What is the Baptist church.

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slipstream

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What is the Baptist church. What do they believe or stand for.I am from the UK and We have a few Baptist churches in the area but I don't know what they believe in or what there practices are or if they have priest's etc.Roger
 

Wakka

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Baptist churches do not have a central governing authority. Therefore, beliefs are not totally consistent from one Baptist church to another, especially beliefs that may be considered minor. However, on major theological issues, Baptist distinctive beliefs are held in common among almost all Baptist churches.Baptists share so-called "orthodox" Christian beliefs with most other moderate or conservative Christian denominations. These would include beliefs about one God; the virgin birth; miracles; atonement through the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus; the Trinity (the divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, together with God the Father); the need for salvation (through belief in Jesus Christ as the son of God, his death and resurrection, and confession of Christ as Lord); grace; the Kingdom of God; last things (Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth, the dead will be raised, and Christ will judge everyone in righteousness); and evangelism and missions. Some historically significant Baptist doctrinal documents include the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, 1742 Philadelphia Baptist Confession, the 1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith, the Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message, and written church "covenants" which some individual Baptist churches adopt as a statement of their faith and beliefs.Baptists generally believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ at which time God will sit in judgment and divide humanity between the saved and the lost (the Great White Throne judgment Revelation 20:11) and Christ will sit in judgment of the believers (the Judgment Seat of Christ 2 Corinthians), rewarding them for things done while alive. Beliefs among Baptists regarding the "end times" include amillennialism, dispensationalism, and historic premillennialism, with views such as postmillennialism and preterism receiving some support.See also: List of Baptist Confessions or Doctrinal StatementsThe following acrostic backronym, spelling BAPTISTS, represents a useful summary of Baptists' distinguishing beliefs:[8] * Biblical authority (Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Timothy 3:16-17) * Autonomy of the local church (Matt. 18:15–17; 1 Cor. 6:1-3) * Priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5-9; 1 Timothy 5) * Two ordinances (believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper) (Acts 2:41–47; 1 Cor. 11:23-32) * Individual soul liberty (Romans 14:5–12) * Separation of Church and State (Matthew 22:15–22) * Two offices of the church (pastor and deacon) (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1–2) * Saved church membership (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:23–32; Colossians 1:18)Most Baptist traditions believe in the "Four Freedoms" articulated by Baptist historian Walter B. Shurden:[9] * Soul freedom: the soul is competent before God, and capable of making decisions in matters of faith without coercion or compulsion by any larger religious or civil body * Church freedom: freedom of the local church from outside interference, whether government or civilian (subject only to the law where it does not interfere with the religious teachings and practices of the church) * Bible freedom: the individual is free to interpret the Bible for himself or herself, using the best tools of scholarship and biblical study available to the individual * Religious freedom: the individual is free to choose whether to practice their religion, another religion, or no religion; Separation of church and state is often called the "civil corollary" of religious freedomThe polity of autonomy is closely related to the polity of congregational governance. Just as each Baptist priest with soul competency is equal to all other Baptists in a church, so each church is equal to every other church. No church or ecclesiastical organization has authority over a Baptist church. Churches can properly relate to each other under this polity only through voluntary cooperation, never by any sort of coercion. Furthermore, this Baptist polity calls for freedom from governmental control.Most Baptists don't believe in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, I think.
 

slipstream

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Thanks for your detailed answer, it been very helpful.One question i am not sure on is , are the services run by a properly train priest or a preacher type person.
 

Jerusalem Junkie

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They are referred to as Preachers or Pastors never Priests.... The Baptist are essentially the controlling body in the Bible Belt which is most of the Southern United States.
 

Wakka

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I've got nothing wrong with Baptists. Even if some of them don't accept the gifts of the Holy Spirit. God can use any one of them.
 

Jerusalem Junkie

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Would not know, non-denominational myself although I am from the South and have attended Baptists services before. Guess its all in what your use too I reckon. I found out some time ago that I don't agree with some and agree with others so I just straddle the fence that way I can take issue with either side. Baptists are good folks though.....
 

Wakka

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Yeah. It's best to stay non-denominational. That way all churches will accept you in their service
tongue.gif
. In reality, Christ is non-denominational.
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forgivenWretch

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Yeah. It's best to stay non-denominational. That way all churches will accept you in their service
tongue.gif
. In reality, Christ is non-denominational.
wink.gif

So are you saying that if one is a known Baptist, they would not be welcome in some other churches?
 

Wakka

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(forgivenWretch;37289)
So are you saying that if one is a known Baptist, they would not be welcome in some other churches?
I know that some Baptist churches would not want a tongue praying Pentecostal in their service.
 

forgivenWretch

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What is the Baptist church. What do they believe or stand for.I am from the UK and We have a few Baptist churches in the area but I don't know what they believe in or what there practices are or if they have priest's etc.Roger
slipstream, please take a look at the site below, for what the Baptist church really is....http://www.sbc.net/bfm/
 

Jerusalem Junkie

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(forgivenWretch;37289)
So are you saying that if one is a known Baptist, they would not be welcome in some other churches?
Well as denominational as religion has become these days most welcome other faiths into the fold. I don't think thats what he means.
 

forgivenWretch

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God could care less about religion, all He desires is a one on one relationship with each of us. I am not really up on non-denominational, but from what little I have heard, is there not a wide variety of denominational beliefs associated in them? Like I said I am not that familiar.And as too that statement, I sure hope that is not what is meant, but it does imply that. IMHO.
 

Jon-Marc

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(slipstream;37140)
What is the Baptist church. What do they believe or stand for.I am from the UK and We have a few Baptist churches in the area but I don't know what they believe in or what there practices are or if they have priest's etc.Roger
The last I knew there were over 40 different kinds of Baptist churches--including 7th Day Baptist. They all believe differently. Satan must be very pleased that those claiming to be Christians can't agree.
 

Jerusalem Junkie

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well its not like its any different anywhere else in christianityOh God ,somedaymay we be one again.
I am afraid there has been such a split in faiths that being one agian is not likely to happen soon....but give them time someone will blame the split on the Catholic Church..........
 

forgivenWretch

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No one group, nor individual is responsible...it is man's stupidity, and not being able to see what is right in front of our faces. "If it's too good to be true...it probably isn't"? Well, when it comes to God that is the biggest bunch of malarkey. Having God is that simple, but man's brain deems it necessity not to accept anything at it's face value.Admit...Confess...Commit
 

Jerusalem Junkie

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(forgivenWretch;37318)
No one group, nor individual is responsible...it is man's stupidity, and not being able to see what is right in front of our faces. "If it's too good to be true...it probably isn't"? Well, when it comes to God that is the biggest bunch of malarkey. Having God is that simple, but man's brain deems it necessity not to accept anything at it's face value.Admit...Confess...Commit
Well said cannot argue with that....man does the same thing with scripture reads whats not there.........
 

Jon-Marc

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Man takes the word of God, reads into it what isn't there, takes out of it what isn't there, and ignores or denies what IS there.
 

DrBubbaLove

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Man takes the word of God, reads into it what isn't there, takes out of it what isn't there, and ignores or denies what IS there.
no offense, but in one sense doesn't that sentence mean then that the Book is of no value to man.
 

Christina

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God and his Word are non-denominational this thread is a good example why the fact Baptist and Penticostals do not agree on gifts is just one example of why the divisions in Christianity are so largeAll religious denominations being of men we have a good example of oppisite views yet only one can be right. The Bible doesnt say two things. It says one thing but men on the oppisite side of what scripture says will deny Gods Word for their belief in mens doctrine.They would rather be right in mens doctrine than Gods Word.