Missionary Baptist churches are spread across America and other continents. The membership of the church is drawn from people of all walks of life thus demonstrating the spread of the congregants globally. The Missionary Baptist congregations trace their history from the medieval times of the nineteenth century. The origin of the name of missionary originated from Africans who prior to the shift to the western hemisphere had their knowledge about God highlighted to them to them by the missionaries. The use of the terms missionary helped to identify the traits of the congregations; such churches attracted Africans because it had a great connection with their place of origin. The congregation has evolved over time with wrangles over the management constantly leading to split with each congregation maintaining the title but adding a few other words. Today, the missionary Baptist congregation attracts members from nearly all part of the globe and people of all walks welcomed.
The study will seek to explore the general nature of the missionary congregations, their culture and system of worship. The study will also focus on identifying the key attributes that distinguish a member of the Missionary Baptist Congregation from the other congregants.
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Literature Review
The Missionary Baptist churches stood the test of time despite the emergence of the Protestant churches that are dynamic enough to align with the changes taking place in the society. The Missionary Baptist Congregations are moderate conservatives. Despite the wrangles that encountered the church in its history, the belief that Jesus Christ was the founder of the church and upon his departure, he left the missionaries to carry on with his work, has never changed. Feddoes, 1996, argues that Missionary Baptist Churches is well organized with the president as the supreme leaders of the church and the highest priest directing the missionary activities of the church worldwide. The bureaucracy of the church is effective, however, the benefits of enjoyed by those in power have been the cause of wrangles experienced in the church over the years. According to Evans, 2002, the Missionary Baptist churches have diversified their activities beyond the spiritual nourishment especially in the recent time. To create a true culture of the church, the offers a mentoring training program where adult members of the churches serve as the mentor to the children. Young members of the church grow with a full understanding of their expectations in the church as well as adopt leadership practices that are in tandem with the values of the churches.
In the culture of the Missionary Baptist Church, leadership is of essentials considering that the institutions still attempts to imitate the behavior and the traits of Jesus while he was still on earth. In that regard, those in leadership are given special treatment and privileges as a means of keeping in a better position to marshal the missionaries of Christ to the right course. However, Raggins, 2000, cautions that leadership wrangles tend to emerge in the church because of the special privileges accorded to the leadership. The deliberate bias to favor some leaders for the purpose of serving the congregation is sometimes mistaken or misinterpreted by other leaders. Similarly, human being naturally jealous may develop insistent urge also to enjoy the position of power. Raggins, 2002, further notes that, the leadership of the church shifted from the traditional means and approach of anointment to appointment and election. The lost of spiritual powers to the help in the process of ushering new leadership has contributed to the challenges experienced in the church.
Over the years, the church has demonstrated great resilience because of the outside interferences. The Missionary Baptist Churches has faced brats of political differences in the country which have threatened to derail the noble course of the religious institutions (Clinton, 1996). The church has also added its voices in the increasing social and political challenges facing the society. In the United States, the progress of the Missionary Baptist Churches has been derailed by the racial and religious problems where their institutional facilities are destroyed. Another interesting perspective of the church is that despite the challenges and atrocities that it faces, it has never dropped its practice of baptism as a means of recruitment an individual to the mission. Harless & Church, 2017, note that baptism by immersion in water is history old practice that the members of the church derived from the teachings of Jesus. Through immersion in water, one becomes purified off their sins and proclaims their acceptance to God's will. Through baptism, one lives the old self and becomes a new being committed to the divine course of the church.
The Missionary Baptist churches are sacred especially to the people of color who understood the suffering that their forefather went through in the quest for emancipation and role played by the church in advancing that course. Rutherford, 2016, notes that over 150 years since the construction of the Second Baptist Missionary church, the congregation believes God inspired the choice of its location and timing of construction because it served in advancing the course of the people of color. It is the efforts and commitment of the blacks slaves that despite the suffering that they were going through, they managed to find time and resources to erect a facility to ease themselves in the time of prayer.
