5/10/11

Today in class, after prayer, there was a presentation on a site visit to a church of the Southern Baptist Convention (there are two types of Baptists in the US: American Baptist Churches of the US and the Southern Baptist Convention). The Southern Baptist Convention was organized in Georgia and has about 16 million members overall. The members believe that God's Word tells us the hope is in the future and they believe in one living and true God. They believe that the Father created the universe, the Son died for our sins, and the Holy Spirit enlightens believers. Salvation is received by those who accept Jesus Christ. They also use position statements, such as that the priesthood of all believers, soul competency, creeds and confessions, women's ministry, church and state, missions, autonomy, sexuality (homosexuality is not right, but is forgivable), and the sanctity of life. Also, they work to emphasize the Good News of the Gospels.