National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This past Sunday I visited a small Primitive Baptist church in Bowling Green, Florida, called Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church.  The church is part of the black community in our area and part of a larger black denomination of Primitive Baptists. Unfortunately, like many black denominations, the National Primitive Baptists have adopted a more Arminian Baptist approach and some aspects of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement, including the laying on of hands for healing and speaking in tongues. While I did not observe any of this first hand, the pastor did drop several oblique references to such beliefs and practices. 

The National Primitive Baptist Convention is Primitive Baptist in name only and is no longer in fellowship with the old line Primitive Baptists.  I did notice that this church uses grape juice for communion rather than wine as they had a bottle of Welches' grape juice under a clear glass covering on the communion table.  Truly old line Primitive Baptists do not have Sunday school and they advocate what is commonly called "hardshell" Calvinism, including absolute predestination and the five points of Calvinism.  Also, Primitive Baptists use fermented wine for communion, which takes place usually about once a year.

On the positive side, I did meet several folks I knew from my past, including Russell Snelling.  Living in a small community like Bowling Green everyone knows something about most of the other residents if not everyone.  

Needless to say I cannot endorse this church since it is no longer Calvinist but would fall more into the broadly Evangelical category, including semi-Arminianism. 

You can read more about the National Primitive Baptist Convention here:  National Primitive Baptist Convention of the U.S.A. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia