Church denominations are unfortunately no different. Psychologists refer to this as “cognitive dissonance” where a person may genuinely want to be involved and invested in a local community of believers but their perception of our denomination may actually keep them away.
4. You can still maintain your doctrinal integrity without having a denominational affiliation in your name.
Sometimes those who are most vocal about the name “Baptist” don’t even know what it means to be a Baptist when asked. So what does it mean to be a Baptist?
This is what we teach in Starting Point (our new member class). In addition to teaching every new member about our denominational affiliations (Southern Baptist Convention, Missouri Baptist Convention, and the Blue River-Kansas City Baptist Association), we also teach them the seven basic beliefs and practices that distinguishes us as “B.A.P.T.I.S.T.S.”
- Bible as our sole authority – 2 Timothy 3:15. Our first question when facing any decision is, “What does the Bible say?”
- Autonomy of each local church – Colossians 1:18. Jesus is the head of our church – not any person, group, or religious organization or denomination. Whereas we cooperate and pool our resources together for missions, each church is autonomous. They make their own decisions under God’s leadership and own all of their own assets.
- Priesthood of every believer – 1 Peter 2:9. We believe that every member is to be a minister and that every believer has equal and direct access to God through prayer.
- Tithing – Malachi 3:9-10. We recognize that giving 10% of our income is the minimum standard for giving.
- Immersion baptism – Colossians 2:12. We practice baptism by immersion under water, following the pattern of how Jesus was baptized, and the way the Bible commands.
- Spirit-led living – John 15:5. We believe the only possible way to live the Christian life is by God’s power within us.
- Telling others about Jesus – 1 Peter 3:15. It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the gospel with those with whom God brings us into contact.
We also provide each new member with the SBC’s doctrinal statement: The Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
5. People looking for “Baptist” churches can still find our church!
One of the questions that I received was, “What if a person is new to our area and is looking for a Baptist church to join?” The answer is simple. Our website (both current and future) will have clear access to our statement of beliefs. In that, we will make it clear that we are a Baptist church in affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention and that we adhere to the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. We know how to properly use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) so that when someone searches for a “Baptist” church on any Internet search engine, our name will pop up.
Once again, just because we don’t put “Baptist” in the church name doesn’t mean that we are hiding something. Let me give you an example. I am very proud of my education, my alma mater, and all my years of post-graduate work. But when I introduce myself to someone for the first time, I never use my title. I would never reach out to shake someone’s hand and introduce myself by saying, “Hi, my name is Doctor Brandon Park.” That just sounds ridiculous. When I meet someone new, I simply say, “Hi, my name is Brandon. It’s great to meet you.”
Now, am I hiding something or being misleading by not using my full title? Of course not. It’s just that the title that conveys my educational background is not necessary at this point for an introduction. It may be informative for them to read about in my bio or to see it on stationery, but it’s not necessary when I’m being introduced to someone new for the very first time. I don’t want “doctor” to be someone’s first impression of me. I want them to know me first as just “Brandon.” Then they may come to get to know my education and experience at a later time.
Our church name is our first introduction to the community in which we serve. We’re not hiding anything by not having a denominational affiliation in the name. We want them to know first that there’s a God who loves them and a community of people who will love them. They can learn what it means to be a Baptist once they get here.
6. We now live in a post-Christian culture where denominations are becoming increasingly irrelevant.
As a result, Christian culture is moving away from an adherence to denominationalism. Whenever the Church undergoes persecution, rather than focusing on our differences, we focus on what unites us as believers. When Jesus prayed for all of us who would become believers prior to Him going to the cross, He prayed for something three different times in the same chapter. Jesus prayed that all of us “may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (See John 17:11, 21, and 23.)
When the church starts to undergo persecution, we begin to huddle up a little bit closer together. This is the direction that our Christian culture is moving in.
In 2015, ISIS captured 21 Egyptian Christians, lined them up on the shores of Libya, put a knife to their throat, and they asked them one question: “Are you a Christian?” Notice they did not ask, “Are you Methodist? Are you Episcopalian? Or are you Baptist?” They simply asked, “Are you a Christian?” If they answered affirmatively, their head was severed from their body for the whole world to see.
Satan cares nothing about our denominational affiliations or our church name. All he cares about is whether or not we bear the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ over our lives. I’m a Christian first and a Baptist second.
