Southern Baptist Convention considering a name change

[KingsGambit]

http://www.religionnews.com/faith/do...ern-still-fits

I think this may be a positive thing, given that the denomination still struggles with its association with its past, despite its having taken some very positive steps toward that end in the last 25 years. Thinking from a US-perspective only (since that's what I'm familiar with), I think a healthy, vibrant SBC is important in the US, especially in the comparatively unchurched spots outside of the South, and if something as simple as the name might be a stumbling block, it's worth looking at.

[Jedidiah]

Many local churches have already removed the name Southern Baptist.

[One Bad Pig]

Many local churches have already removed the name Southern Baptist.

I've never seen a local Baptist church with "Southern" in its name.

[Cow Poke]

Many Baptist Churches have removed the name Baptist.

And there are Churches with names like "First Southern Baptist of...." Phoenix, Tuscon, Terre Huate, Topeka.......

[Dee Dee Warren]

Considering the context in which the name was formulated, it is irretrievable and should be changed IMHO. In many areas of the US, the term "Southern Baptist" comes with an image of a rebel flag.

[Chaotic Void]

Have they tried "SoBapCon" yet? It seems like all the conventions these days are going with those sorts of names...

[Hamster]

When it doesn't pan out, just lure parishioners back by renaming it SBC Classic

[Cow Poke]

Considering the context in which the name was formulated, it is irretrievable and should be changed IMHO. In many areas of the US, the term "Southern Baptist" comes with an image of a rebel flag.

There's something wrong with a rebel flag?

[KingsGambit]

There's something wrong with a rebel flag?

For a lot of people who might otherwise be receptive to the gospel, yes.

[Cow Poke]

For a lot of people who might otherwise be receptive to the gospel, yes.

You missed the sarcasm tags.


Seriously, though, I have seen this defended as noble because it's "St. Andrew's Cross".

(Lest I be drawn and quartered, I am not in that crowd)

[Pilgrim]

Many local churches have already removed the name Southern Baptist.

Yes. I now many many former "baptist" churches that are now "community" churches or something along those lines. But, you know, it's not confined to the SBC. One of the longest debates I can remember on the floor of a Presbytery meeting was over the proposed name of a new church plant in the West Jersey Presbytery. The planting pastor and the folks who were consulting with him wanted to have name that was absent "Presbyterian Church." Their reasoning was that such terms are meaningless to the unchurched and might even be enough to stop people from wanting to drop in.

But lets be serious. Very few unchurched people just "drop in" on a church service. They come to any given church, regardless of the name, because individuals invite them to come. If your model of evangelism and church growth is so attractional in nature that your name is the major concern you probably have bigger issues.

[Cow Poke]

Yes. I now many many former "baptist" churches that are now "community" churches or something along those lines. But, you know, it's not confined to the SBC. One of the longest debates I can remember on the floor of a Presbytery meeting was over the proposed name of a new church plant in the West Jersey Presbytery. The planting pastor and the folks who were consulting with him wanted to have name that was absent "Presbyterian Church." Their reasoning was that such terms are meaningless to the unchurched and might even be enough to stop people from wanting to drop in.

But lets be serious. Very few unchurched people just "drop in" on a church service. They come to any given church, regardless of the name, because individuals invite them to come. If you're model of evangelism and church growth is so attractional in nature that your name is the major concern you probably have bigger issues.

I used to think the same way about the "just drop in" thing, Pilgrim. But I pastored a Church for 10 years on a fairly busy Texas Highway that was a route from Houston to Waco. For reasons OTHER than what we're talking about, we changed the front of the Church because the entry way was big wooden doors that, in my opinion, looked more like a 'castle' or fortress than a church.

We also had a big stained glass window facing the road that was visible to the congregation inside, and it was pretty, but the morning sun would be behind me at time of Preaching, and I could see people squinting, and some of the older ladies said it touched off their migraines. Well, I thought the stained glass window should shine "out" instead of "in", so we actually walled it off from the sanctuary, and put florescent lights on the the inside, so the stained glass window was lighted up from the inside, shining out onto the highway.

Apparently, these two changes "did something", because I actually had quite a few visitors who came IN SPITE of the fact that we were Southern Baptist, because they said they were "drawn there" by the warmth and welcoming appearance of the building. I know that might sound weird, but we ended up with some quality families who seemed to have a nice sensitivity to the Spirit, and who became a very good part of our Church family.

ALSO, we came up with the idea of setting up a tent outside on major holidays, and serving free coffee to people traveling to and fro, and that ALSO seemed to draw people "because we like the fact that you're reaching out to people".

Honestly, I have wondered sometimes what would have happened if we had not had "Southern Baptist" on our name, or were a "Community Church", because our goal was, indeed, to reach the unchurched.

[Jedidiah]

Yes. I now many many former "baptist" churches that are now "community" churches or something along those lines. But, you know, it's not confined to the SBC. One of the longest debates I can remember on the floor of a Presbytery meeting was over the proposed name of a new church plant in the West Jersey Presbytery. The planting pastor and the folks who were consulting with him wanted to have name that was absent "Presbyterian Church." Their reasoning was that such terms are meaningless to the unchurched and might even be enough to stop people from wanting to drop in.

But lets be serious. Very few unchurched people just "drop in" on a church service. They come to any given church, regardless of the name, because individuals invite them to come. If your model of evangelism and church growth is so attractional in nature that your name is the major concern you probably have bigger issues.

I don't advocate eliminating the name Baptist (or whatever). Rather I was commenting that this was not a new thing. We can not determine what God would or would not do to reach someone who was not a believer. I never thought I would ever attend a Baptist church. I spent 30 years in one Baptist church serving as a deacon and as an elder. It was only my hearing and the type of music I was suffering with that moved me to another Baptist church.