Like a Baptist, but don't want to be one

[Presbyterian Continuist]

More exactly, I believe they wanted to purify the Church of England of its Catholic ways. So we Anglicans annoyed them until some set out for the new world. You can thank us for that every Thanksgiving...Thanksgiving and the KJV, Anglicans gifts to the USA.

During the reign of Elizabeth I, the reformers were able to persuade her to make many reforms, but she wanted to retain the basic structure of the Anglican church. If they were able to persuade her to adopt all the reforms they were desiring, the official Church of England would have been basically Presbyterian in government and structure.
Then came the Act of Uniformity, and part of it was the requirement to use the official Prayer Book. 2000 Puritan ministers were fired because they would not comply, and John Bunyan spent years in prison because he continued preaching when he was not authorised by the State to do so.

It was this that caused the group of Puritans to travel to America on the Mayflower.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

The big deal to me is gender discrimirnation. How does the same church that pushed hard for separations between church and state violate the Equal Employment Opportunity Act by only allowing men to minister at their churches?

Simple.
They obey God, and not man.
It is called doing what God says, and is not 'discrimination', but obedience.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

That's no excuse for denying basic human rights, such as equal opportunities for all regardless of race, colour or gender.

The governments do it every day, with great oppression and in justice, even murdering many for no reason at all.
They don't need an excuse - until Jesus returns, this will not change.

 

[GodLovesCats]

Simple.
They obey God, and not man.
It is called doing what God says, and is not 'discrimination', but obedience.

That is a totally different topic worthy of its own thread, but obeying the EEOA is not disobeying God.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

That is a totally different topic worthy of its own thread, but obeying the EEOA is not disobeying God.

I think you brought it up yourself in the op first, and obeying any government agency is sinful if it is not by faith.

 

[GodLovesCats]

I think you brought it up yourself in the OP first, and obeying any government agency is sinful if it is not by faith.

Yes I did, but not to debate whether God and man agree on compliance with the EEOA.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

from the OP

....I am unwilling to join one of their churches (or even walk into one)...

Who is Master Rabbi Lord ? Are we not supposed to DO what HE says ?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Yes I did, but not to debate whether God and man agree on compliance with the EEOA.

I don't care at all about compliance with eeoa. Never even crossed my mind.

 

[Andrewn]

That's no excuse for denying basic human rights, such as equal opportunities for all regardless of race, colour or gender.

You really want to give churches freedom so they don't have to hire pastors who are atheists, Muslims, Hindus, or in sinful relationships, for example.

I realize that in the past some churches discriminated against women, against blacks, against divorced people, etc. I hate to think they're still discriminating against certain groups and that we/I can't see it.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

You really want to give churches freedom so they don't have to hire pastors who are in sinful relationships, for example.

I realize that in the past some churches discriminated against women, against blacks, against divorced people, etc. I hate to think they're still discriminating against certain groups and that we/I can't see it.

When a church appoints a pastor, they need to show that the successful candidate is the right person for the job. There are many factors other than colour, race or gender that determine an appointment committee's decision to appoint a particular candidate. One of those factor is that he is a godly person of good character. If a candidate is in a sinful relationship, then he is not sufficiently of good character to be appointed a role where he needs to teach righteousness and holiness to the people.

It is not a violation of human rights to refuse to appoint a convicted pedaphile to a teaching position in an elementary school, because a teacher of children needs to have an impeccable character. It is the same with refusing the appointment of an alcoholic to a bar tending position.

 

[Andrewn]

When a church appoints a pastor, they need to show that the successful candidate is the right person for the job. There are many factors other than colour, race or gender that determine an appointment committee's decision to appoint a particular candidate. One of those factor is that he is a godly person of good character. If a candidate is in a sinful relationship, then he is not sufficiently of good character to be appointed a role where he needs to teach righteousness and holiness to the people.

How about a person in a homosexual relationship? How about an atheist, a Muslim, or a hindu?

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

How about a person in a homosexual relationship? How about an atheist, a Muslim, or a hindu?

Are you serious? Common sense, thou art a jewel! If you were on the appointment committee of a Christian church would you appoint an atheist, Muslim or a Hindu to the pastor's position?

 

[Andrewn]

Common sense, thou art a jewel! If you were on the appointment committee of a Christian church would you appoint an atheist, Muslim or a Hindu to the pastor's position?

Of course not. This is why churches cannot by "equal opportunity employers."

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Of course not. This is why churches cannot by "equal opportunity employers."

So if you were the principal of an elementary school, you would appoint a convicted pedophile in order to be an equal opportunity employer?

 

[Andrewn]

Of course, in these days where gender discrimination is seen to be a bad thing, employers, including churches, can be sued if they are seen to discriminate on the basis of gender, in the same way as discrimination on the basis of race and colour.

That's no excuse for denying basic human rights, such as equal opportunities for all regardless of race, colour or gender.

According to the EEOC guidelines, an equal opportunity employer is:

“An employer that pledges to not discriminate against employees based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.”

For good reasons, religious organizations are exempt from these laws.

 

[A_Thinker]

There is a church that claims to be nondenominational, but they emphasize relationships on their website (teaching stuff about marriage, friendships, etc.) instead of putting God's love first.

It may be strange to put it this way, ... but God's love should be a standard offering at churches ... so, hopefully, that they offer God's love shouldn't be something that they have to advertise.

Churches will, typically, advertise what is distinctive about their congregations, what services they offer, what their particular specialties are ...

Ultimately, you will have to visit, so that you can determine whether any particular church is a fit for you.

 

[Albion]

So, it would seem that the problem for a person like yourself would be having the right one of these near enough to your home. If not, would one of the non-denominational churches work?

​

There is a church that claims to be nondenominational, but they emphasize relationships on their website (teaching stuff about marriage, friendships, etc.) instead of putting God's love first.

That's it? Only one non-denominational congregation in a city of the size of yours?

 

[GodLovesCats]

That's it? Only one non-denominational congregation in a city of the size of yours?

The city size is irrelevant. For someone who can only travel on foot, all churches farther away than a mile are ruled outl.

 

[A_Thinker]

The city size is irrelevant. For someone who can only travel on foot, all churches farther away than a mile are ruled outl.

CityLight Chuch looks interesting ... and, maybe, Northwest Baptist Church

 

[Newtheran]

Because Baptists prohibit women from being pastors and church leaders, I am unwilling to join one of their churches (or even walk into one)

34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
-1st Corinthians 14:34-37

So, what are your thoughts on whether this portion of God's word is divinely inspired? If this part of the Bible isn't, what other parts are not? It sounds to me like you have a bigger problem than whether you should be Baptist, Pentecostal, or Puritan.