LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

I grew up north of the Mason-Dixon line and as a result I came into the Christian faith as a “North American Convention” Baptist believer. I was close to the Baptist roots back then: roots that have been slowly fading into the sunset as the Southern Baptist creeds creep into a total make-over of what was once the “priesthood of the believer“.

Gordon James summed up the early Baptist beliefs when he wrote, “Baptists were founded on the premise that there would always be room for everybody, including people who asserted differing views.” In the past fifty years Southern Baptists have taken a new direction: both conservative and fudamentlist in tone and nature. While the Baptist denomination was established in 1845 in order to preserve a religious foundation for human slavery (not a good reason), the northern wing was far more humanitarian, tolerant, and less dogmatic.

The four foundations or early Baptist beliefs have faded in most churches and been completely denied in many others.

1-Bible Freedom has been eroded. The freedom from creedal restrictions and the ability to interpret Scripture personally have given way to annual Convention dogmas that have increasingly alienated Southern Baptist to such an extent that many Baptist church have dropped the label “Baptist” while remaining a part of the association.

2-Soul Freedom has been diminished. The clergy, especially the deacons will make sure that there is “order in the house”. Order means house rules such as hand raising, speaking out, standing up, etc. which are the poster children for soul freedom is frowned upon.

3-Church Freedom wanes. Church franchising is now the standard operating mode. Moderates broke with the national Southern Baptist Convention in 1996 when the “home office” became determined to enforce their conviction that the Bible is historically, scientifically and theologically inerrant. Moderates were cast out of Baptist centers of learning, missionary boards, publishing houses and the high offices of the 16-million-member SBC. So much for that freedom!

4-Religious Freedom is mostly still in tact. The separation of church and state has always been the standard; however, most would like to see only Christian or Baptist leaders in political positions. Mike Huckabee rode that horse further into the Republican primary process than most thought possible.

Thus while there are more Southern Baptist congregations in America than of any other religious group, including the Roman Catholic Church, with a membership of 16.6 million members, less than 38% attend the priamry worship service. Once on a Baptist roll, you are on for life. In fact, it’s said, in the South, there are more Baptists than people.

There’s a reason “baptisims” have fallen for three straight years. But, it’s not just the Baptists that are worried about declining attendance, all mainline churches are fighting for attendees, while non-denominational churches are growing.

There is GOOD NEWS! People with a spiritual hunger are the fastest growing segment of society in America.