Why are Baptists so divisive?

[RCT]

Since it is the start of a new year, I think it’s about time us Baptists should start to ask ourselves what we can do to not be so divisive among each other and I’m not only talking about what takes place on this board.

I have always identified myself as a Baptist and I appreciate the rich history of Baptists and the commitment to scripture. Lately, however, I’ve been somewhat embarrassed to call myself a Baptist.

For a while I have been attending a mid-week Bible study at a local nondenominational church and have been seriously considering making it my permanent home church. Recently I walked out of my Baptist church for the last time. In fact I expect that it will be the very last time I step foot in a Baptist church until I start to see some positive changes in our denomination.

With that came a sense of freedom. No longer do I have to be concerned about what English translation someone is using. No longer do I have to be concerned about what type of worship music someone listens to. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone is wearing a suit and tie or a jeans and tee shirt. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone wants to have a beer every once in a while. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone holds to all 5 points of TULIP or perhaps none at all.

Let’s be better in 2025.

 

[ParticularWife]

With that came a sense of freedom. No longer do I have to be concerned about what English translation someone is using. No longer do I have to be concerned about what type of worship music someone listens to. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone is wearing a suit and tie or a jeans and tee shirt. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone wants to have a beer every once in a while. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone holds to all 5 points of TULIP or perhaps none at all.

I think people should dress well for church, as a sign of seriousness and as a mark of general conduct. I am not particular on translations and never have been. We only use hymns, and I think that's correct. I am a wet Baptist, but most people at my church don't drink. People don't have to be Calvinists to be Christian, but they should be Calvinists because it's Biblical. Sound doctrine is important. I support strong church discipline and actually want the pastor investigating everyone's beliefs and conduct. John Gill once disciplined a parishioner for an incorrect Trinitarian doctrine of eternal relations of generation, and I think this should be normal conduct in a church.
On top of that, I don't even attend a Baptist church, I go to the OPC, but if I did attend a Baptist church it would probably be one you wouldn't like!
And this is why different denominations exist. Nothing you brought up is grounds for anathematizing a church, but I frankly just disagree with the premise and worldview of the low church Baptists. I think it's not a good way to organize the church and maintain holiness. There are some things that we just can't tolerate in our congregations which, as congregationalists, Baptists really don't have anything to say back to.

 

[Alan Dale Gross]

No longer do I have to be concerned if someone holds to all 5 points of TULIP

Why are Baptists so divisive?​

I Timothy 4:1; "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times
some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils;"

 

[Alan Dale Gross]

People don't have to be Calvinists to be Christian, but they should be Calvinists because it's Biblical. Sound doctrine is important.

Wow.

I support strong church discipline and actually want the pastor investigating everyone's beliefs and conduct.

Wow.

John Gill once disciplined a parishioner for an incorrect Trinitarian doctrine of eternal relations of generation, and I think this should be normal conduct in a church.

Wow.

I believe you are just about worth you weight in 'Baptist', with all that.

Stick with The Stuff!

Thanks. Praise the Lord!

 

[ParticularWife]

I believe you are just about worth you weight in 'Baptist', with all that.

Stick with The Stuff!

Thanks. Praise the Lord!

I was blessed by the Lord with a good, Christian education. I know from experience that most people are not being taught any of this in church or by their ministries. I try to be long suffering with my Presbyterian and Baptist friends who don't have the benefit of solid ecclesiology, but they need to get some soon. I left the PCA for a variety of reasons, but the lack of church discipline was #1.

 

[JonC]

The reason Baptists are so divisive is "Baptist" is not a denomination but a common belief shared among denominations. The issue is like asking why Presbyterians and Methodists are do divided, or why Orthodox and Roman Catholics are so divisive.

Looking to the New Testament churches we can easily see that there were divisions between congregations while not within the congregation, and churches were united in Christ despite differences (e.g., the church in Jerusalem and the church in Rome).

 

[ParticularWife]

The reason Baptists are so divisive is "Baptist" is not a denomination but a common belief shared among denominations. The issue is like asking why Presbyterians and Methodists are do divided, or why Orthodox and Roman Catholics are so divisive.

I think most Baptist formal denominations and NDs actually are reducible to a few denominations proper.

Looking to the New Testament churches we can easily see that there were divisions between congregations while not within the congregation, and churches were united in Christ despite differences (e.g., the church in Jerusalem and the church in Rome).

