Sunday, June 21, 2009

Why I Am a Baptist

With no intention of preaching but just wanting to give a little insight as to the reason I am the way I am.

I was raised in a Full Gospel church. My uncle was the pastor, and his wife led me to accept Christ at a very young age. My family was (and is) very faithful to attend church whenever the doors are open. For a very long time, I didn't even know there were "denominations." Everyone was either Christian or non-Christian. Methodist, Presbyterian, what are those?

When I married Steven, the Baptist faith came along with him. Kind of a package deal. Steven was called in to the ministry at age 16 and he'd gone to a Baptist church since he was a little boy. I was a little resentful of being "labeled" as a Baptist upon our marriage, but being a good wife, I dutifully went along to church, teaching Sunday School, helping out at church functions, etc.

The more I learn (and I'm still learning, even these almost ten years later, and God grant that I never think I know it all) the more I believe that this is where I'm supposed to be. Let me say that I know people in many different denominations and I wouldn't presume to say they are wrong and I certainly wouldn't say that I am right in everything. I am still growing.

In my experience, there are good people everywhere. (Also bad people, but that's a post for another day.) I mean good people in many different churches. I have felt welcomed by many denominations and churches. The thing that stands out about the Baptists is the attention paid to witnessing. Yes, even door to door.

Here is the important stuff. I'll tell you the way I tell my Sunday School kids:

A-Admit to God you are a sinner. (Guess what. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23)

B-Believe that Jesus is God's Son and He died to pay the penalty for our sins. (John 3:16. It's true, best beloved.)

C-Confess your faith in Jesus. (Matthew 28:19-20. Otherwise known as the Great Commission. If I know the truth, I am duty-bound to share it with everybody, right? If I believe I know the way to Heaven, how dare I not share it?)

And so I have.

If you're interested in what Southern Baptists specifically believe, here's a link to their website.

If you'd like to talk to me outside the comment section, email me at skennedy40977@yahoo.com.

5 comments:

Eddie Bluelights said...

Hi Sarah
Thanks a lot for that - I am a strong born again Christian but non denominational. I happen to worship in a Catholic Church with my Catholic wife and children but as long as the fundamentals are Biblical and true I am happy to worship anywhere in any denomination, after all our bodies are the temples of the holy spirit. Im believe we are well into the end times and the Rapture is hust round the corner. My email address is eddiebluelights@googlemail.com
There are a lot of Christians I have met in the blogging arena and I happen to feel this is by design and not coincidence. I would like to 'talk' more but want you to feel comfortable about emailing first.
Coming down to normal blog business I am not sure if you noticed from comments on your previous post I have invited you to collect an award because I like your blog and now I know the reason why I like you - God bless ~ Eddie

Suldog said...

I was born and raised a Catholic, but fell way from that church a few years back due to what I perceived to be great hypocrisy among the hierarchy. I am most certainly still a Christian, however. I enjoy listening to a number of evangelical radio programs - J. Vernon McGee, Chuck Swindoll, Ravi Zacharias, and R. C. Sproul foremost among my favorites - and have attended a number of different church services, trying to find a "home", since leaving Catholicism. Anyway, I need to check out a Baptist service. It's about time. Perhaps this weekend.

Anonymous said...

I believe your A, B, and C is what it is all about. All the different doctrines, I believe, are not as important as A, B, and C.

Anonymous said...

Sarah, you have a wonderful site here. I love the name! I also like the ABC...I've heard several others, but never ABC and this seems very simple. Nevertheless, I usually dive into the complex and uncomfortable. I enjoy a Jesus with a sword coming out of his mouth as described in the first chapter of Revelation as much as the silent Jesus left undescribed for the better part of 33-years. And I enjoy wrestling with my God like Jacob because it positions me closer to Him. I find that most Christians no longer know their Bible and that is sad...they are unable to deal with pain or discuss difficult topics. I find that God has never shied from these topics and He accepted the pain of the cross as the only means to a relationship with the ones He loved - that deserves my allegiance!

I look forward to meeting you when in heaven we rest. Until then, you have a friend in the blogland.

imbeingheldhostage said...

I'm glad to read this. I was born Baptist, moved to Methodist as a teen and am now LDS. My family (aunts, uncles etc...), all still Baptist, will NOT acknowledge that I'm a follower of Christ. They are convinced that because I am not Baptist, I must be damned. No tolerance at all. I am glad to hear it's just them and not the religion.