methodist Vs baptist

Which kind of Baptists and which kind of Methodists are we talking about here? From what I understand, Baptists are generally more conservative.

hyperhiggy said:

Dont mean to sound stupid but how do you mean which kind? They are just called the Stirling Bapitist Church and the Stirling Methodist Church (in Scotland)

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What division, is what I'm assuming she meant. There are different divisions of Baptist and Methodist churches. I wouldn't go so far as to call them different denominations, but the approach to certain issues (social or theological) can differ.

For instance, in the US, there's the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Baptist Association, the North American Baptist Conference, and a lot of others. Similarly, there are also Free Methodists, United Methodists, Reformed Methodists, etc. That's what I believe the question was.

hyperhiggy- Well i can tell you the main diffrences between the baptist churches and the methodist churches in my area - Methodist believe in women pastors for one and baptist dont - Methodist ministers get paid and most baptist well baptist around here anyways dont get paid - Baptist dont believe in paying 10% of you paycheck - Baptist churches around here dont baptise there kids as babies where as methodist do - Methodist minister for the most part in my area premeditate their sermons which baptist do not- Also now this one im not sure about but ive heard that methodist believe that after Christ 2nd coming that the lost will have 1000 years to repent if there are any who the know the answer to this i would like know i know that the nazerene believe this but baptist do not! and those are a few of the major diffrences between methodist and baptist in my area- hope that helps

abednego said:

hyperhiggy- Well i can tell you the main diffrences between the baptist churches and the methodist churches in my area - Methodist believe in women pastors for one and baptist dont - Methodist ministers get paid and most baptist well baptist around here anyways dont get paid - Baptist dont believe in paying 10% of you paycheck - Baptist churches around here dont baptise there kids as babies where as methodist do - Methodist minister for the most part in my area premeditate their sermons which baptist do not- Also now this one im not sure about but ive heard that methodist believe that after Christ 2nd coming that the lost will have 1000 years to repent if there are any who the know the answer to this i would like know i know that the nazerene believe this but baptist do not! and those are a few of the major diffrences between methodist and baptist in my area- hope that helps

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One of the other notable differences is that Methodists will baptize by sprinkling (although if the person wants to be immersed, they can be), whereas Baptists only use full immersion, no?

Qyöt27 said:

One of the other notable differences is that Methodists will baptize by sprinkling (although if the person wants to be immersed, they can be), whereas Baptists only use full immersion, no?

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Right - well i mean the baptist churches around here use full immersion and all baptist churches i know of! Right

Some major differences would are:

1. Baptism

Methodists generally baptize infants and usually do so by pouring or sprinkling. Baptists only baptize believers and do so only by full immersion. Both denominations generally believe baptism to be only symbolic.

2. Scripture

Baptists are sola scriptura. Methodists are not, generally believing in the Wesleyan quadrilateral.

3. Salvation

Baptists are (usually) OSAS (once saved always saved). Methodists (usually) are not.

Methodists tend to be more liberal regarding homosexuality, divorce, ordaining women, etc.

Carly said:

Some major differences would are:

1. Baptism

Methodists generally baptize infants and usually do so by pouring or sprinkling. Baptists only baptize believers and do so only by full immersion. Both denominations generally believe baptism to be only symbolic.

2. Scripture

Baptists are sola scriptura. Methodists are not, generally believing in the Wesleyan quadrilateral.

3. Salvation

Baptists are (usually) OSAS (once saved always saved). Methodists (usually) are not.

Methodists tend to be more liberal regarding homosexuality, divorce, ordaining women, etc.

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Very good all right from what i know !

hyperhiggy said:

So do you think there would be a problem in God's eyes about going to both of the Churches??? I know it is a difficult question to answer!

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No, of course it wouldn't be a problem in God's eyes. It's perfectly fine to attend both. Any problem would lie in how your beliefs line up with those of the two churches. Whether or not you agree on a particular interpretation of the Scripture and whether your opinion on it is more Methodist or more Baptist.

Even in such a case that you don't agree, it relies more on whether you're convicted to distance yourself from an interpretation that you don't agree with or whether it's something you can look past and feel fine continuing fellowship with the congregation of said church.

I, too, have been searching for a new church home. I come from a Calvinist background, and not entirely happy with same. I've been wondering about Methodist, too, for trying a service or two to see how it fits me, or not.

It surely can be confusing between all of the denominations. I have no problems whatsoever with ordaining women into the ministry. That is one of my pet peeves about the Baptist churches I've attended in the past. Women are definitely treated as second class citizens, even though they may be far more well-read in the Bible.

In Naz. chruches we allow men and women to be pastors and actually at my church we have like 4 men as pastors and 2 women (so there is still a large gap but women are catching up)

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, but I've been working on my board certification paperwork. I'd like to say Carly these are good, but if you don't mind, I'm going to tweak a bit to conform more to United Methodist Theology and doctrine.

Carly said:

Some major differences would are:

1. Baptism

Methodists generally baptize infants and usually do so by pouring or sprinkling. Baptists only baptize believers and do so only by full immersion. Both denominations generally believe baptism to be only symbolic.

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Just to clarify, UM's believe that the water is symbolic, as well as the mode (sprinking, immersion, etc), but Baptism itself is not symbolic--it is a sacrament in which God is acting in the person being baptized.

2. Scripture

Baptists are sola scriptura. Methodists are not, generally believing in the Wesleyan quadrilateral.

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technically, we Methodist are sola scriptura as in we believe that the Bible contains all that is necessary for salvation, however, while we do believe that the proper means to discern God's message for us is through: Scirpture as primary source, Tradition, Experience, and Reason (also known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral). As has been said, we believe in only scripture, but never scripture alone.

3. Salvation

Baptists are (usually) OSAS (once saved always saved). Methodists (usually) are not.

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This is true, though as a denominational stance, we definitively reject OSAS.

Methodists tend to be more liberal regarding homosexuality, divorce, ordaining women, etc.

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This is true, though I would stress your word, tend. Where I am in the Southern US, if you attend a smaller church or a primarily rural church, you find much more conservative views.

Good answer, please don't be offended by my nit picking, I just thought I might add to it a bit.
God bless
Tommy

hyperhiggy said:

So do you think there would be a problem in God's eyes about going to both of the Churches??? I know it is a difficult question to answer!

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It sounds like you are really wanting to go for the style/type of service. I do this, too. I am Methodist through and through, but I often go to a Saturday evening service with a Lutheran friend of mine, because I feel a need to satisfy a yearning for that very traditional service ("high church" music and lots of liturgy) that Lutherans do so beautifully. (Plus, being a church musician, it's nice to be in the congregation for a change, not having to think about what's coming up next)

Definitely not a problem at all in God's eyes... I don't want to put words in God's mouth, but I'll dare to think He'd be very glad you are doing what you can to experience worship (Christian of course!) with as much fulfillment as you need.