 

[John of Japan]

I was blessed by the Lord with a good, Christian education. I know from experience that most people are not being taught any of this in church or by their ministries. I try to be long suffering with my Presbyterian and Baptist friends who don't have the benefit of solid ecclesiology, but they need to get some soon. I left the PCA for a variety of reasons, but the lack of church discipline was #1.

Many Baptist churches practice church discipline, including the one I serve God in. Are you familiar with the Baptist distinctives? None of them address church discipline, because having or not having it is not what makes a Baptist.

 

[John of Japan]

Since it is the start of a new year, I think it’s about time us Baptists should start to ask ourselves what we can do to not be so divisive among each other and I’m not only talking about what takes place on this board.

I have always identified myself as a Baptist and I appreciate the rich history of Baptists and the commitment to scripture. Lately, however, I’ve been somewhat embarrassed to call myself a Baptist.

For a while I have been attending a mid-week Bible study at a local nondenominational church and have been seriously considering making it my permanent home church. Recently I walked out of my Baptist church for the last time. In fact I expect that it will be the very last time I step foot in a Baptist church until I start to see some positive changes in our denomination.

With that came a sense of freedom. No longer do I have to be concerned about what English translation someone is using. No longer do I have to be concerned about what type of worship music someone listens to. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone is wearing a suit and tie or a jeans and tee shirt. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone wants to have a beer every once in a while. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone holds to all 5 points of TULIP or perhaps none at all.

Let’s be better in 2025.

If you don't think you'll ever set foot in a Baptist church again, I'm puzzled. Why are you here in a Baptist forum? (Which by the way requires you to be a Baptist to post here.)

 

[ParticularWife]

Many Baptist churches practice church discipline, including the one I serve God in. Are you familiar with the Baptist distinctives? None of them address church discipline, because having or not having it is not what makes a Baptist.

I am a Baptist, though I attend a Presbyterian Church. The issue of discipline is not denominational, it's more people being afraid to actually do their job for fear of upsetting unrepentant sinners.

 

[John of Japan]

I am a Baptist, though I attend a Presbyterian Church. The issue of discipline is not denominational, it's more people being afraid to actually do their job for fear of upsetting unrepentant sinners.

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[JonC]

I think most Baptist formal denominations and NDs actually are reducible to a few denominations proper.

I don't think most are denominations (my view).

I belong to a SBC (Southern Baptist) church and having moved around I can tell you they are not a denomination (although they often misuse the word). An independent Baptist church is Southern Baptist if they decide to contribute to the SBC mission program. They will be excluded from the convention of churches if they hold some beliefs. But there is no oversight, no program, no governing body exterior to the local congregation. Church structure, doctrine, and government differs among SBC churches. I have attended IFB churches as well. Some have been exactly like SBC churches, others a bit legalistic, and a couple I worried about approaching cult status. Those are the only two I can definitively say are not a denomination as, other than a couple of churches that called themselves "non-denominational) these are the only ones I've attended on a regular basis.

A "denomination proper" has to meet the definition of a denomination. A "denomination" is "a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices."

So it could depend on how one defines "united" and "beliefs and practices". One could think that any church that recognizes a sister church is a denomination. But I think that too broad. It seems to me that there has to be something more formal than cooperation or shared beliefs to make a denomination.

That said, I don't think denominations are a bad thing either. They give me a start when looking for a church home. I at least know what congregations may have in common.

Maybe "flavor" would be better than "denomination" when it comes to Baptists.

 

[JonC]

With that came a sense of freedom. No longer do I have to be concerned about what English translation someone is using. No longer do I have to be concerned about what type of worship music someone listens to. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone is wearing a suit and tie or a jeans and tee shirt. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone wants to have a beer every once in a while. No longer do I have to be concerned if someone holds to all 5 points of TULIP or perhaps none at all.

This seems odd to me. I've been a Baptist over 40 years. We've (the churches I've attended) have never been concerned about the translation people use (it seems the most used are the NIV, NKJV, NASB, and ESV....probably the NIV being the most popular), never been concerned about the style of worship music, never cared about what people wear as long as they are not naked (I usually wear jeans, shirt, shoes, socks and underwear), never concerned about having a beer (although drunkenness is a sin), and never been concerned about somebody being a Calvinist (regardless of points) or free-will guy (regardless of articles).

It sounds to me like you have had a bad experience with the congregations you have attended. It is a mistake to lump all Baptist churches into one category.