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Myrtle Lake Baptist Church is “Southern Baptist.” Besides striving to be Biblically focused, Southern Baptists are known for their missionary zeal, generous nature, and drawing lines in the sand. Sometimes those lines needed to be drawn, and other times, not so much. We Southern Baptist churches are also known for being rather independent, even if we cooperate, for example, with other Southern Baptist churches to deploy missionaries and support other good works (e.g., click here to see how Southern Baptists responded to hurricane Charley).

Therefore, when you consider any Southern Baptist church as the place where you serve the Lord God Jehovah, it behooves you to ask: What is this Southern Baptist church doing?  This webpage attempts to answer this question for Myrtle Lake Baptist Church. While we believe we have covered most people’s questions below, we would love have your questions as well. Please click here to pose your questions.  And, if possible, we'll add them to the list.

Why Do You Do That?
(Frequently Asked Questions by Visitors to Myrtle Lake Baptist Church)

1. Why does Myrtle Lake Baptist have a “promotion Sunday” for Bible Study in Sunday School classes?
2. Why do you have “Sunday School” for adults?
3. Why does Myrtle Lake Baptist do so many “mission” trips?
4. What is your “Levite” ministry and why do you have it?
5. Why is a “New Members” class a requirement for membership at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church?
6. Why do you require your teachers to complete courses within the Logos Academy?
7. Why do you have “business meetings?”
8. Why do you have “Deacons?” What do they do?
9. Why do you meet three times a week?
10. Why do you immerse people in your baptismal practices instead of sprinkling like many churches?
11. Why is the church building used by community organizations?
12. Why do you do this “word from the Word” in your Sunday morning worship services?
13. Why do you use different translations of the Bible?
14. Why do you have an invitation to respond to the Gospel in just about every worship service?
15. You observe the Lord’s Supper once a month. Why?
16. Why isn't the celebration of Christ's resurrection called “Easter” at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church?
17. Why do you have sports leagues (Upward Soccer, Cheerleading, Basketball)?
18. Why do you have fund raisers at your church?
19. Why do you give to the "Cooperative Program?"

Why does Myrtle Lake Baptist have a “promotion Sunday” for Bible Study in Sunday School classes?
Promotion Sunday is an opportunity for all folks to shift to a different Bible study during Sunday School. For example, all new sixth graders now go to Sarah Fischer’s new class, “TransTeens.” Others may want to try a new teacher; “promotion Sunday” is a good time for people to explore their options. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you have “Sunday School” for adults?
Once, being “well-schooled” was a compliment; now “school” has achieved a diminutive meaning. At Myrtle Lake Baptist, we have Bible study through “Sunday School” because we believe believers need school throughout their life. All universities, for example, offer continuing education classes for everything from photography to calculus. Why shouldn’t believers continue to learn? We get to study the Creator and everything He has revealed to us. Talk about lifelong learning. Indeed. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why does Myrtle Lake Baptist do so many “mission” trips?
Our God is, and always has been, a missionary God—His first commandment was ... create more worshippers (Genesis 1:28). The LORD God said Abraham’s seed has blessed all peoples. God sent Jonah to Nineveh, a bastion of unbelievers. Jeremiah said all who call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. Christ’s last words to His followers: make disciples among all peoples (panta ta eqnh) teaching them to obey everything He commanded. After all, He will be with us, even at the end (Matthew 28:19). We are commanded to evangelize the world. We have a lot of work to do.

God is smart. With obedience to all His commands come blessings, not just to Him as we worship God through our obedience, but to us as we reap the harvest of obedience. God tells us that by sharing our faith, we “will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Philemon 6). When we take the name of Jesus to others, they may be blessed as Holy Spirit determines, but we are unquestionably blessed for only then do we have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you have a “Levite” ministry?
One of the greatest honors is to clean toilets for God. No, we’re not kidding. Think it unimportant? Would you return to a church where their building’s bathrooms were dirty? “If they don’t care about their toilets, will they care about my kids?” Not a fair observation, perhaps, but it is nonetheless how visitors might imagine us to be. 

The Levite ministry is an opportunity for all of us to clean, maintain, and steward the great blessing we have here at MLBC—our facilities. With several thousand square feet (and 31 toilets), there’s lots of work to do. Why not join in—an hour or two every week or so would save a lot of God’s money. You like cleanliness at home—why not at church? Contact Penny Benitez for more information on how you can honor God (PBenitez@MyrtleLake.org).  [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why is a “New Members” class a requirement for membership at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church?
When one becomes a Christian, God adds us to the church universal (Acts 2:47). Scripture also calls on each Christian to associate with a local church, to be helped and to help each other spiritually (Hebrews 10:25). At MLBC, we want all members of our local church to be “up to speed” Biblically—the New Members’ class helps meet that need.

