What is a Baptist service like?

I am an Episcopalian. My grandmother's family was Catholic, from Poland. I loved the ritual in the Catholic Church, but had many issues with it, and I've found the Episcopal, Church to be much more my style.

My dad's side of the family have been Baptist pastors for many generations, which all stopped when my grandfather converted to Catholicism to marry my grandmother (it was the 1930's.) I have always been interested in this part of my heritage. Although this type of Christianity may not be my style, I am eager to explore it.

-What are Baptist services usually like?
-Are Baptist Churches very ornate?
-Do you have much ritual?
-Have you always been a Baptist/did you come from a Baptist family?

Thanks!

Your brother in Christ,

AmericanAnglican

-What are Baptist services usually like?
The Baptist church I attend is simple and to the point. Lots of worship and praise songs, then a little news about the church family... who needs prayers, who is having a baby ect. Then the sermon, and it is always backed by scripture. There is no rituals like ringing little bells or kneeling before golden idols.

-Are Baptist Churches very ornate?
No, very simple and humble

-Do you have much ritual?
No, other than service is always in the same order... songs, readings, news and the sermon. Breaking of bread is once a month, grape juice rather than wine and we use plastic cups rather than gold chalices

-Have you always been a Baptist/did you come from a Baptist family?
No, I was raised Catholic but got tired of looking at all the gold while homeless people slept on the steps outside, as well I was tired of the ritual and all the teachings that go against the bible like praying to Mary over and over and over and over ect ect ect.

I have never been in any other church, only RCC and Baptist

What are Baptist services usually like?

We start with a General Assembly-which has a brief welcome and prayer and gives a synopsis of the Sunday School lesson topic-then we disperse to the various Sunday School classes-which are pre-planned and follow a manual which usually follow a theme .Afterwards we gather in the main chapel for the "regular service" which is preceded by the singing of a couple of hymns and the Doxology. There is an announcements section and the offereing which is followed by the main sermon. We always have an alter call and Baptism services are a special service usually held the following Wednesday night after someone excepts Christ.

-Are Baptist Churches very ornate?

Not at all-they are also very quite-Few Amens and little clapping or demonstrative action. No Flag waving or dancing and usually no musical accompany other than a piano or the ocassional accoustic guitar.

-Do you have much ritual?

The service order does not vary-they are almost anal about it. We do feed very well and often. There is always food on Wednesday night and lots of breakfasts and BBB Q's any fundraiser will have a bake sale attached

-Have you always been a Baptist/did you come from a Baptist family?

I have only ever joined a Baptist church though I have attended others. My Family is mostly, Baptist, Methodist with a few Lutherans scattered about-then there is the heathern side ...


As a footnote-for me personally I do not agree with every dogmatic teaching of any demoniation (I do not believe baptism is essential for salvation, and whether they serve grape jucie or wine makes me no nevermind) and think they all go a bit left field on some point somewhere-but the Baptists are the most populous bunch in my city. I have been to some Baptist churches that I will not revisit and have felt at home in Other demoniations-afterall it is the People who ARE the Church...it is not where we go. I go to worship and try to stay out of the "business" of the minsitry.

Your lucky, I wish we had a Wed night service here. That is one thing I do miss about the Catholic church I use to go to... I would go every Wednesday night, Saturday night and Sunday morning. Here the only time I can go is Sunday.

AmericanAnglican said:

I am an Episcopalian. My grandmother's family was Catholic, from Poland. I loved the ritual in the Catholic Church, but had many issues with it, and I've found the Episcopal, Church to be much more my style.

My dad's side of the family have been Baptist pastors for many generations, which all stopped when my grandfather converted to Catholicism to marry my grandmother (it was the 1930's.) I have always been interested in this part of my heritage. Although this type of Christianity may not be my style, I am eager to explore it.

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I appreciate your testimony. I started out in the Episcopal church because that's where my parents took me. My dad was Catholic and my mom was Presbyterian but neither of them went to church much until they got married and they started going to the Episcopal Church. I've been a member of the Christian Church but I'm currently a member of a Baptist Church.

I think every Baptist church conducts their service slightly different. The one I attend goes like this:

-What are Baptist services usually like?

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We start out with prayer. People are encouraged to come to the front of the church to kneel and pray (not publicly but by themselves to God). The preacher closes the prayer time and then we sing three songs. The offering is then collected and the choir sings a song. After the choir sings the children leave the sanctuary and go to children's church. Then the pastor preaches his sermon. After the altar call at the end of the sermon we have the announcement (which another poster called news of the church). Then we are dismissed.

-Are Baptist Churches very ornate?

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I've never been in one that is. The ones that I've been in are very simple with few decorations if any at all.

