Baptists scholars are not in agreement regarding Baptist origins. There are three basic theories.
1. The Jerusalem-Jordan-John theory. This view—common among Landmark Baptists—says that Baptists have existed ever since the days of John the Baptist’s ministry along the Jordan River in the first century.1 If this theory is correct, then the Baptist church long predates the emergence of Protestantism. The problem with this theory is that it lacks convincing historical support. Certainly Baptists and the first-century church share some similar beliefs, but this does not prove a direct line of descent.
2. The Anabaptist spiritual kingship theory. This theory seeks to trace a spiritual relationship from the long line of Anabaptist sects—including the German, Dutch, and Swiss Anabaptists, the Waldensians and Petrobrusians, the Henricians, the Novations, and the Donatists—to modern-day Baptists.2 Anabaptists are so-named because they required that those who were baptized as infants be rebaptized as adults following a profession of faith.
The problem with this theory is that Baptists have long disagreed with key theological positions held by the Anabaptists.
Baptists have not shared with Anabaptists the latter’s aversion to oath-taking and holding public office. Neither have they adopted the Anabaptists’ doctrine of pacifism, or their theological views concerning the Incarnation, soul sleeping, and the necessity of observing an apostolic succession in the administration of baptism.3
Such factors make a direct lineage from the Anabaptists to the Baptists unlikely.
3. The English Separatist descent theory. According to this view, the Baptists emerged out of certain seventeenth-century English Separatist groups that had a congregational polity, believed the church should be made up of only a regenerate membership, and considered believers’ (adult) baptism alone as valid according to the Scriptures.4 The theology of the early Baptists supports this third theory.
John Smyth (1570–1612) founded the first Baptist church on English soil in 1611, the same year the King James Version was produced. These first Baptists were Arminian in their theology, emphasizing that Christ died for all people and that salvation was possible for all. These early Baptists were appropriately called General Baptists (salvation was generally available to all people).
Doctrine
Explanation
election based on foreknowledge
God elected those whom He foreknew would, of their own free wills, believe in Christ and persevere in the faith.
unlimited atonement
In His atonement, Christ provided redemption for all humankind, making all humans saveable. Christ’s atonement becomes effective only in those who believe.
Humans cannot save themselves; the Holy Spirit must effect the new birth.
prevenient grace
Prevenient grace from the Holy Spirit enables a person to respond to the gospel and cooperate with God in salvation.
conditional perseverance
Believers have been empowered to live victoriously, but they are capable of turning from grace and losing salvation.
Later, in the 1630s, Particular Baptist churches emerged in England, teaching that Christ died only for the elect and that salvation was not possible for all people. (Salvation was limited to particular individuals.) This viewpoint—called “limited atonement”—is associated with the teachings of John Calvin (1509–1564). Theological controversy between Calvinism and Arminianism has continued to the present day.
Doctrine
Explanation
total depravity
Humans are not completely devoid of good impulses, but every human is engulfed in sin to such a degree that he or she can do nothing to earn merit before God.
unconditional election
God’s choice of certain persons to salvation does not depend on any foreseen virtue on their part but rather is based on His sovereignty.
Christ’s atoning death was only for the elect.
irresistible grace
Those whom God has chosen for eternal life will, as a result of God’s irresistible grace, come to faith and thus to salvation.
perseverance of the saints
Those who are genuine believers will endure in the faith to the end.
The earliest Baptist churches on American soil were founded by Roger Williams (Providence, Rhode Island, 1639) and John Clarke (Newport, Rhode Island, 1648). By the 1680s, the Baptists had infiltrated the middle colonies, and in 1714 the first Baptist church was founded in the South. As was true in England, these first Baptist churches in America were Arminian in theology. They believed people were given a free will by God so they could freely choose for or against the gospel, as opposed to the strict predestination view of Calvinists.
With the passing of time, through the 1700s and after, the Baptists experienced tremendous growth. By the time of the American Revolution, they were the third-largest grouping of denominations in the colonies. Their growth was largely the result of their appeal to the lower class. Presently Baptists are the second-largest Christian family in the United States, second only to Roman Catholicism.
Distinctive Ideas in Baptist Churches
• Baptists have traditionally emphasized that only baptisms of adult converts are valid.
• Some Baptist churches are Calvinistic and some are Arminian.
• Some Baptist churches hold that Christ died only for the elect. Others hold that Christ died for all people.
• Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.
• There is a very strong emphasis on evangelism and missions.
• Local churches are autonomous.
Founded: 1924
Members: 80,000
Congregations: 1850
Beginnings
The American Baptist Association is a fellowship of Missionary Baptist churches who hold to distinctive “Landmark” theology (see “Beliefs” below). These Landmark believers stood against the convention system in general and the policies of the Southern Baptist Convention in particular. In the early 1920s, Southern Baptist Convention loyalists were committed to the empowerment of the convention, whereas Landmark believers argued for a stronger emphasis on the local church. They believed that missionary work—indeed, the fulfillment of the Great Commission—was to be accomplished through local churches and not a convention board. Conventions, they believed, should be servants of the local churches, controlled by the local churches. Each local church should be absolutely sovereign regarding its own doings. The idea of an ecclesiastical authority higher than local congregations was viewed as patently unbiblical.
