Can someone tell me - WITHOUT turning it into a debate - the difference between..

[bumcat]

And whoever mentioned the Assembly of God and Pentecostal churches as being loud are right. You'll stay awake that's for sure. But, to be honest, all the yelling and running up and down the aisles and speaking in tongues scares the crap out of me.
_________________________________________________


Scares me too, LOL, that's why I ran from it as fast as I could once I moved out of the house.

 

[peachgirl]

I remember by grandmother stating she became Methodist b/c her father (my great grandfather) would not allow her family to dance, sing, wear makeup, drink, smoke, play cards, dice etc...

I don't know how long ago that was, but I think in recent years they have lightened up a lot. I don't know of any church that approves of smoking though.

Years ago, most Baptist churches thought dancing of any kind or playing what they called games of chance was going to send you straight to hell!

Not so much anymore although if you head to the southern part of this state you'll find a lot who still believe that way.

LOL I have been in many Baptist churches in my life and have yet to find a rowdy one.

OMG, that is so true! We like to say that worship service is a time for quiet reflection. My favorite part of church is when we have "fellowship" afterwards....translation?? We EAT!!!

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

Originally posted by C.Ann
Can someone tell me - WITHOUT turning it into a debate - the difference between.. a Southern Baptist Church and a Baptist Church?

One word.

 

[mep319]

Originally posted by Pooh Girl 71
LOL I have been in many Baptist churches in my life and have yet to find a rowdy one. Your Amen comment hits the nail on the head!

We've been part of Southern Baptist and Independent Baptist churches. I've never run into the strict rules.

And whoever mentioned the Assembly of God and Pentecostal churches as being loud are right. You'll stay awake that's for sure. But, to be honest, all the yelling and running up and down the aisles and speaking in tongues scares the crap out of me.

Me Too! As I said grew up Catholic in FL...went to church w/ a neighbor once...I thought they were Baptist...started with the tongues, running up and down the isles, approaching the alter to be saved...I've never been back to a Baptist Church! I'm too scared. Now that I hear different I won't be so advoidant!

I don't know of any church that approves of smoking though.

Guess you haven't been too many Lutheran, Catholic or Episcopal Chruches...certainly isn't again any religious proclaimation. I remember many a priest smoking. Anything in moderation is okay...well not anything but you know what I mean!

 

[tar heel]

Keep in mind that the guidelines about dancing, card playing, drinking, etc., are not rules -- they are things you hear talked about from the pulpit. Unlike some churches, there are not a lot of rules about members' behavior in Baptist church. During my formative years, my church had a preacher who often brought into his sermons what he called "hell holes." These were places or things that took you away from God or caused you to do things God wouldn't like. Car racing was a favorite b/c not only did people go there and drink, wear shorts, etc., but they also missed church to do so! Some of the members were probably looking at their watches to make sure they didn't miss the start of the race during the sermon, too.

The King James Bible was the only one used in my church, too. I was very surprised to study religion later and find out that it probably is one of the worst translations of the original text despite the beautiful language.

Here's a funny story told to me by a newspaper reporter who covered the event: A fundamentalist church (don't remember what kind) had a book/cd, etc. burning in which they got rid of things. Among the books they burned were modern translations of the Bible. The preacher leading it said they were only going to "use the KGV b/c it was the Bible that Jesus used."

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I agree with tar heel. Her church describes my grandparents church in a small town called Fair Bluff. My mother was baptized in the Lumbee River.

My grandmother always wore a dress.

She never cut her hair.

My grandfather sometimes spoke in tongue during the service. (That scared the bajeebees out of me and my siblings when we were little.)

One thing not mentioned here is sometimes Primitive Baptists do "feet washing."


I do love to listen to the old timey Baptist Music. I go to a large Baptist Church and we have 3 morning services. 2 are traditional and 1 is contemporary. We do have people that go to the alter to pray at the end of the service.

Lori

 

[Beth]

Ha - you guys talk abou the "do's" and "don'ts" from years ago...

I remember my Mother telling me how they didn't allow "mixed bathing" when she was younger...

I'm thinking... "Well, I certainly 'hope' not!!"






... She meant boys and girls could not swim together.

....duh....

 

[pjlla]

Originally posted by BedKnobbery2
Hi C. Ann! I can't give you the exact doctrine of each, but I can say that Southern Baptists churches tend to be more.....born again-y in nature and American Baptists (which I believe is the "other" baptist religion) tend to be more....traditional (?) in nature. Kinda like Lutherans or Methodists. I know when we moved to NH, we briefly attended a Southern Baptist church, but my parents chose instead to join the Congregationalists because they seemed more in line with the church style in which they'd become accustomed.

Off topic, but where in NH are you?? I'm in Weare......P

 

[sha_lyn]

Not to draw any flames, but I think you are more likely to get a livelier "fire and brimstone" sermon at a Southern Baptist Church.

Actually that would be more likely to apply to independent fundamental or Primitive Baptist churches in the South, and not to churches that belong to the Southern Baptist convention.