Methods
In the collection of data, the sample drawn from a Missionary Baptist congregation was subjected to various techniques to record their view on the issue under study. Participant observation was used to collect about the group. In the process of obtrusive participant observation, there was interaction with the participants as well as visiting with their religious location in attempts to collect the best available information. In-depth interviews were also used especially in collecting the views of leaders and the elderly members of the church who have a better understanding of the history of the church. The interview process provided after the consent only to carry interview on the history of the church was granted. Participant observation was done in the places of worship. The entire data collection was carried on the 14th and16th September 2018 at a Missionary Baptist Church.
Findings
The church is located next to the school and within a within a walking from the nearby neighborhoods. The presence of parking space in the church showed that the congregation was not drawn from the local area but also some distance from the church. The church attracted individuals from different walks of life and the brands of cars in the parking showed that the congregation is of mixed economic strength. The church has no formal dressing ethics; people wore in accordance with their choices. However, many people were in their casual wear with the young members of the congregation mostly in jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. For the mature congregants, men were in contrast to the young people, they were dressed in suits while women in dresses. There were more women and men in the church service. Also observable was the conspicuous high number of African Americans than the white race.
The Missionary Baptist church prefers to worship in large numbers, the church was expansive able to accommodate several hundreds of people. People attended the service in the company of their families. In the process of the services, the congregation is involved both emotionally and physically. There were loud ululations, jovial jitters and near violent body movement during the service. The behavior of the people is not unison, some remained seated throughout the service because of ailing health and they were distanced from the jovial congregations. Nearly every person seemed to have the knowledge of the programme and all other activities taking place seemed to be recited from the memory. The members of the congregation seemed to have at least a brief knowledge of each member of the church as at the end people were having a tee-a-tee with nearly everyone in the vicinity. Another aspect observed the clear organization during the services, some ushers seemed to manage all the affairs and respond call by members of the congregation. At the entrance of the church before the service begun, ushers greeted the all who came to the services and ushered new faces to their respective seated.
The worship of the church seemed a known routine by the congregation because at times would stand long before they are requested. The design of the church was such that it lacks serious décor. Inside was a simple color only punctuated with a few quotes on righteousness and the Glory Of God. While adults were self-restraint to maintain the highest degree of humility, children were granted the freedom. At some point, babies would cry while kids are running and playing during the course of the service. People were seated together, the individual had their preferred position; there are those who choose to enjoy seats close to the pulpit, others sat at the back or in the middle rows. In the church, people of color sat next to the white people. The seating was arranging not also obey the gender differences, both men and women sat together on the benches. Some sat as a family they way that came to the church. The wooden benches were long enough to accommodate at least 8people.
It church service is run by the church leaders who persons some of the integral activities on the service. His action determines the next action the congregation takes. The leader establishes the preacher of the day and may enjoy the discretion of selecting the bible verses to be read as the preached seemed to have consulted him several times before taking to the pulpit. The preaching assumed formal tone and language and had clarity for every person to understand. At some point in the services, there was a collection made by the audiences and the ushers facilitated the process such that it took just a couple of minutes before every person made theirs.
The churches opened their doors to all who seek to quench their spiritual thirst. No one is asked able their reason for coming or their background. However, sometimes ushers seek to introduce new members to the congregation as a way of making them known or feeling appreciated.
Discussion
In most Missionary Baptists churches the feeling the connection with the African American is still strong despite the society has made significant strides in the fight against racism. The finding of the study that African American outnumbers other races the Missionary Baptist and the fact that even the old African Americans attend the service in the company of the young generation is a demonstration that African Americans feel the sentimental attachment to the church. As Rutherford, 2016, noted, the second Missionary Baptist church still strong that African American fill the church every single service because the building serves one of the existing miracles to have happened in the course of the struggle for emancipation. The church as remains very popular among the Americans of African descent because of the feeling of the entitlement and honor of the effort of their forefathers. The fact that the old generation is accompanying the young generation to the church, demonstrates that Africans Americans are not ready to let go one of the symbols of their connection and appreciation to their ancestors. The composition of the church still expresses the distrust among races that long way the society still has in the quest of diffusing racial tensions.
