• Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Pet Peeves of the SBC

I have none, other than to be wary of the infiltration of Calvinism into the church. Regardless of what is claimed on this board and elsewhere, the SBC is not traditionally a Calvinist denomination. It adheres to many of the concepts of Calvinism, but is not a strictly five-point denomination, and never has been.

I'm going to use this thread to reply to convicted1 regarding his confusion about the SBC, given I don't want to further derail the "Going to the Convention" thread.
... 1st baptists ...
That's the name of a church, and it could be affiliated with any of the 80+ Baptist denominations in the U.S. alone. The Southern Baptist Convention is a body of affiliated churches -- some of which affiliate with more than one denomination -- of like mind, purpose, and belief. It is, as Salty said, itself a denomination.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
Remember denomination has two definitions:

1) a hierarchy
2) those with a common belief


which means that even IBF'ers are a denomination!

(note the small "d")
In the SBC one has a constitution, a set of beliefs to adhere to, a convention to go to elected officers I presume, and even a web page that represents all said churches that join it. It in and of itself is a denomination. In that you speak rightly.

The IFB churches are exactly what their name says they are: "independent." They have no unifying constitution or statement of faith. In most case each one is different than each others. In many cases some would never fellowship with another. This is especially true when it comes to separation from extreme KJVO positions, and extreme Calvinist positions. We are different but independent. We are not homogenous as the SBC as we have nothing to tie us together, and thus not a denomination.
There are independent "Bible" churches that have Baptistic doctrine and are more fundamental than some of the churches that claim the fundamental name. Where do you put them? In some cases they drop the Baptist name because in their areas the Baptists have become an embarrassment.
In no way can these churches fall into the category of a denomination. The word "independent" is the opposite meaning of "denomination." Putting the two together: independent denomination is an oxymoron.
 

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
In the SBC one has a constitution, a set of beliefs to adhere to, a convention to go to elected officers I presume, and even a web page that represents all said churches that join it. It in and of itself is a denomination. In that you speak rightly.

Every local SBC affiliated church is independent. Many churches do not accept the latest version of the SBC Baptist Faith and Message. Resolutions passed by the Convention are NOT binding on SBC affiliated churches.


The IFB churches are exactly what their name says they are: "independent." They have no unifying constitution or statement of faith. In most case each one is different than each others. In many cases some would never fellowship with another. This is especially true when it comes to separation from extreme KJVO positions, and extreme Calvinist positions. We are different but independent.
.
And the same can be said of SBC churches. As far as constitutions - many are based on churches of "like faith"

We are not homogenous as the SBC as we have nothing to tie us together, and thus not a denomination..
Don't most, if not all Baptist churches accept the B.A.P.T.I.S.T. statement? That would in essence make us a "denomination".

We are united in a Rope of Sand


In no way can these churches fall into the category of a denomination. The word "independent" is the opposite meaning of "denomination." Putting the two together: independent denomination is an oxymoron.

independent denomination = local congregational ruled assembly.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Revmitchell

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Remember denomination has two definitions:

1) a hierarchy
2) those with a common belief


which means that even IBF'ers are a denomination!

(note the small "d")

Baptist is a denomination. The SBC is a cooperative.
 
The IFB churches are exactly what their name says they are: "independent." They have no unifying constitution or statement of faith. In most case each one is different than each others. In many cases some would never fellowship with another.
And yet they choose to identify themselves as "Independent Fundamental Baptist" churches. Sometimes they add the word "traditional." But I just did a search of independent fundamental baptist churches in the Kansas City area, and this is what I got.

Independent fundamental Baptist churches, Kansas City

I want you to note all the websites dedicated to locating churches with such a description in both Missouri and Kansas. Does that really make sense, if they aren't a "denomination," or loosely affiliated, even if they can't stand one another? I think your claim fails.
 

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
And yet they choose to identify themselves as "Independent Fundamental Baptist" churches. Sometimes they add the word "traditional." But I just did a search of independent fundamental baptist churches in the Kansas City area, and this is what I got.

Independent fundamental Baptist churches, Kansas City

I want you to note all the websites dedicated to locating churches with such a description in both Missouri and Kansas. Does that really make sense, if they aren't a "denomination," or loosely affiliated, even if they can't stand one another? I think your claim fails.
You can also do a search for "Baptists". That puts all in one denomination. But that is not what we are talking about is it. In fact my church (IFB) is closer doctrinally to some conservative SBC churches than it is to some IFB churches. All IFB churches are not the same. Independent and denomination are not the same. They are independent for a reason.

Your link is phone book done by secular personnel. Of course it will do a listing according to the "names" of the churches and not the beliefs. This is a self-evident truth. We have had some so-called IFB believers banned from this board because of their extreme beliefs on some issues.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

DHK

<b>Moderator</b>
Every local SBC affiliated church is independent. Many churches do not accept the latest version of the SBC Baptist Faith and Message. Resolutions passed by the Convention are NOT binding on SBC affiliated churches.
Don't be blind. Even others say that the decisions made at the top affect the other SBC churches.
And the same can be said of SBC churches. As far as constitutions - many are based on churches of "like faith"
SBC churches are of like faith or they wouldn't be SBC churches. That is a given. IFB churches, by definition of the word "Independent" are not necessarily of "like faith." I have already given you some examples of that.
Don't most, if not all Baptist churches accept the B.A.P.T.I.S.T. statement? That would in essence make us a "denomination".
No. I don't accept everything in that statement.
We are far from united.
independent denomination = local congregational ruled assembly.
We are not a denomination. In our case we don't belong to an association of any kind, though some IFB churches do.
 
You can also do a search for "Baptists". That puts all in one denomination. But that is not what we are talking about is it.
No, actually, we're talking about SBC churches, which means your original comment derailed the thread.
In fact my church (IFB) is closer doctrinally to some conservative SBC churches than it is to some IFB churches.
Without checking for the verifiable data that would be implied by this statement, I would venture to say that SBC churches are far more diverse and eclectic in the range of beliefs, practices and ministry than are IFB churches.
All IFB churches are not the same.
Neither are SBC churches, in fact (as I just said) likely far more different than are self-described IFBs.
Independent and denomination are not the same.
"Autonomous" stands out as a hallmark of the SBC movement for a reason.
They are independent for a reason.
But not unique as a local church, because they are not as "diverse" as the SBC churches are.
Your link is phone book done by secular personnel. Of course it will do a listing according to the "names" of the churches and not the beliefs.
Why don't you try reading the "About" pages of their websites, or their "What We Believe" statements? That's what I did. There isn't a nickle's worth of difference in any of them.
This is a self-evident truth. We have had some so-called IFB believers banned from this board because of their extreme beliefs on some issues.
And probably more that should be.
 

Salty

20,000 Posts Club
Administrator
My pet peeves of the SBC? Lifeway.

Thank you!!!!
This thread is not meant to be about the fact that SBC affilated churches are independent.

Now, as far as Lifeway - what specifically do you dislike about Lifeway?
 

SolaSaint

Well-Known Member
The slow move away from the doctrines of Grace over the many years into a more Arminian SBC. Call it what you want but the SBC isn't what it was in the mid 1800s.
 
Top