Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity

Southern Baptist Convention

A Southern Baptist church: an autonomous congregation that governs itself "through democratic processes", cooperating with its association, state convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention under the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, which binds no church. A preaching service with hymns or a praise team, an invitation at the end, believer's baptism by immersion, and the Lord's Supper as a memorial, most often each quarter and open to all believers. Bible study for all ages before the service is its engine of growth, and Wednesday night is the prayer meeting. The congregation calls its pastor, who is a man, and decides its own budget, members, and building; it gives a share of its receipts it chooses through the Cooperative Program (4.67% on average in 2023-24), and takes the Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong offerings for missions.

All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.

At a glance

FaithChristianity
Its wordschurch, church, sanctuary; the pastor leads the worship service; the sermon; Sunday; the Bible
Worshipword focus, reserved, low formality (0.33 of 1); seated on pews
Musicpiano expected; chant discouraged
The room's soundno strong preference
Its yearwestern, baptist offerings; major observance; fasts none
Leansconservative on moral questions, conservative on economic ones
Politycongregational; leaders come by call; property local
Leadersone leader, full time, trained by ordination council; marriage expected
Belongingmoderate commitment, pastoral discipline, admitted by vote; exclusive
Givingtithing taught; collected by plate, boxes, online
Way of lifealcohol abstinence, dress church clothes, sabbath observed

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The week's services

DayTimeServiceLed byPeople look for it
Sunday10:45 amPreaching servicethe pastorexpected
Sunday6:00 pmPreaching servicethe pastoroptional
Wednesday6:30 pmPrayer meeting and Bible studythe pastorexpected

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Rites

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Baptism, confirmation, and joining

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Giving, and what goes up

How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.

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The pastor, the staff, and who decides

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Life together

What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.

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What the building needs

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What people here feel

How each sermon lands

The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.

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Every item, for this tradition

Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.

ItemFitRule
Seating
Box pew-0.333
Choir stalls-0.167
Meeting benchno fit
Oak pewno fit
Row of chairs+0.333
Liturgical furniture
Altar-0.333
Baptismal font-0.333
Baptistryno fitrequired Believer's baptism by immersion needs a baptistry: a tank large enough for an adult, with plumbing to fill and drain it.
Bishop's chair-0.333
Brass eagle lectern-0.333
Columbarium niches-0.333
Communion rail-0.333
Communion stationno fit
Communion tableno fitrequired The Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper.
Communion traysno fitexpected The bread and cup are carried to the pews in trays and passed along the rows.
Confessional screenno fit
Coptic cross0
Epitaphios-1
Flaming chalice-1discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
Foot-washing basinsno fit
Haikal screen-1
Iconostasis-1
Immersion font-0.333
Lecternno fit
Litany desk-0.333
Mercy seatno fit
Octagonal stone font-0.333
Paramentsno fit
Pulpitno fitrequired Preaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
Readers' desksno fit
Rood screen-1
Sanctuary lamp-0.333
Tabernacle-0.333
Three-bar cross0
Thurible and standno fit
Music
Brass band stands0
Chanter's stand-0.667
Drum kit+0.167
Electronic organ0
Grand piano+1
Hammond organ0
Handbell table0
Pipe organ-0.167
Sound system+0.167
Upright piano+1expected The congregation expects singing led from a piano.
Decor
Advent wreathno fit
Banner0
Christmas Eve candlesno fit
Cross0
Crucifix-1discouraged This tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix.
Easter liliesno fit
Eternal flameno fit
Flag of the church0
Great dome-0.333
Icon-1discouraged Icons are not part of this tradition's worship.
Memorial plaqueno fit
National flag0
Painting of Christ0
Paschal candleno fit
Plain spireno fit
Small domeno fit
Stained glass window-0.333
Statue-1discouraged Statues are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Steeple and bells-0.333
Votive candle standno fit
Furnishings
Alms boxno fit
Coffee potno fit
Commercial coffee potno fit
Computerno fit
Cribno fit
Deskno fit
Desk chairno fit
Folding tableno fit
Full-length mirrorno fit
Pillar-0.333
Prie-dieu-0.333
Projection screen+0.333
Vestment cabinet-0.333
Wooden tableno fit
Utility
A/V rackno fit
Camerano fit
Cast-iron boilerno fit
Central air conditionerno fit
Commercial HVAC plantno fit
Commercial stoveno fit
Congregation vanno fit
Ductless heat pumpno fit
Electric wall heaterno fit
Gas furnaceno fit
Hearing loopno fit
Liftno fit
Packaged heat pumpno fit
Plumbing stackno fit
Rampno fit
Shuttle busno fit
Sinkno fit
Solar panelsno fit
Stairsno fit
Toiletno fit
Used school busno fit
Wall camerano fit
Window air conditionerno fit
Grounds
Evergreen treeno fit
Flower bedno fit
Fountainno fit
Garden benchno fit
Hedgeno fit
Lychgate-0.333
Playgroundno fit
Shade treeno fit
Standing crossno fit

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Sources

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