methodist Vs baptist

Rev Joe said:

I feel that man will always find fault with one religion over another and I say this because we are man and man will judge. How about this "New Idea"? Find a church that you feel comfortable with and go there. There is nothing worse than having to attend a church because someone you know does. By doing this, you will find fault with so many things and you will loose the main idea of attending church, which to me, is "To Worship GOD".

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Good point, that's definitely true.

I haven't read all the posts here, but I believe that God is happy with both churches. Not one church in the world has all their doctrines 100% right. I don't think any church is God's elite.

Personally, the Methodist church suits me better, because I'm divorced and remarried. My husband was married 3 times before (left for another each time!). On our wedding, our Methodist Minister gave a beautiful speeach on how God is so gracious and gives second, third and fourth chances. I also believe homosexuals are born this way. I may be wrong, but that's what my personal convictions are as I work with alot of them. Most people at my church disagree with me, but respect my opinion. The Baptist church probably wouldn't accept me.

I do however agree with the Baptist church in regards to baptising infants. I believe one should get baptised when they have made a decision to follow Christ. The Baptists also believe in separation of church and state, saying you cannot force anyone to be a Christian, which I tend to lean towards.

I agree with the poster who said find a church where you feel happy in, and fit in, and go to it.

herev said:

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

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My father was a UMC minister. When I grew up, I first attended a Southern Baptist church, then married my husband and followed him back into Methodism! Never say God doesn't have a sense of humor.

Tommy, you're right. My father pastored in rural Texas, and I can remember hearing him talk about "those liberal Methodists up North who are ordaining women." It's just not the denomination itself, it's also where a particular church is located and the culture surrounding it.

What's even funnier is that now I'm studying to become a lay pastor with the Methodists. Over here in Britain, they have a program called "local preaching." You conduct services, but you're not allowed to administer the sacraments, such as communion or baptism. Fortunately, my father has changed his mind. Several years ago he and Mom switched over to Nazarene and have come to accept women ministers.

One other note: my Baptist pastor had a house with a swimming pool, so he was definitely getting paid some sort of salary.

For me the difference is all in the issues the churches choose to support or oppose. My mother goes to a American Baptist Church and I go to a United Methodist Church. The reason I chose my church over hers is because of the diversity of the congregation and how accepting they are. When it comes to political issues, the churches are complete opposites.

One thing I've noticed is the larger the church, the more conservative. I spent most of my life growing up in a 20,000 member church and it was extremely conservative. They did not allow women to be ordained and even prohibited gays from joining the church (if they didn't renounce homosexuality). Most small churches (under 500) I've gone to are more liberal. This trend seems to be true across all denominations.

Hyperhiggy, to answer your original question, I don't think God will have any problem with it. Denominations were created by men, not God. Just as long as they teach biblical truth you're ok.

When I still lived in Dallas I attended two churches, my regular Baptist one on Sunday mornings and a Taize service at an Episcopalian church on Saturday evenings. While I enjoyed the fellowship on Sundays, I also enjoyed that the other church had times of silence and reflection in the service. I was fed by both churches.

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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Wow things are different with the Free Methodist church. There is dedication services for infants in our church. But our Free Methodist Church baptizes with full immerisions and will not baptize a child.

All of the "differences" are generalities, I would say... And generally, baptists are more calvanistic and methodist/nazarene are more armenian....

Those things aside, "being saved" is about having a relationship with Christ. As long as you have this, the rest of the beliefs, IMNSHO, are details (even if they may be "important" details).

I can assure you, as someone who has been a member of several different denominations in my life (due to moving around a lot), God will lead you where you should go -- and that might be to more than one church (I've had periods in my life when I attended one church on Sunday a.m. & another in the evening.)

Where you may get into "trouble" is if the pastor or parishioners are of the opinion that you should not be attending more than one denomination...

Having said that, I do not believe there are any protestant denominations that disallow attending other denominations (though some practice "closed communion")

To sum it up -- worship God wherever you are able... It's His opinion that counts anyway !

Avaya said:

Correct - Baptist - and any Christian denomination as far as I'm concerned - believe that one must make a conscious decision to accept Jesus as their savior. An infant cannot make that decision.

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...yet, infants can believe. Matt 18:6 cf Lk 18:15 etc