Church Denomination Match

[Sola1517]

I'm going to describe my theology loosely and hopefully y'all can help me match to a denomination. Sound good? Mind you, I am coming from the Southern Baptist Church.

My Theology

• Obviously I'm Trinitarian.
• I might lean toward inclusivism or exclusivism.
• I am not a universalist.
• I might lean toward Neo-Orthodoxy.
• I am not a liberal in the sense of LGBTQ affirming theology. (But I do think that there are gay Christians that are called to repent, be pure, and possibly serve as missionaries to foreign countries or even ministers in churches.)
• I believe the atonement of Christ is a mix of Substitutionary, Christus Victor, and Moral Gov't. theories.
• I also believe that the atonement of Christ was for the world, not just a mysterious group.
• The theories on the end times are tertiary.
• Tongues are tertiary, I can worship with cessationists and continuationists alike.
• The mode of baptism is tertiary.

So, what do you guys think? Any questions that I did not cover?

 

[Tigger45]

Do you believe the sacraments are a means of grace or just symbolic? Answering that question will help narrow the choices.

 

[PloverWing]

Do you feel a need to leave the Southern Baptists? If so, what is prompting you to leave? Is there something you disagree with, or something that they lack that you are looking for?

 

[Sola1517]

Do you believe the sacraments are a means of grace or just symbolic? Answering that question will help narrow the choices.

I do believe that to some extent they do impart non-justifying grace.

Here are my notes from Mark chapter 1:

Q.2 Is regeneration baptismal or spiritual? (Verse 4)
Forgiveness is defined as aphesis=G859=forgiveness, but it can also refer to release from bondage.
Repentance is metanoia=G3341=essentially a change of mind.
***Fact: John's baptism of [or caused by] repentance (a change of mind) was for forgiveness (or release from or of) sins.***
Baptism to a first century Christian is not regenerative, but it is a means of grace.
Applications:

• God saves in ways that religion cannot.
• Life has new meaning to a person who is a Christian.
• By participating in God's story through the Gospel we come to know God more.
• Never emphasize works over confession.

 

[Sola1517]

Do you feel a need to leave the Southern Baptists? If so, what is prompting you to leave? Is there something you disagree with, or something that they lack that you are looking for?

I feel like it's a lot about membership without it being about the cold hard truth of the Gospel. They water it down on the one hand, and then on the other hand they are quick to release you if you don't do as they tell you. I am looking to encounter God in my daily life as a Christian. Southern Baptists generally stay away from the experience type of theology that I'm looking for. I do love their passion for the Bible, but I don't think they interpret it in light of what I'm talking about.

 

[Albion]

Hi, Sola. This isn't a very precise answer, but it sounds as though several of the mainline Protestant churches (definitely not the SBC) deserve a close look from you. The United Methodist Church, perhaps.

I am mindful that what might 'break the tie' between some of them concerns issues or preferences that weren't mentioned in the OP (polity, for instance).

 

[Sola1517]

polity, for instance

I do believe that there are two offices in the church: Elders and deacons. The Pastor is basically a lead elder.

 

[1watchman]

An entirely different view might be helpful, as I find the site at Biblecounsel.net seeks to show what a Bible-only fellowship is. The various innovations of men down through the many years seems to be getting even further from Scripture in our present day. I value the thought of holy Scripture as my guide (preferably KJV) apart from traditional and modern religious practices. Keep looking to God to show the way!

 

[Newtheran]

I'm going to describe my theology loosely and hopefully y'all can help me match to a denomination. Sound good? Mind you, I am coming from the Southern Baptist Church.

My Theology

• Obviously I'm Trinitarian.
• I might lean toward inclusivism or exclusivism.
• I am not a universalist.
• I might lean toward Neo-Orthodoxy.
• I am not a liberal in the sense of LGBTQ affirming theology. (But I do think that there are gay Christians that are called to repent, be pure, and possibly serve as missionaries to foreign countries or even ministers in churches.)
• I believe the atonement of Christ is a mix of Substitutionary, Christus Victor, and Moral Gov't. theories.
• I also believe that the atonement of Christ was for the world, not just a mysterious group.
• The theories on the end times are tertiary.
• Tongues are tertiary, I can worship with cessationists and continuationists alike.
• The mode of baptism is tertiary.

So, what do you guys think? Any questions that I did not cover?

The other question is what do you think worship should be: songs and a sermon style with infrequent communion, or some form of liturgical service with weekly communion.