We all must be ready to provide gently and respectfully a reason for our hope. Peter said it this way, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” [1 Peter 3:15]  Note Peter’s conditional presupposition: “Set apart Christ as Lord …” Only with Him as our Master, can we truly give the reason for the hope within us, and do so gently and respectfully. Learn from God—He’s a great teacher. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you require your teachers to complete courses within the Logos Academy?
When one becomes a teacher of the gospel, especially with young Christians (in age or maturity), strict standards come to bear (see James 3:1). Just as we expect our teachers to be on time and prepare well for their classes, we expect them to be “up to speed” Biblically. The Logos Academy helps meet that need. Meeting at different times and days, the Logos Academy provides deeper Bible study than that which is possible in other venues (e.g., Sunday morning). These classes are academically comparable to beginning seminary level classes. Click here for more information. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you have “business meetings?”
How a congregation of God’s people governs their day to day activities has created chagrin throughout church history. For example, in the early church, those widowed believers who had a Greek background were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The church created an organizational mechanism to solve the problem—the deacon.

In the second and subsequent centuries, the Roman style of governance was used as a model for how to conduct church “business.” Hierarchies developed and provided a wide span of control across individual congregations. A common language was proposed and used across most of western Christendom for worship—Latin, the civil language of the Roman empire.

As society moved away from monarchial civil systems, the manner by which churches conducted their activity also changed. Some churches became “board-led;” i.e., a group of elders (aka “pastors”) set policy, hired/fired, and set agendae. Still others elected representatives (presbuteros, presbuteroV) to do “church business.” Other churches, including ours, are “congregational-led,” i.e., the congregation as a whole sets policy, hires/fires, and sets the agenda. Because we hold to a congregational polity tradition, our periodic business meetings serve to inform the congregation and ratify officially our decisions. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you have “Deacons?” What do they do?
The objective of the Deacon Fellowship at Myrtle Lake is to “proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers, care for the church’s members and other persons in the community, to build Christian fellowship among church members, and to serve as an exemplary Christian leader in the church and the community.” [from our By-Laws]

Deacons hold a life-time ministry position. Serving the church not only as Deacons, but also as leaders on committees, many also teach Bible Study in Sunday School and the Logos Academy.  Scripture (cf., Acts 6 and 1 Timothy 3) calls for Deacons to be honest, full of Holy Spirit, wise, faithful, reverent, dependable, temperate, and to understand material wealth. They are bold in and keep the faith, are tested and proved, blameless, care for their family, the husband of one wife, and lead in their homes, among other Godly characteristics.

In some churches, deacons serve the function of “elders;” i.e., they manage the church. At Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, deacons lead by example, not by position. You will have trouble finding a better group of Godly men. Please pray for the men who serve Him and us as Deacons—Bob Davis, Curt Hinson, Michael Maragelis, Max Mustain, Rick Smith, Damon Snyder, Steve Spanger, Walt Wilsky, and Deacon Emeritus, Johnce Lane. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you meet three times a week?
Actually, Myrtle Lake has some ministry going on just about every day of the week. Christians traditionally worship corporately on the first day of the week to commemorate the resurrection of the Christ. Through the centuries, society organized itself around this worship day. Except for critical functions (e.g., police or medical personnel), most “work” activities abated so worship could ensue unabated. Taking advantage of that trend, Christians would often meet all day, and then later with more efficient transportation systems, take a break and meet again during the evening. During the 19th century, many saw a need for more prayer and dedicated a mid-week service to that ministry and other activities.

America’s relentless secularization has prompted many churches to cancel Sunday evening services, and to reduce Sunday morning service length. For many, Sunday as a day of worship has become merely a day where a socially appropriate appearance is made at church—on the way to the beach, ball game, or couch.

Myrtle Lake is proud to be “old-school” in its worship opportunities, yet 21st century in its outlook—we believe the time is now to challenge the world with the gospel of our Christ. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you immerse people in your baptismal practices instead of sprinkling like many churches?
Baptism, like the Lord’s Supper, is a very special and sacred ordinance of the church. We recognize from Scripture that people then were actually immersed (e.g., Philip and the Ethiopian, Acts 8:39). We also know from history that sprinkling became common practice several hundred years later because infants were baptized (sprinkled) as a way of signifying civil citizenship by church membership. As a result, who and why one is baptized became a theological touchstone for many Christians. We believe only professed believers can be truly baptized because baptism signifies the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. Furthermore, it is commanded by our Lord, for He Himself was baptized “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why is the church building used by community organizations?
Our buildings are a gift from God through which we can serve the community and thereby honor the Christ. It is an honor, for example, to assist local homeowner associations, scouting programs and artists who provide concerts to support Habitat for Humanity. Since we pay no state or local taxes, the least we can do is assist our community by providing them venues for their meetings, concerts, and activities. Good citizens honor and glorify our Savior. We evangelize by word and deed. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you use different translations of the Bible?
This is an excellent question for many claim there is a “correct” translation. All translations have problems—in their attempt to be easy to read, some translations leave out some of the meaning of the original Aramaic, Hebrew, or Greek languages used by the human authors. The language of other translations is sometimes so lofty and beautiful, it often not only misses the meaning of the original language, it is also hard to understand. Still others are not translations at all, but re-wordings of translated Scriptures (paraphrases). 