The issue of leadership of the Missionary Baptist Congregation has been observed as that which rest on the specific individuals. While the study falls short of highlighting the processes of anointing or selection of a new leader, it was observed that the church leader enjoys many prerogatives to decide some of the activities of the church, however, their powers are limited by the fact that the church as an established doctrine of worship. The finding of the study is in line with the works of Ragin, 2000, who held the view that sometimes the church might deliberately select one of its leaders to enhance his skills for the betterment of the church. The fact that church leaders enjoy some discretionary confirms the fear made the Ragins, 2000, that leadership wrangles might engulf the church because of the discontent by some of the members. The case of Missionary Baptist Congregation reflects the present state of churches in the society. Unlike in the past when leadership was through anointment, today's churches seemed to have adopted the political approach such as democracy to choose between theirs. Therefore, the process of selecting new leaders live the church divided and leaders not respected by all.
The Missionary Baptist Congregation is very conservative. The fact that it was observed across several churches that most of the doctrines are similar shows that the church has not left its medieval practices. The findings of the study are line with Harless & Church, 2017, who argued that the conservative practices of the old church such as the baptism by immersion are still carried on. Interestingly, from the design of the church, aspects of conservatism are quite conspicuous. The church has managed to resist the temptation of the contemporary and modern décor. The churches visited had no decoration on the wall; the benches assumed the traditional décor with the seating arranging perfectly matching the second Missionary Baptist church building over 150 years ago. Moreover, the fact the congregation has the mastery of the prayers, doctrine and routine of the church is sure demonstration that the Missionary church has maintained its old practices as a means of keeping its audience. According to Harless & Church, 2017, the insistence of the church to the medieval practices is derived from the desire to attempt to relive the life of Jesus Christ and his missionaries. Similarly, the same old practices are the foundation of the church and therefore, losing is equal to losing detachment with the history.
The composition of the congregation such that different social class, economic status and political persuasion of trace all converged under one roof is a demonstration that the American society is deeply religious. The study observed through the types and brands of motor vehicles parked at the church as well as the humongous size of the church and its proximity to the residence that people of a different social class visit the church. The church, like it was in the nineteenth century, continues to be the destination where people from all walks of life could find spiritual comfort. As Feddoes, 1996, noted that the Missionary Baptist churches have given refuge to many people who feel disturbs, today, the church has continued to perform the same noble course. In the past, African Americans were allowed to build their church and despite the intense suffering and pain, they managed to leave that continues to serve even today. While the society changed tremendously, the challenges facing humanity has also changed. At least every person whether wealthy or influential has a word to tell the creator every single day.
The Missionary Baptist churches have remained very defiant in the face of increased competition and challenges in their normal operation. It was observed that within the vicinity of the church were other churches which good be heard worshiping in loud tones. The observation affirms the argument by Clinton, 1996, that the church has demonstrated great bravery in standing against divisive cases of race and religion and remained resilience in the face of the increased racism, religious intolerance the discrimination. The churches have come out the institution that is moderate and tolerates both extremes. The fact that the churches constitute of people from different background and one does not have to reveal their identities to worship is a perfect illustration that the religious institutions can offer the home and comfort to people of diverse background. However, this assertion opposes the argument by Rutherford, 2016, that the Missionary Baptist churches provide the solace and feel belonging to the people of color more than other races. The perspective is different because while the African identifies themselves with the church because of the perceived historical significance, the present church is concerned more with the fulfillment of the spiritual needs of the congregation.
Next offering and tithe collection is history old practice influenced by the need to help the poor and contribute towards the support of the activities of the God. In the past, individual contributed to the offering basket and paid their tithe because of the persona drive. In the past, offering and tithe were in the form of agricultural produce or any other aspect that had their disposal and felt the need to share with the culture. However, today, the congregation makes nearly all its contribution through money. Giving an offering is a doctrine that the culture as carried over the years, however, its continued practice in modern society has led to the many conflicts in the church. Leadership wrangles may arise in the church due to the desire to control massive resources contributed by the congregants. Feddoes, 1996, assertion that centralized leadership system of the Missionary Baptist Congregation puts its President in control of huge resources. As human beings have demonstrated several times in the history that the can do all within their means to get power, the problems are most likely to be experienced in the churches.
