Expert: Bruce Gourley - 9/1/2008

Question
i need to know what the difference is between a baptist church and a missionary baptist church. I hope you can help me also what is charismatic.

Answer
Dear Sue,

Most Baptist churches are missionary Baptist churches in the sense that they support mission work.  Some Baptist churches, notably Primitive Baptist Churches, are historically known as anti-missionary churches because they refused to support missions, or at least organized mission work. Today, the word "Missionary" in the name of a church means the congregation supports mission work through sponsoring individual missionaries and/or mission organizations; it does not necessarily indicate which group of Baptists to which the church is affiliated (such as Southern Baptist or Regular Baptist). And just because a church does not include the word "missionary" means little; most of those churches do support mission work.

Charismatic refers to manifestations of the Holy Spirit typically found in Pentecostal churches. Such manifestations may include speaking in tongues, dancing in the church aisles, etc. Few Baptist churches embrace such practices.

Best wishes and God bless,

Bruce Gourley
BaptistLife.Com
BruceGourley.Com