Each translation reflects the work of different groups of scholars, and as such each translation gives different perspectives on the Scriptures—such differences are a rich source of insight into what God is revealing to us.  Remember, you're trying to understand God's will, not what a particular group of scholars came to agree upon. Compare and contrast translations, check out the original language and its meanings for those for whom the text was originally written--Holy Spirit will reward you with new insights for His will for you today; He is, after all, the real Author of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21).

Worried about using a translation instead of reading the Scripture in the original language? Don’t. Our Lord and Savior used a Greek translation (the LXX Septuagint) of the Scriptures, for example, to support His claim to deity. Learn from different translations, and don’t become “addicted” to just one. Click here for more information about translations. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you have an invitation to respond to the Gospel in just about every worship service?
Unfortunately, an opportunity to respond publicly to the Gospel has become an endangered tradition within many evangelical churches. For the church at Myrtle Lake Baptist, we believe Holy Spirit works on people in many different ways. Thus, we believe that whenever the gospel is shared, a clear means by which people can respond should be presented. Sometimes people need to acknowledge publicly that Jesus the Christ is their master and savior. Often people need the prayers of the congregation as they face spiritual, physical, or financial trials. People often use this time to announce their desire to join the local membership of His church at Myrtle Lake Baptist. Finally, still others use this time to show publicly that they are seeking God to re-dedicate their life to His service.

All of these needs can be met through “extending an invitation.” After all, Jesus Himself said, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33) [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

You observe the Lord’s Supper once a month. Why?
While the Scriptures do not stipulate how often the Lord’s Supper is observed, they do speak to the import of its observance (1 Corinthians 11:20ff). In the early church, some Christians observed the Lord’s Supper daily, some every Sunday, and in other instances, only once a year near Passover. Also called “Communion,” “the Eucharist,” or the “Last Supper,” Myrtle Lake traditionally observes the Lord’s Supper on the last Sunday of the month. Like Baptism, the Lord’s Supper is a very special and sacred ordinance of the church. [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you do this “word from the Word” in your Sunday morning worship services?
We have the privilege of worshiping a God who does not keep His will secret. He is not a God who needs to prove His sovereignty by being secretive, or capricious. As His creation, we learn the Word (logoV) not only by His proclamation, but also by His teaching through Bible study classes on Sunday morning. With a better understanding of God’s word, the Word can become part of us. “A word from the Word” reminds Christ’s church at Myrtle Lake that what we‘ve studied this week has special significance and deserves our appreciation of and obedience to Whom we have been studying. “A word from the Word” reminds us of the purpose of God’s revealed word—to teach us about the ultimate revealed Word, Jesus the Christ.  [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why isn't the celebration of Christ's resurrection called Easter at Myrtle Lake Baptist Church?
While the precise etymology is unknown, scholars accepting the derivation proposed by the 8th-century English scholar St. Bede, believe it probably comes from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility, to whom was dedicated a month corresponding to April. Her festival was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox. Traditions associated with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and in colored Easter eggs, originally painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring, and now used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as gifts.

Early Christians began celebrating the Resurrection at the time of the Passover, but to distinguish themselves from their Jewish roots, they began their celebration a week later. As the years continued, the German Teutonic tradition’s dependence on the lunar calendar served to “date” when Resurrection Sunday should be celebrated. For example, in 2009 we celebrated the Resurrection following the actual Passover, April 8.

So, should you wish people, “Happy Easter?” Of course, but bunnies aside, take the time to remind them Who was resurrected, and why! You’ll be blessed, and so will they.  [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]

Why do you have sports leagues (Upward Soccer, Cheerleading, Basketball)?
Children learn by doing, not just by sitting in a classroom. Our children will be reared by our culture, or by God. Whoever reaches them first, gets our children. Upward Soccer, or Upward Cheerleading or Upward Basketball, for example, represent our efforts to introduce Christ to our kids—they get to see Christ in their coach who prays for their success, as people and as players. They get to see Christ in referees who teach the game, not by fiat, but by patient instruction. They get to see Christ in their fellow players who cheer goals or great effort—even if accomplished by an opposing team member. We introduce Jesus the Christ by creating opportunities to serve through sports. We are Myrtle Lake Baptist Church, ‘the church who cares.’ [Back to "Why Do You Do That?"]