What Are The Differences Between Baptist Churches?

[Cloud Watcher]

I got out my phone book to try to find a new church. The one I have been with for awhile has gotten too gimicky, and too much into soft fluffy, cotton candy, feel good sermons. I thought I would look for a Calvary Chapel, but there aren't any close enough.

I've mostly gone to nondenominational churches over the years, but most that I've checked out around here are into the really LOUD music, which I can't handle.

I have never been to a Baptist church, and I noticed there is a variety of different types listed in the tellow pages: plain; American; Conservative; General Conference; Independent; North American; and Southern.

Is there a lot of difference between them? Would they be worth checking out? I would really like some solid meaty sermons, that are bible based.

[Proudmommy]

I go to an independent Baptist church. They tend to be very conservative. I like mine because while I am pretty conservative I don't hold to all that my pastor and his wife believe, but they also don't force others to accept their personal convictions.

[Cloud Watcher]

I go to an independent Baptist church. They tend to be very conservative. I like mine because while I am pretty conservative I don't hold to all that my pastor and his wife believe, but they also don't force others to accept their personal convictions.

For example?

[Enlightenment]

I have never been to a Baptist church, and I noticed there is a variety of different types listed in the tellow pages: plain; American; Conservative; General Conference; Independent; North American; and Southern.

Is there a lot of difference between them? Would they be worth checking out? I would really like some solid meaty sermons, that are bible based.

I grew up in an Independent Baptist church and I now attend a General Conference Baptist church, so I've seen a lot of these two types.

There won't be too much difference between them at first glance, however, it's likely that Calvinist doctrine would be a difference. It's hard to say which of those Baptist churches you listed would be Calvinistic, any of them could be. In my experience if a church really emphasizes the Sovereignity of God and the doctrines of Grace, they are probably Calvinistic. In fact there is a Baptist church in my area that uses the tag line, "Proudly declaring the Sovereignity of God and the Doctrines of Grace". Another clue is whether or not they have altar calls--a Calvinist church won't have them.

Otherwise here are some things I've noticed over the years after having attended dozens of Baptist churches.

Independent Baptist Churches tend to be the most strict. They typically have dress codes, don't play contemporary music (drums are forbidden), think attending movies is a sin, drinking alcohol is a sin, dancing is a sin, tend to be King James Version Bibles only, preach tithing, preach repentance, are very evangelistic (have altar calls after nearly every sermon), stress the second coming, are pre-trib.

General Conference Baptist have contemporary and traditional music, use modern translations, preach generous giving rather than tithing, can be evangelistic but typically are more into "discipleship" (rarely have altar calls), don't talk much about the second coming, drinking is discouraged but not called a sin, movies are on a case-by-case basis.

Southern Baptist are kind of in between Independent and General Conference. I would characterize them as being from a strict background like independents, but slowly moving toward a less strict position.

Not sure about American Baptist churches.

All of these Baptist churches will preach meaty sermons out of the Bible but generally speaking:

Independent Baptist have the most forceful preaching but the topics are narrower.

General Conference have more eclectic subject matter but aren't as dogmatic.

Southern Baptists are probably in between, I can't really say as I've only been to a couple of SBC's and for only a few times.

If I were you I would definitely attend each of them a couple of times. You will hear the gospel and will find mostly correct doctrine.

Hope this helps.

[Proudmommy]

They don't drink or mixed swim. They don't allow "rock and roll" type music in church and don't agree with it. I understand why they hold to those beliefs, but I don't hold to them, and it is ok with them.

[BHiles]

OK it is quite involved so here goes. There are 72 different Baptist denominations in the U.S. I will go over a few of them.

SBC Southern Baptist Churches - A wide variety of leanings from quite conservative to quite liberal though the overall thrust has been leaning more conservative lately

Northern Baptist Split from the SBC during the civil war over slavery. Many current Baptist Demominations split from this group. Tend to be more liberal than the other groups.

