I'm assuming this isn't a "new denomination" nor is it a new "direction"; but is an alternate name for an old product. Churches still wishing to call themselves "Southern Baptist" can do so? ? ?

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Chris wrote:Today's newspaper says the SBC "has narrowly agreed to let churches use an alternative name less connected to the South"....will "allow affiliated churches to refer to themselves as Great Commission Baptists".
I'm assuming this isn't a "new denomination" nor is it a new "direction"; but is an alternate name for an old product. Churches still wishing to call themselves "Southern Baptist" can do so? ? ?
Sandy wrote:The name "Great Commission Baptists" is a little bit more descriptive than "Converge Worldwide," which the Baptist General Conference adopted recently. In fact, they did change their name completely, without the option of "voluntary." Great Commission Baptists isn't a complete shift, since it doesn't leave the Baptist name behind.
Hiding behind a different name is certainly not a trend only being experienced by Southern Baptists. Western Pennsylvania is full of churches of various names without denominational identification, yet most of them are affiliated with someone. Unless you can identify a logo, or you ask, you can't tell (unless they're Charismatic).
Chris wrote:I began noticing , 45 years ago, that Catholics and Episcopalians usually did not include those words in the names of their churches, e.g. "Christ and St. Luke's Church" of Norfolk. It seemed to me that all other denominations DID include the denomination name, so that a visitor could see the
brand name" out front. I liked this. About 7 or 8 years ago, I began to see churches in our local Baptist association popping up with names like "Community Church", and, more recently "Waters Edge Church". All of these were Southern Baptist churches which apparently do not want the visitor to know of the SBC affiliation. What is it they are ashamed of?
Waters Edge church is not near the water...so even that is a misnomer.
johnfariss wrote: I believe it was only when the social status of Baptist churches started to grow, and they moved into actual towns and cities that they began to name themselves "Baptist Churches" and not just "meeting houses."
John Fariss
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