It was observed that parents do not let their children at home when they coming for the church even though some are too young to notice the uniqueness of their environment or adhere to unwritten rules of the churches. Children were running around the church making loud noises while the infants were crying. The presence of children in the church and their children to come with them always is necessitated by the need to have them grow in good morals. In the history or religion, the church serves as the breeding ground for good morals and who spent they are, are assured to have their thinking influenced. Evans, 2002, affirmed the role of the church in developing the moral persuasion of the children. Evans, 2002, notes that Missionary Baptist Church of the state of Georgia has invested in developing a training program within the church to help adults mentor the members of the society. In the same way, the young get the privilege of choosing their mentors for the guidance in all respects of the church. The church becomes a proper breeding ground for the moral values of the society because it is expected to be beyond reproach in compromising the values.
Finally, a religious service for the Missionary Baptist Churches involved nearly every aspect of the body. There is an invocation of emotional, spiritual fulfillment which triggers physical body response. In such a religious setting, individuals come to speak out their creator and the doctrines of the church allow the congregation to praise their God in their most preferred approach. In behavior portrayed by the congregation is in line with some of the traditional means of prayers. The Missionary Baptist that respects the freedom of worship of each individual as established in the law. Generally, the conservative nature of the church allowed such old practices to continue featuring their services. Harless & Church, 2017, point that the baptism culture remains so strong because to emphasize individual's need to realize the spiritual nourishment and be at liberty to praise God in which way they deem appropriate.
Conclusion
The Missionary Baptist church traces its origin and practices from the nineteenth century. The church enjoys massive following from the African Americans considering that efforts made by the public population in the construction of the church despite the strong slavery. The continued membership of the church drawn from the black population is beyond the religious perspective as it a border more in the feeling of entitlement and desire to stay in connection with the ancestor. The fact that people from other races do not account for the large number shows that other social challenges such as racial discrimination not yet adequately tackled. The study also affirmed that the Missionary Baptist churches are conservative and such traits are what keep it relevant in the present society. The church has maintained doctrines that were practiced in the past and approach the church to continue appealing to their fan base across the society. The construction and décor of the church building, as well as the design of the furniture help, underscore the need to maintain the old medieval environment and allows the congregants to feel the sacredness of the environment.
Leadership is another aspect that influences the operations and the general affairs of the church. It is only through factors such leadership that the Missionary Baptist Church shows its deviation from the conservative inclination. Unchecked powers of the leadership of the church can trigger conflict and disagree in the church. Over the years, the church as served as the sole institution in the society where good and acceptable morals standards adhere. The Missionary Baptist Church allows for the spiritual guidance and moral developments of its members. The church advises children to take to the church to help in transforming into good Christians and also prepare them for future leadership. The study was limited specific church; future studies should consider researching on the general impact of the church on social problems such as racism discrimination among and historical injustice. The study will add to the current studies, a unique understanding of the culture of the Missionary Baptist Congregation.
References
Clinton, William. 1996. Remarks at the Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Fruitland, Tennessee. Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents , 32 (34),
EVANS, Diane. 2002. A Mentoring Training Program Comprising Senior Adult Mentors And Young Adult Mentorees At The Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church of Sylvania, Georgia. Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN)
Feddoes, Simon. 1996. Empire Baptist Missionary to host annual convention. New York Amsterdam News , p. 9.
Harless, J. D., &, Tri-county Christian Church. 2017. Why Baptism. Resource .
Ragins, Lewis. 2000. Equipping Selected  Church Leaders To Develop A Biblically Sound Organizational Structure For The Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, Gulfport, Mississippi . Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN)
Rutherford, Lauren. 2016. “Second Missionary Baptist Church Reflects on 150 Years of Rich History.” Vox Magazine .