American Baptist tend to be the most liberal of the group. Many tend to not even teach the true gospel anymore.

National Baptist Convention consisting of Missionary Baptist and Progressives are typically African American emphasizing civil rights and social justice.
They have a wide range of teaching also. Some teach the Gospel others do not.

Independant Fundamental Baptist for the most part split from the 50's through the 70's from the SBC because of liberalism that was being taught in the schools in the form of placing doubt on validity of scripture and the teaching of Amillienialism. I have yet to find one independent that does not preach the Gospel. They typically follow ideologies that surround Bible Colleges. The more conservative colleges include Bob Jones, Hyles Anderson, Pensecola, West Coast Bible and Crown College. The less conservative but still conservtive by the rest of religios circles include Liberty, Baptist Bible College, PA, Tennesee Temple, Maranatha, Pillsbury etc.

BBF Baptist Bible Fellowship consists mainly of churches that are inluenced by the Baptist Bible College of Springfield, MO. Once quite conservative many have drifted.

GARBC General Association of Regular Baptist Once a very conservative group have now a wider bunch of differing churches. Some have gone seeker sensitive some have been assimilated back into the SBC. Cedarville Bible College of Cincinatti was one of their colleges and they joined up with the SBC now.

Many Baptist Churches have also dropped Baptist from their name and become a community church. Many of these churches adopted reformation doctrine and mixed it with baptist doctrine. Many of these also tended to be more seeker sensitive.

Southwide Fellowship is another group. They do not have a formal denomination but at times act like one.

Free Will Baptist. can be traced to the influence of Baptists of Arminian persuasion who settled in the colonies from England. Their Northern half merged with the Nothern Baptist taking half the Denomination with them.


When using the term liberal and conservative for Baptist churches probably the biggest dividing line is based on the inerrency of the Scriptures and the literal translation of such.

Churches are changing so fast that even reading a doctrinal stance will not tell you who they are because they don't change them to reflect their teaching. However rarely have I seen a church that has embraced change change for the better.

Many baptist have included reformation doctrine and mixed it in with traditionally held baptisic doctrine making them more of the evangelical slant than true baptist. Traditional Baptist doctrine and heritage trace a lineage apart from the Reformation having a line of doctrine faith to faith from the church at Antioch through the Anabaptist line.

[Cloud Watcher]

72? :jaw

[readytofly]

I'm Southern Baptist and we do have contemporary music. But the Rock 'n roll type is usually for youth events. But we have a full orchestra every Sunday, including drums. It's awesome! Our preacher gives a powerful message each and every week. Mixed swimming is fine, but at church camp or church events the girls must wear a one piece bathing suit.

[Praise him]

You have to be careful. I went to a independent Baptist church for two years. They seemed like a cult. The pastor tried to sell me that it was laid back and easy going. He actually owned the church. He knew I owned a business and he really stuck his nose into my personal life and caused some situations to get worst instead of better. I overheard some of his conversations. He was nothing but a businessman. He tried to get me to dress up and even take control of my life. I went on to find out that he had actually lost over half his church before I arrived there. This should have told me he had issues. That being said I'm looking for a church that IS NOT Baptist. They reminded me of the Pharisees.

[RiverRose]

http://www.firstbaptistwestcliffe.com/vision.html#Anchor_new4

You can become a Christian by taking these three steps:
First: Acknowledge that you (along with all people) have sinned and fallen short of God's standard. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Second: Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins on the cross and rose again. Romans 5:8 But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Third: Personally invite Jesus Christ into your life to be your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Suggested Prayer: I confess to God in my heart that I am a sinner, unworthy of God's concern. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins on the cross and was raised to cleanse me from sin in the eyes of the Father. I now receive and confess Him as my personal Lord and Savior. Amen

The Spiritual Discipline of Bible Study
Nothing is more important to our relationship to the Lord and growing in Christlikeness than devotion to Bible reading and study. When Paul wrote to his young pastor friend, Timothy, he encouraged him to read Scripture and teach believers (1 Tim 4:13). In Revelation we read these words: Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keept those thngs which are written in it; for the time is near (Rev 1:3). Bible study is a spiritual discipline that reflects obedience and a desire for spiritual growth. Take time each day to read and study the Bible. Make a commitment to be a part of regular Bible studies offered at First Baptist.

