Former PCA Member

[saturneptune]

Hello,

I grew up in a PCA church in Gulfport, MS and was a member until age 27. At that point I joined a SBC church which I still serve in to this day. I find the two denominations, except for baptism, very similar.

 

[HereIstand.Todd]

I grew up in the SBC and when married we went to a local conservative SBC until we moved because of my job. In my new town I searched for a SBC but we never found one where we felt at home. Upon a visit to the local ARP Church we found that we really liked it. The Associate Reformed Presbyterian is also similar to the PCA and SBC with the exception being baptism. I have actually met several SBC folks that are very reformed but will not leave the baptist church for the ARP because of the baptism issue.

 

[saturneptune]

I grew up in the SBC and when married we went to a local conservative SBC until we moved because of my job. In my new town I searched for a SBC but we never found one where we felt at home. Upon a visit to the local ARP Church we found that we really liked it. The Associate Reformed Presbyterian is also similar to the PCA and SBC with the exception being baptism. I have actually met several SBC folks that are very reformed but will not leave the baptist church for the ARP because of the baptism issue.

Besides the baptism issue the other minor issues that differ are hierarchy, elder rule, and creeds. In the baptist faith we are split on free will vs doctrines of grace. Doctrines of grace ane predestination is rapidly growing.

 

[Monseigneur_Gentilhomme]

I wonder if your experience is related to the fact that your experience of these denominations is very much located geographically as opposed to complicated debates at General Assembly meetings or The Conventions annual meeting. The PCA and the SBC both have southern routes, however both presently have expanded much more in the North. A PCA minister like Tim Keller's church is very different culturally (in my opinion) than much of my experience in SBC Churches when I visited Southern Baptist Churches.

 

[Monseigneur_Gentilhomme]

Besides the baptism issue the other minor issues that differ are hierarchy, elder rule, and creeds. In the baptist faith we are split on free will vs doctrines of grace. Doctrines of grace ane predestination is rapidly growing.

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