetings go jokingly like: Someone says, I nominate Ben to be President –and- Treasurer- I second the motion- all in favor, say “I”, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I, yuk-yuk. I return, I delegate my Presidential duties of reading the meters to Bernie, yuk-yuk. Hey! Those trees of yours are really growing and look great?...

Concerning the nature of asking to be sure that a problem could not exist, as it relates to this kind of situation I often point to the bureaucratic nature of people in society that hold the power to establish and create rules that others must abide by; these bureaucratic types often live to uphold their authority and to impose it unto to others based on others asking for their judgments and rulings on matters. Such is the nature of bureaucracy through people who often enjoy having a position of authority and to be seen as leader as well as those who willingly place themself in the position to be under their advisement. Personally, I'm not into that kind of thing, AT ALL. I tell people if one would like to continue on smoothly in their journey and without problems it is probably not a wise idea to engage in knocking on as many of these types of doors as possible and ask if there is a problem. Unless, you feel there could be a problem found here and want to dig into all the powers that be to make sure none can be found… Know what I mean?

 

From Baptist to the Episcopal church?
That is quite the leap.

 

Not nearly as far as I thought it would be. If it weren't for the national heirarchy and some of the ideas it has, I'd already be a member. I've never felt as welcome in a church as I do this one and I wonder where they were when my children were little. Amazingly receptive congregation, child friendly (NNE pays any attention if a little one strays up the middle aisle) and so far good theology from the pulpit. I've sat through their business meetings (no arguing, how about that?), been welcomed into their communion (no fussing over membership, open to all who believe and have been baptised) and allowed to ask questions freely. All this and they know I was born and bred Baptist. No one has taken any offense if I decide observing an event is perferable to taking part. (a good portion of their membership are former Baptists) The Baptist church I'm a member of now is a good church, but it's never been "home" to me the way this church is becoming.

But some of the stuff going on in the national organization? Gives me pause. Been 8 or 9 months now and I haven't fully decided. I've been Baptist a long time. Then again, the current crud over this non-Cal statement? Doesn't make me proud to be SBC either. (and I'm not a Calvinist!!) No perfect denominations.

 

Interesting stuff. Hope you figure it out. No doubt about the stuff going on in the SBC right now is an embarrassment, and should make all of us a tad queasy!

 

It makes me angry. The divisiveness that I see across the spectrum of Baptists is unholy, unproductive and disgrace. Honestly, it's a big reason I can even consider a leap like this.

 

IMHO, once a Baptist always a Baptist unless your views move away from what it means to be Baptist/Baptistic.

So, no.

 

Agreed :thumbs: What if the SBC church you attended decided to no longer be associated with the SBC and went independent? Same beliefs, same everything?

 

Two hours Salty, two hours too far.

 

Poor Mr. Spurgeon. He was a member of Metropolitan Tabernacle. Many Baptist churches got their start in a meeting hall.

I am still a baptist when I attend the Anglican Church in my village (80 miles to the Baptist Church).

I think the purpose of the rule at first was to prevent trouble makers coming in and causing a disturbance. We a few of those over the years.

Cheers, and bless,

Jim

 

Weelll, I agree to a certain extent Jim, but don't I remember a time when you went to pastor a local Anglican congregation and posted only in the open forums?

I'll do whatever the mods tell me to do when I cross the bridge. If I do.

 

S/N

Is it true a rumor is going around that when God created Saturn and Neptune He named them after you?

Now back to the OP!