Two Questions

[Bono]

First, do any baptist denominations allow congregations to choose their pastoes independently, like the congregationalists do?

Second, I know you are all creationists. It used to bother me, now it doesn't. i just wanted to know if the old earth theory is accepted, or are you just "young earthers"?

 

[ksen]

1.) I'm a member of an Independent Baptist church and we would choose our own Pastor independently if we had a vacancy.

2.) Most of those I know are Young Earth Creationists, including myself.

 

[bleechers]

First, do any baptist denominations allow congregations to choose their pastoes independently, like the congregationalists do?

Second, I know you are all creationists. It used to bother me, now it doesn't. i just wanted to know if the old earth theory is accepted, or are you just "young earthers"?

1. What do you mean "independently"? We have been in a pastor search (and you know how I feel about "pastors" )... be that as it may, we're in this search... our local church will be the one to decide... we are SBs so he'll be an SB and he'll be a HE!

I guess we are "limited" so to speak in that sense. If an SB church (in Alabama!) actually chose a woman... the state convention would swoop down and threaten to revoke membership, etc.

2. Why would "young earth" bother anyone? Whereas evolution raises some serious theological questions, young earth does nothing of the sort. I know some "gappers" as well. Wheras I do not hold to the gap theory, at least it is consistent with the Fall and the Genesis account to a degree.

So, do I "accept" the "old earth" folks? Well, only if it is light of the gap and pre-dates the Fall. No version of evolution is acceptable to me because it touches on the gospel itself.



My 2.1 cents.

 

[mesue]

I belong to an Independent Baptist Church. We are currently looking for a Pastor. The process we are utilizing is: the deacons interview, the potential Pastor candidates, we as a congregation vote.

As far as the creation of the world, and universe, God said he did. I wasn't there to record the date and time. It is sufficient for me to know that He did. How long ago it actually has never been an issue with me.
[Bible]Genesis 1:1[/Bible]

 

[Bono]

1. What do you mean "independently"? We have been in a pastor search (and you know how I feel about "pastors" )... be that as it may, we're in this search... our local church will be the one to decide... we are SBs so he'll be an SB and he'll be a HE!

I guess we are "limited" so to speak in that sense. If an SB church (in Alabama!) actually chose a woman... the state convention would swoop down and threaten to revoke membership, etc.

2. Why would "young earth" bother anyone? Whereas evolution raises some serious theological questions, young earth does nothing of the sort. I know some "gappers" as well. Wheras I do not hold to the gap theory, at least it is consistent with the Fall and the Genesis account to a degree.

So, do I "accept" the "old earth" folks? Well, only if it is light of the gap and pre-dates the Fall. No version of evolution is acceptable to me because it touches on the gospel itself.



My 2.1 cents.

1--Oh well, guess you aren't as independent as the Congregationalists, but its better than I tought it was. I used to think the SBC pastors we're appointed by the denomination.

2--It used to bother me because I used to be a theistic evolutionist and I tought you guys were all irrational literalist. But now I'm changing into creationism. I take special interest in the old earth theory, the gap theory and the replicated earth theory. I was just testing out their acceptability.
But do you think a baptist church would shunn me because I'm that kind of creationist?

 

[Sword-In-Hand]

As Baptists we are ran by the local autonomy. That means we make all of our decisions inside the church and don't rely on outside means such as the SBC or the KBC. If a pastor is needed then the church would invite possible candidates for the position and then vote on who we would want as our pastor.

As for young earth or old earth, it has never really be taught in the churches I grew up in or the one I am a member of now. I'm a young earth believer, but also it's something I don't think about much either. None of us were there to see how God formed the world or how long it took Him to do it, so its just one of those things that don't really concern me all too often.

 

[Crazy Liz]

First, do any baptist denominations allow congregations to choose their pastoes independently, like the congregationalists do?

All Baptist churches choose their pastors independently. I'm not sure what congregationalist procedures are like, so I couldn't make a comparison. Autonomy of the local congregation is one of the major Baptist distinctives.

While Southern Baptists no longer allow women to be pastors, American Baptists do, although only a small minority of their pastors are women.

Second, I know you are all creationists. It used to bother me, now it doesn't. i just wanted to know if the old earth theory is accepted, or are you just "young earthers"?

Maybe all the Baptists here are creationists, maybe not. There is another new thread today with different theories of creation. I think maybe you posted there. You will find Baptists that hold many different theories on creation, like most Christians, generally hold as a tenet of faith that God is the creator of the universe. Not nearly all are "young earthers."

 

[newlite]

young earther is me. i believe god created everything (genesis)

 

[BT]

I belong to an Independent Baptist Church. We are currently looking for a Pastor. The process we are utilizing is: the deacons interview, the potential Pastor candidates, we as a congregation vote.