-Do you have much ritual?

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Other than what I've said above about our service (which could be considered ritual since it never varies), there isn't any ritual.

-Have you always been a Baptist/did you come from a Baptist family?

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See my comments above.

We are Southern Baptist, and our service usually goes similar to this:

Messages/announcements
Song (either hymn or praise)
Prayer
Greetings among the congregation
Song (hymn or praise)
Deacons go up to alter/prayer/offering
Special music (either by the choir or an individual)
Choir rejoins the congregation, another song
Prayer
Sermon (a mix of preaching and teaching, always Bible based)
Prayer/alter call
Song
Prayer

So, a lot of praying!

Baptist churches are usually simple, but not Amish plain. Some have stained
glass windows and soaring ceilings. Our own has a (pyramid? cone?) shaped ceiling done in rich wood paneling with large wooden colums holding it up. Just
depends on the church and the area, I think.

As others said, our 'ritual' is pretty much following the above script. Occasionally our pastor will change things up, but not often.

We have Sunday School, Morning and Evening Sunday Service, and Wed night
prayer meeting. We offer a meal on Wed before the service. Awana and various kids activities are going on then as well as other prayer/study groups.
Something for everyone!

I've always been southern baptist, as has all my family (several branches) for over 200 yrs *that I have researched*.

I was raised in a small country Free will Baptist church. I still go to that church. We only have a congretational chaple, class rooms, and a basement with a small kitchen. We gather in the chapel(I guess that is what you would call it) and give our prayer requests or thanks to God and pray at our seats. Then we sing a few songs; dismiss to classes. After the classes we have a ten minute break, then into the chapel. If anyone had a birthday or anniversary the past week, we sing to them. Then we have congretational songs again; specials if someone wants to sing; then the preaching .

At anytime anyone feels the need to go to the altar and pray, the church will go with them and pray for them. Always the minister give the opportunity for anyone to come to the altar after his message, Sinner or Christian who needs to pray. We are dismissed with a prayer.

Sunday night is similar to the morning with no classes. we had to stop the Wed. night Bible studies and I miss them very much, but the attendence was so small.... the minister drives 35 miles to church and may members drive 20 or more miles. I am a lucky one, I live a tenth of a mile from the church.

The third Sunday night of the month, we have a fellowship with food after church and on holidays after Sunday School. That is our tradition... that and the ten minute break... as long as I can remember. the break gave children time to release pent up energy and the men to smoke.

For what it's worth from one with a Baptist family (at least my dad's side):

-What are Baptist services usually like?
From my experience this varies from church to church.

-Are Baptist Churches very ornate?
most are quite the opposite, though depending on where you are in the US, there may be some that are larger and more opulent looking than others. My dad's family is from the South, so one Baptist church may be a small building on the corner, while another down the street is larger and more ornate (at least outside) than many Catholic parishes.

-Do you have much ritual?
Not in the same way you as an Episcopalian or I as a Catholic would understand it. Baptists are not liturgical, though there is generally a typical order to the service.

-Have you always been a Baptist/did you come from a Baptist family?
Baptist family.

AmericanAnglican said:

-What are Baptist services usually like?

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It varies between the various Baptist sub-denominations. However, they are generally straightforward without much ritual. Some songs, announcements, congregational prayer, communion, sermon, "altar" call, additional songs.

-Are Baptist Churches very ornate?

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Not usually, not generally more than perhaps some stained glass.

-Do you have much ritual?

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Baptist do not have much rituals (as you would probably define it).

-Have you always been a Baptist/did you come from a Baptist family?

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I grew up in a non-denominational, and then various Baptist churches, but I am now a non-Pauline Messianic.

I grew up in the Catholic church but I have been attending a Baptist church the last few months since my new found faith in Christ. Basically they start with a few songs, they read a portion of scripture, then another song and then the sermon is preached. After they close with a song again, and that's basically it. No ritual, really.

-What are Baptist services usually like?
Simple usually prayer singing announcements a sermon and afterwards we have a shared lunch.

-Are Baptist Churches very ornate?
I can't speak for all congregations but ours is not ornate and sparsely decorated.

-Do you have much ritual?
Not much we usually have communion every couple of weeks and every few months a baptism service although don't quote me on the baptism service because i'm only a newbie to my congregation
-Have you always been a Baptist/did you come from a Baptist family?
No but i'm glad that i'am i have found a spirit-filled congregation of believers.

I believe it also depends on culture. We share services twice a year with an African-American church They are the same denomination, southern Baptist. The music is different, the way they take the offering is different. We go to their church then they come to ours. One year they actually blew out our sound system. Different in every way except the Scripture. And the meal on special occasions.