We Don’t Want Those Snake Handlers in Our Neighborhood!
Part Four of Stories as Told to or Experienced by George Bullard
One part of starting new Southern Baptist churches north of the Mason-Dixon Line was the acquiring of an existing building—often a church building—or purchasing land and constructing a new building.
Purchasing land usually involved a hearing before a planning or zoning commission.
It was typical for neighborhood residents to show up with questions and issues about traffic, easements, noise, security, utilities, property values, etc.
I am concerned about those same things where I live.
The unusual popped up when they found out the proposed church was Southern Baptist. In the 1960s very little information was known about Southern Baptists north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Therefore, whatever their suspicions or misconceptions were came out during the zoning hearing.
Perhaps the most unusual was the opposition to having a snake handling church in their neighborhood.
Yes, this happened. Some northerners wrongfully assumed Southern Baptists were snake handlers.
The fear raised by the snake handling opposition was enough to get the zoning for a church denied in one case. The protest was so strong and would not be satisfied with facts, that the church had to abandon the purchase of the land.
Zoning opposition was not the only barrier facing church planting north of the Mason-Dixon line. Many other issues out of a lack of knowledge or fear hindered new SBC churches.
The Banking Hurdle
In the Philadelphia area as many other areas in the northeast, local or regional bank officers often did not know about Southern Baptists.
Acquiring property and constructing buildings often called for interim financing of some type. It was necessary to establish a relationship with a local or regional bank to help with this financing.
During our first few months in Philadelphia, my father reached out to a regional bank to discuss this issue. The bank vice president he talked with was cordial but said he had either never heard of Southern Baptists or was not familiar enough with them to know of their financial stability.
At the end of their first conversation, my father suggested he do some research about Southern Baptists and their financial standing, and my father would return in a few weeks for a further conversation. The bank vice president agreed.
Let’s remember, this was 1965. Several decades before the needed financial information was simply an Internet search. It took the bank officer a while to get the information needed and to have conversations with people higher up in his bank.
When my father returned several weeks later for a second appointment, the bank vice president was delighted to talk with him. He said the bank would be happy to work with Southern Baptist churches and indicated some very favorable terms.
The bank officer also realized that churches would open accounts with his bank for their regular banking needs, and even some members might open accounts with the bank.
It was a win-win!
As with neighborhoods and zoning boards, every new community and commercial relationship took some prayerful action, patience, and competence in networking and dealing with people in authority.
It took many years for Southern Baptists to spread the Good News as the Book of Acts tells us—unhinderedly.
Next Post In this Series: Seeing Church Opportunities Established Churches and Denominations Do Not See
Part One Post: Reflections on Southern Baptist Missions Efforts North of the Mason-Dixon Line
Part Two Post: Starting Churches in Motel Bedrooms North of the Mason-Dixon Line
Part Three Post: Looking for North Carolina License Plates North of the Mason-Dixon Line
George, I don’t recall any SBC church in MI being considered a snake handling church. But as I mentioned earlier, neighbor kids thought our Southern Baptist females wore long dresses/skirts and no make up. Might have been some. But independent Fundamentalist Baptists were more likely to fit that image.
I chuckled at “ The protest was so strong and would not be satisfied with facts…” because we’re still having trouble being satisfied with facts today!