Around where I live it seems that the Baptists from 2 or 3 different churches frown upon women wearing pants. Which type of Baptist would that be? They are white women, if that makes any difference. Is it likely that they are Southern Baptist, but not all SB churches are that way?

they would most likely be from of the branches of Baptist that I mentioned above. In fact the SB churches around here would be the only Baptist churches you could get away with wearing pants to.
The Independent Fundamental ones (that I know of) really frown upon pants, short hair for women, public schools etc.

There are fundamental Independent Baptist churches that set their own guidelines. At some fundamental Baptist churches, the women wear only dresses and have long hair. They use only the 1611 King James Version of the Bible and have other rules such as no dancing, popular music, etc.

you described very well the churches I am talking about.
I remember one preacher bragging about making his wife destroy all her Beatles albums. He would even let her sell or give them away these "messages of the devil" had to be burned.

 

[tinkerbeth]

I just had to put in my .02 here... I've been to the occasional Baptist church service but not Southern, as I live in Canada.

However, just from reading the posts, it sounds like the SB or the AB churches are a lot like the Christian Reformed CHurches I've mostly gone to all my life...some are louder, some preachers and more into the fire and brimstone, at one time a lot more things weren't allowed. My dad tells about how on Sundays they went to church, ate lunch and had to sit until the evening service. You couldn't play cards (horror! ) or go to the movies in the CRC until the 70s, and women were just allowed to be ordained a few years ago. That said, there are still churches in the CRC where they don't elect women and lots of people I know still don't play cards or do much of anything on Sunday, certainly not go out to eat or shop.

I've also been to Anglican churches varying from incence in the halls to people speaking in tounges (different churches!) and inviting people up to pray.

I think it mostly depends on the congregation...the denominations get so big that I don't see how we can all have exactly the same opinion on everything but as to the basic tenants someone posted on being a Baptist, our church would absolutely go along with all of them too.

Thanks for all the info! Nice to read a thread that stayed friendly.

Beth

 

[OceanAnnie]

It is nice to read a thread that has stayed friendly. Interesting topic and nice to read of people's experiences and opinions.

Sha_lyn, I didn't know about independent fundamental or primitive baptists! That's interesting! I was speaking to experiences I had going to Baptist churches in the South. You know, locale.

In retrospect, I guess it could be more of a preaching "style" I encountered. Now over the years I've visited "other denominational" churches with friends and family (Methodist, Lutheran and Episcopal) and they were not nearly as lively. I don't know why that would be, but there was an appreciable difference to me. That's just my experience.

BTW, I did enjoy the sermons.

 

[LScot]

Just aFYI, Southern Baptist Churches are all over. A few in Canada too! The name doesn't limit them to be Baptist Churches in the South!

 

[sha_lyn]

I din't realize the difference until I attended a church that was not a part of the SBC, although I knew some churches in our area were called Primitive or Footwashing, I thoguht they were still a part of Southern Baptist.

My grandparents church spoke in tongues, did footwashing and Baptised in a local pond. It had out houses, a wood buring stove and no airconditioning up until I was probably in my 20's. I think I am related by blood or marriage to over 1/2 the people burried there. They only met 1X a month for many yrs. This went back to the time of horse and buggies and circuit preachers. A preacher would travel between several churches and church wasn't held often because of travel time and farming.

 

[EltonJohn]

Originally posted by LScot My SB preacher went to WDW last month!! Yay for him! I thought they'd never get there... LOL

My Southern Baptist dentist, who I am supposed to visit tommorow for follow-up work to a root canal (it was not bad at all btw), visited WDW last summer with his family. They stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and he loved it!

One of the things I like about being SB is the ways we support missionaries. All the money goes into the pot and then handed out to the missionaries.

Ahhh, such as the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, I'm not SB now, but I've always been proud of my religious heritage because of the SBC focus on missions and Scripture!

 

[EltonJohn]

Originally posted by LScot I remember DH telling me that while growing up he wasn't allowed to play cards or play any game that used dice. (even like Yahtzee) His mother no longer is so strict about such--I mean while playing with her GDD--DH can do what he wants now! LOL

Your DH wasn't allowed to play cards! That's really ultra strict compared to what my Dad was allowed to do lol.

My dad was given a OUIJI borad (aka: 'Satan's Tool') by his Southern Baptist mother, who was also the Church secretary. I don't think my grandad, who was a deacon, really cared for that thing. It gets more ironic lol, Grandma ended up playing with the Ouiji Board with her only two grandkids-me and my brother lol. OTHO, Grandpa wouldn't touch the thing, nor would he play it with us. We sold the Ouiji Board in an estate sale after Grandma died.

As for the Mom's side of the (immediate) family. They, with the exception of my mother and grandmother, were a bunch of Southern Baptist smokers!

What matters is where you stand with God and your belief in Jesus Christ as the savior.

ITA , and I daresay that most SBs would agree as well.

 

[EltonJohn]

Originally posted by Pooh Girl 71 And whoever mentioned the Assembly of God and Pentecostal churches as being loud are right. You'll stay awake that's for sure. But, to be honest, all the yelling and running up and down the aisles and speaking in tongues scares the crap out of me.

You're not alone in that Speaking of scary, walking into an Eastern Orthodox service; the icons alone scare me

 

[Disney Doll]

Actually, I have no idea, but I am glad you asked this question because I am very interested in learning about beliefs that differ from my own.