Attending a Baptist Church

[wsbsteven]

I got invited by a co-worker to attend a service at their Baptist Church. My home church is more Church of God/Assembly of God so what can I expect at a Baptist Church service?

[Ladybug]

:lol I'm Baptist and just started attending a Church of God (Anderson) church.

Depends on the type of Baptist it is, but you'll probably find no speaking in tongues or other charismatic things going on. You might happen to attend on a day when the Rapture/Tribulation will be preached. Other than that, with so many churches changing over to a more contemporary/seeker-friendly atmosphere :noidea. The music may be strictly hymns with a choir, or it may be contemporary with praise & worship band.

[Witness4Jesus]

I like the Baptist Church. I feel that most aren't affraid to preach the truth and don't water it down to much.

Witness

[antsinmypants]

Depends on the actual church/branch

(There's a wide spectrum ;): )

[carmen]

I was raised in Baptist churches and still attend one. Began in an independent and am now in a Southern Baptist. I agree that it will depend on the type of church you go to. Some are far more conservative than others, and some have a more charismatic atmosphere than others. Because the Baptist denom is pretty much governed by the local congregation (even those belonging to organizations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention), you can get a wide variety. However, I have never been to a Baptist service where the Word of God was treated as anything LESS than that, although I felt some needed to change there emphasis a bit :):

[jds22]

I've always gone to Baptist churches. To echo what the others have said, you will find differences from chruch to church, but I have never left a Baptist service wondering who Jesus is and what I need to do to get to heaven. :thumb

Jerry

[Benja32one]

I've always gone to Baptist churches. To echo what the others have said, you will find differences from chruch to church, but I have never left a Baptist service wondering who Jesus is and what I need to do to get to heaven. :thumb

Jerry
:wave

DITTO.
:nod

[70thWeek]

I got invited by a co-worker to attend a service at their Baptist Church. My home church is more Church of God/Assembly of God so what can I expect at a Baptist Church service?

Because of Baptist beliefs (autonomy, no Baptist may speak for another Baptist in terms of doctrine) Baptist churches tend to vary from church to church.

[kgreen20]

I've always gone to Baptist churches. To echo what the others have said, you will find differences from chruch to church, but I have never left a Baptist service wondering who Jesus is and what I need to do to get to heaven. :thumb

Jerry



And neither have I! And I'm a Southern Baptist, myself.



Kathy G.

[Pendragon]

The only thing that concerns me is the swinging from the chandliers and the Use of Brimstone rocks being tossed at sleeping parishoners. The people seem nice except when they start draggin you through the church saying confess to each of us or we will sacrifice you on the alter.









It is as normal as any bible believing church. No wierd things ordinarily and there are few baptist churches i have found that judge you so much as encourage you based on the word and what christ did to judge yourself. They do challenge you to do so. They teach exactly what the bible says as His truth. I know we have heard of some Baptist churchs out of the ordinary such as if your not a republican then your not allowed in the church. That is one few and way far between

[BigDave]

Saying, "I'm going to a Baptist Church" is kinda like saying, "I'm going to a Church". It doesn't tell you what they believe.

Southern Baptists tend to be conservative and Bible-believing, but I've known people who have a membership in a Southern Baptist Church, regard it as nothing more than a country club, and have no profession of Christianity.

Baptist Churches are pretty much independant. They can hire and fire their minister. Your church can be affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the American Baptist Association without anyone finding it odd or unusual. The denomination has little control - doctrinal or otherwise - over an individual church. If my church decided tomorrow that it didn't want to be Southern Baptist any more, we can say "see ya" any time. (Methodist churches, on the other hand, as an example, are owned and operated by the UMC. If a Methodist church decides that it doesn't want to be Methodist, the denomination will say, "that's nice, but we own the building and the pastor works for us".)

Every Baptist church is different in its order of worship. You won't find anything strange or unusual, though. Go and enjoy the service.

[Singlesis]

As everybody said above, each church differs slightly. The only major doctrinal difference that I have found between Baptist & AOG is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (w/ speaking in tongues). The difference in worship style will be different. Going from AOG to Baptist, you might find the music a little "boring" compared to what you are used to... and there won't be any tongues spoken. Otherwise, not much difference.

(I grew up Baptist, but just went to AOG about 3 years ago).

[Ladybug]

Every Baptist church is different in its order of worship. You won't find anything strange or unusual, though. Go and enjoy the service.

Unless you go to the backwoods of Tennessee. Then you may find a little snake-handling going on. :heh

[Pendragon]

A well fed snake is so much easier to handle then a hungry one