Brookland Baptist Church — Local services in West Columbia

I've been a member of the Brookland Baptist Church for over two years and now I'm currently looking for another church. As God has increased my understanding and allowed me to grow spiritually, I feel compelled to give an honest review. I'm not reviewing as an outsider with a vendetta against a mega church, but as a member who has reasonably come to the conclusion that there is something wrong in this church.

Scroll down and look at some of the other reviews. Most of them will praise things like the banquet and conference center or the size of the church. These are things that don't really have anything to do with growing people spiritually or advancing The Kingdom of God. The B&C center is boasted as an example of financial empowerment for the community. It sounds good to financially empower the community, but what good is it to encourage business at the conference center when your Sunday School and Bible Study classes are bare? Especially when compared to the number of members that attend. They won't go to Sunday School but will pack out the B&C center because it's encouraged from the pulpit.

The danger of focusing on things that sound good like "financial empowerment" is that it twists the congregations understanding of God into a deity that only exists to provide us material success. Keep in mind that this is the same God that tells us not to store up treasures on Earth but store them in Heaven. He also informs us that our heart is where our treasure is. (Matthew 6: 19-21) And what happens when we inevitably face the trials of life with an incomplete understanding of who God is? We no longer have faith in Him because we've been taught our purpose is to be "financially empowered" . There's a difference between something being good and something being of God.

Material success is proudly taught here and scripture like Psalm 1: 3 is twisted to show how God wants us to prosper materially. A sermon referencing this scripture was one of many preached to manipulate people into giving money to the youth and teens center they want to build.

The reason I use the the word manipulate is because it has become obvious that there is an ulterior motive in the messages. Selling 50 dollar t-shirts to raise money then requiring people to wear them on select Sundays to show how much they "believe". This might seem innocent if it wasn't also announced from the pulpit how much money the Deacons had donated and how many had not donated. It was also required that the Deacons who donated a specific amount to wear special ties to show it. Embarrassing others into doing what you want is basic control and manipulation.

Please know that our God does not have to control, manipulate or trick anyone into accomplishing His will! The word tells us that He ensures that His word is fulfilled (Jeremiah 1:12) Again a youth and teen center is GOOD but manipulating people and scripture to get it is not GOD.

The lack of teaching has made the Brookland Baptist Church into little more than a social club where people go to check off that they went to church that week and then , go eat and socialize at the B&C center. There are good people there, but the church is called to be so much more than a collection of good people. Please read Ephesians 4:11-16.

So for anyone who is considering attending Brookland or any church for that matter. Ensure that it is a place that encourages you to mature spiritually and the teaching aligns with the word of God. This will require you to study on your own and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. Only then will you see the truth.

If you're only looking for a church to go to just to say you went to church that week, I encourage you to get serious about your walk with Christ. Time is running out.

I posted this because it's the truth and it needs to be shown. It's time our churches shifted from glorifying ourselves and moved to TRULY advancing The...

We recently had to lay a friend to rest and this establishment handled the entire situation very poorly. I won't even discuss the amount of money that was required for the service, even though the family of my friend is part of the church. Last names were mispronounced by the higher-ups who KNEW the survivors, and the deceased had adopted children that were tossed to the side and was treated poorly at this event too. All that money was paid for a beautiful service, and there was very little that was beautiful about it. My friend was disrespected very badly, and she told me before she departed to always speak my mind and here I am. This establishment should be ashamed to represent the word and Love of Jesus Christ Almighty himself, yet deny the dead any peace at this establishment. If you are the owner and you read this and you would let me to explain further, I will gladly do so. Please do not trust this place with the care of a loved one. You will be sorely disappointed, and there isn't a do over. You cannot just retake a funeral. Very...

I know no church is absolutely perfect, but as 2nd Timothy 4:2 states, there is still a need for rebuke and reproof. I don’t agree with Brookland Baptist supporting the divine nine organizations or any sorority or fraternity; they are not of God because they’re tied to occultism and idolatry. Please do the research, and ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you the truth about them.

The messages mostly every Sunday are more like motivational speeches sometimes containing worldly controversial opinions. In these last and evil days, we need meat from the Word of God instead of milk. It’s good to motivate the saints in Christ but there is also room where the saints need to hear the things that are truly important, especially to those who are new to the faith. I pray that the leadership of Brookland Baptist truly seeks God to show how they can be and do better spiritually because there...