Frankly, we have an image problem.
The problem is this - some people are confused with strange ideas about who we are as a church. It's like being introduced at a party by the name of a distant cousin you haven't seen in years. You smile, then you explain who you really are.
There are many brands of Baptists - twenty-five different groups in addition to hundreds of independent churches, all called Baptist. Only one is called The American Baptist Churches in the USA. The ABCUSA, that's our affiliation.
If you've seen one Baptist...all you've seen is one Baptist! Especially if your idea of what a Baptist church is comes from what you've seen on TV where the image may blur during the hard sell. Such excesses dog a tradition that has been both warmly evangelical and accepting of other traditions.
In our church, our worship services are casual but reverent, thoughtful, and allow plenty of room for the Holy Spirit to move among us.
We take risks on the side of freedom of conscience and of local church autonomy rather than taking cover in inflexible creeds and denominational rules. That's part of our uniqueness and our appeal to many people.
(adapted from the First Baptist Church of Worcester, MA)