As far as the creation of the world, and universe, God said he did. I wasn't there to record the date and time. It is sufficient for me to know that He did. How long ago it actually has never been an issue with me.
Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Ack!

from mesue and Bleechers I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't be candidating in the U.S. of A.

Back to the topic.

Independent Baptist churches are autonomous (as are others) which means that they are self-governed. So it is the congregation and the deacons who decide on a pastor or not. Just like it has been said, the deacons interview (usually on a doctrinal basis) then the GUY preaches to the congregation a few times and mabey has a few dinners with people, then the congregation votes. Actually in my church when we hired the Assoc. Pastor we had him preach a message then had an "open mike" time where we all got to ask him questions (he's about my best-friend now, but that night I was merciless! ).

I'm a young-earth literal 6-day creationist. I don't know if there are any others of a different bend in my church, but if there were it wouldn't bother me...

 

[bleechers]

he's about my best-friend now, but that night I was merciless!

I won't believe this! NEVER! Not you...?

I, on the other hand, am a gentle soul, willing to let the pastor teach whatever he will... trusting that love will conquer all and that group hugs can solve all the world's problems.

 

[mesue]

Ack! from mesue and Bleechers I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't be candidating in the U.S. of A. ...

Come on down!! We're near Buffalo, NY. We're a small, loving, close KJV only family. We have a newly built church across from a public high school.

 

[bleechers]

Come on down!! We're near Buffalo, NY. We're a small, loving, close KJV only family. We have a newly built church across from a public high school.

NO! Sell the snow tires and come to Alabama!

 

[mesue]

NO! Sell the snow tires and come to Alabama!

 

[2Timothy2]

I don't know how the Southern Baptists do it, but in the Independent Baptist church I grew up in, there would be an interview with the deacons, he would preach a few times, and if the deacons recommended it, the congregation voted yea or nay.

Most of my Baptist friends are young-earth creationists. I am a literal 6-day, old-earth, non-gap, anti-evolution, creationist. I know that will probably blow some minds . Be gentle .

 

[bleechers]

I don't know how the Southern Baptists do it,

Whatever the matter... there will be food involved.

For the record, it's essentially the same procedure with the exception that the guy would have to join the SBC if he was not in already... and not be gay.

For the record, I believe that when possible, pastors (elders) should be appointed from among the local flock... not always, but I think that's the most biblical way. Certainly, if there no one capable of shepherding, then the formula mentioned seems reasonable.

 

[12volt_man]

First, do any baptist denominations allow congregations to choose their pastoes independently, like the congregationalists do?

To my knowledge, all baptists do, since the autonomy of the local church is one of the chief tenets of the infamous "Baptist Distinctives".

Second, I know you are all creationists. It used to bother me, now it doesn't. i just wanted to know if the old earth theory is accepted, or are you just "young earthers"?

Some are old, some are young. This is one of those non-essentials that Christians of good conscience have the liberty to disagree on.

I personally am neither. On the one hand, science and the timeline of scripture seem to militate against an "old Earth" (that is, to say, millions of years). On the other, a "young Earth" (that is, 12,000) doesn't seem plausible, either.

Rather than relying on dates, I'm confident that God created the universe. Exactly when He did it, I'll have to wait to ask Him.

 

[Bono]

I'm not sure what congregationalist procedures are like, so I couldn't make a comparison.

Lol, this is a direct quote from a poster in the NACCC forum:

The NACCC has no right to an opinion in this matter. The local church is all that matters. If a local church wants to call a ax murdering, four time divorced, embezzling, wife stealing, card playing, tobacco spittin', cross dresser for a pastor, IT IS EXCLUSIVELY THEIR RIGHT, they should keep a mop around for that spittin' thing.

This are the "Congregationalist Procedures".

Actually, I don't think it diffres much from the Baptist procedure, but I don't think they have deacons.

 

[BT]

I, on the other hand, am a gentle soul, willing to let the pastor teach whatever he will... trusting that love will conquer all and that group hugs can solve all the world's problems.

ROFL!

 

[2Timothy2]

The NACCC has no right to an opinion in this matter.

WHAT??? The NCAA is now making rules for chur...wait a minute...Oh, sorry 'bout that.

 

[Kathryn13]

No one here has mentioned conservative Baptists! Looks like it's the same...the decons put together a selection committe who then interview potential pastors. The person they choose then comes to the church to "canadate" which is simply to preach and answer questions of the congregation. The members then vote ye or ney. If it's a "ye" then the pastor is called and offered the job. HE has the final decision to take it or not. In our particular church, it is then up to him to choose who he wants to hire to be associate pastors, et. al. and the decons approve or disapprove of those decisions. I believe each congregation does that part acording to their constitution though, as the Conservative Baptist congregation I was in in another state let the decons hire all the associate pastors with the Head pastor giving the approval.