From a site

First Baptist Church: Covenant

http://www.fbcmanassas.org/covenantemp/covenant.htm

The difference is in their "own" intrepretation of scripture within their "own" doctrine. Just like other denominations

[JustasIam]

BHiles - you pretty much nailed it.

Although I didn't know that TennTemple was less conservative than, say, Bob Jones. Perhaps things have changed over the years. (FYI - both of my parents attended Tennessee Temple in the late 60's - early 70's, which from what I hear was Temple's hey-day - and it was pretty strict back then, but a little less strict than BJU). My folks have heard of Hyles Anderson before, I'm not that familiar with the school outside of its founder, Jack Hyles.

The only Baptist church in my area (West L.A.) that is even close to the independent Baptist church I grew up in is a GARBC church. From what I understand, they require baptism from the pastor in order to become a member, but I cannot be quoted on that. (which doesn't make sense to me if one was already baptised following their salvation / profession of faith). A nice church - VERY tiny congregation, though.

[BHiles]

BHiles - you pretty much nailed it.

Although I didn't know that TennTemple was less conservative than, say, Bob Jones. Perhaps things have changed over the years. (FYI - both of my parents attended Tennessee Temple in the late 60's - early 70's, which from what I hear was Temple's hey-day - and it was pretty strict back then, but a little less strict than BJU). My folks have heard of Hyles Anderson before, I'm not that familiar with the school outside of its founder, Jack Hyles.

The only Baptist church in my area (West L.A.) that is even close to the independent Baptist church I grew up in is a GARBC church. From what I understand, they require baptism from the pastor in order to become a member, but I cannot be quoted on that. (which doesn't make sense to me if one was already baptised following their salvation / profession of faith). A nice church - VERY tiny congregation, though.


TTU will probably be Southern Baptist within 5 years. Dr. Lee Roberson passed away and many leaders have an SBC slant. Their music standards would be quite left of the mainstream IFB having Micahel W. Smith and the Barlow girls in for concerts in the past year.

[Literalist-Luke]

You have to be careful. I went to a independent Baptist church for two years. They seemed like a cult. The pastor tried to sell me that it was laid back and easy going. He actually owned the church. He knew I owned a business and he really stuck his nose into my personal life and caused some situations to get worst instead of better. I overheard some of his conversations. He was nothing but a businessman. He tried to get me to dress up and even take control of my life. I went on to find out that he had actually lost over half his church before I arrived there. This should have told me he had issues. That being said I'm looking for a church that IS NOT Baptist. They reminded me of the Pharisees.Baptist churches are generally independent congregations that sometimes use cooperative missions and resources organizations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention's Foreign Missions Board as well as their Sunday School Board. Beyond this, each church is independently autonomous, sets their own agenda, and hires their own staff.

The result of this is that you get a variety of church "personalities" that are quite diverse. It's almost impossible to predict what any one congregation's personality will be like, especially in larger cities, without just visiting and "checking it out". If you don't get good vibes, I would check out a different church PDQ.

[Jany]

Luke - in agreement as with any (or almost any) congregation! <><

[jrbaker]

Even differences in geography and culture can make a big difference within a denomination. I grew up in the SBC in Missouri. I now live near Seattle and the differences among the churches amaze me.

[Shieldbearer]

I've been a member or attended: SBC, GARBC, independent, and Primitive Baptist churches.

From what I've seen, you basically have to look at each congregation individually. The church I currently attend is a GARBC.