Baptist Reflections
I attend a Baptist church, Southern Baptist even. This does not mean I embrace everything about Southern Baptist churches. I could make a lot of comments on things I don't like, but that's not the point here. The point is what I do like, what is endearing and even more, reflecting of the real gospel, in my thinking.
Baptists have built in servanthood in their churches, innate humility. That is hard for some from more hierarchical churches to see, and I've experienced plenty of arrogance especially from men directed at me just because I was a woman. But I noticed today when we were being served the Lord's Supper. We were being served it. The deacons brought it to us. In other churches, the people go forward to the priest. There is something symbolic there, of both the gospel and the idea of leadership. The leaders serve. The people do not approach the leaders as if the leaders were holy shrines.
Baptists baptize after conversion. It is an active choice, and I think, therefore, more meaningful.
Baptists do not have hierarchies. Deacons--that's it.
Baptists have a lot of church autonomy.
Baptists can reinvent themselves. They are starting to see their role in humanitarian efforts, for instance. In the last fifteen years Baptists have become one of the leading disaster relief agencies. They are the official feeding agency for the Salvation Army. This is little known, but I would challenge the skeptical to look into it. They served millions of meals after Katrina alone.
The younger Baptists are calling the denomination to a radical change in lifestyle. I prefer the concept of "gospel simplicity" to radical because of connotation of radicalism, but let's not argue semantics. While there are some legitimate criticisms about Platt et al's methods, the motives are right. Baptists, who have never been wealthy as a group but now seem to be more upper middle class, are being challenged to rethink their place as affluent Americans.
Baptists, at least in theory, look to the Bible. They are not creedal (not that there is anything wrong with that; I actually wish we would recite the Apostle's Creed). Therefore, they value good preaching.
Baptists have great music in their churches. I sing well. I have to. I go to a Baptist church.
Baptists come in many varieties.
They have built a number of good colleges, starting with Brown University.
Baptists have the most missionaries.
Now, after all that, let me be honest. Baptists can be close-minded, racist, legalist, and sexist. Baptists can get too comfortable in their megachurches. Baptists have bought into the modern worship style big time without a clear theology of worship. Likewise, I think they lack a clear theology of the church. Baptists sometimes seem too concerned about church growth than inward growth, and they are competitive with other churches, and they like to act like other denominations just don't get it right. Most Baptists do not know the history of their church or why they are Baptists.
But I'll stick around for a while.
Baptists have built in servanthood in their churches, innate humility. That is hard for some from more hierarchical churches to see, and I've experienced plenty of arrogance especially from men directed at me just because I was a woman. But I noticed today when we were being served the Lord's Supper. We were being served it. The deacons brought it to us. In other churches, the people go forward to the priest. There is something symbolic there, of both the gospel and the idea of leadership. The leaders serve. The people do not approach the leaders as if the leaders were holy shrines.
Baptists baptize after conversion. It is an active choice, and I think, therefore, more meaningful.
Baptists do not have hierarchies. Deacons--that's it.
Baptists have a lot of church autonomy.
Baptists can reinvent themselves. They are starting to see their role in humanitarian efforts, for instance. In the last fifteen years Baptists have become one of the leading disaster relief agencies. They are the official feeding agency for the Salvation Army. This is little known, but I would challenge the skeptical to look into it. They served millions of meals after Katrina alone.
The younger Baptists are calling the denomination to a radical change in lifestyle. I prefer the concept of "gospel simplicity" to radical because of connotation of radicalism, but let's not argue semantics. While there are some legitimate criticisms about Platt et al's methods, the motives are right. Baptists, who have never been wealthy as a group but now seem to be more upper middle class, are being challenged to rethink their place as affluent Americans.
Baptists, at least in theory, look to the Bible. They are not creedal (not that there is anything wrong with that; I actually wish we would recite the Apostle's Creed). Therefore, they value good preaching.
Baptists have great music in their churches. I sing well. I have to. I go to a Baptist church.
Baptists come in many varieties.
They have built a number of good colleges, starting with Brown University.
Baptists have the most missionaries.
Now, after all that, let me be honest. Baptists can be close-minded, racist, legalist, and sexist. Baptists can get too comfortable in their megachurches. Baptists have bought into the modern worship style big time without a clear theology of worship. Likewise, I think they lack a clear theology of the church. Baptists sometimes seem too concerned about church growth than inward growth, and they are competitive with other churches, and they like to act like other denominations just don't get it right. Most Baptists do not know the history of their church or why they are Baptists.
But I'll stick around for a while.
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