In view of all this, an attempt was made to convert the Southern Baptist Convention to Landmark views in its missions work. Their failed attempt led to their decision to associate together in the American Baptist Association in 1924.
Beliefs
The Bible. The entire Bible is inspired by God and is inerrant and infallible. It is the all-sufficient rule for faith and practice.
God. God is a personal triune being. Each of the three persons in the Godhead are equal in every divine perfection. The Father is the divine Creator.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is absolute Deity. In the Incarnation, He was born of a virgin, led a sinless life, suffered a substitutionary death on the cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts sinners, regenerates believers, indwells them, and seals them for salvation.
Sin and salvation. Our original parents fell into sin by voluntary transgression, resulting in all humans being born in sin. Salvation is available by faith in Christ based on God’s grace. All who trust in Jesus are secure in their salvation.
The church. Jesus Himself established the church. In keeping with Landmark beliefs, the church is always a local, visible assembly of scripturally baptized believers who are in a covenant relationship with God to carry out the Great Commission. Local churches and the kingdom of God are essentially the same. Only Baptist churches are true churches. A direct succession of Missionary Baptist churches stretches from the time of Christ and the apostles to the present day.
Pastors can be ordained only in legitimate Baptist churches. Only valid ministers can administer the Lord’s Supper and baptism. Each church is autonomous and is responsible to Christ alone, not to a convention. The two officers of the church are pastor and deacon, both of which must be men. Church government is congregational. The association meets annually.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and is for penitent believers. It must be administered in a scriptural Baptist church to be legitimate. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s death and is restricted to church members. Non-Baptists cannot participate.
The end times. Christ will one day come again personally and visibly. At His return, the righteous will be resurrected. Following the millennium, the unrighteous will be resurrected and then experience eternal punishment in the lake of fire.
Website
Qualifications for Elders and Deacons
• above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2,8-10; Titus 1:6)
• having one wife (1 Timothy 3:2,12; Titus 1:6)
• temperate (1 Timothy 3:2,8; Titus 1:7)
• respectable (1 Timothy 3:2,8)
• not given to drunkenness (1 Timothy 3:3,8; Titus 1:7)
• able to manage his family well (1 Timothy 3:4,12; Titus 1:6)
• having obedient children (1 Timothy 3:4-5,12; Titus 1:6)
• not a pursuer of dishonest gain (1 Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:7)
• holding firmly to the truth (1 Timothy 3:9; Titus 1:9)
Founded: 1907
Members: 1,300,000
Congregations: 5200
Beginnings
This denomination began in 1907 as the Northern Baptist Convention and was formed to coordinate the efforts of various Baptist societies. The name was changed in 1950 to the American Baptist Convention and in 1972 to the American Baptist Churches USA. Presently most of the churches in the denomination are in the northern United States. It is about one-tenth the size of the Southern Baptist Convention and ranks sixth among the largest Baptist bodies.
Beliefs
Doctrinal diversity. There is great doctrinal diversity within this body of churches. The doctrinal spectrum ranges from conservative to liberal among pastors. Overall, this is a much less conservative denomination than the Southern Baptist Convention. It rejects creeds and statements of faith that might hinder the ability and freedom of members to interpret the Bible as they see it.
The Bible. Many believe the Bible is God’s divinely inspired Word. It is an authoritative guide to knowing God and living the Christian life.
God. God is triune—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer). The Father is the Sovereign of the universe.
Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Lord and Savior, atoned for human sin at the cross and then rose from the dead.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives guidance to help people understand Scripture.
The church. The church is the fundamental unit of missionary work in the world. Each church is autonomous, formulating its own doctrine, mission, and worship style. The denomination does not dictate policy to local congregations but rather exists as a resource for missionary efforts. Women can be ordained.
Sin and salvation. Because of humanity’s sin, Jesus came to make atonement at the cross. Those who believe in Him are assured of salvation.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and is reserved for those mature enough to understand its significance (resurrection to new life in Jesus). The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s broken body and shed blood at the cross. The ordinances are not necessary for salvation.
The end times. Jesus will one day come again in glory. Opinions vary on end-time events. Many pastors in the denomination, though not all, believe that heaven is reserved for believers. Many, though not all, believe hell is reserved for nonbelievers.
Website
Liberal Versus Conservative Christianity
Founded: 1852
Members: 259,595
Congregations: 1182
Beginnings
Converge Worldwide—formerly the Baptist General Conference—emerged out of the nineteenth-century Pietistic movement in Sweden. This movement was characterized by simple faith in the Bible, a rejection of dead formalism, and vibrant evangelism.
A middle-aged schoolteacher named Gustaf Palmquist immigrated from Sweden to the United States, became baptized, and was ordained to ministry in early 1852. He and three other immigrants from Sweden—two males and a female—organized a Swedish Baptist congregation in Rock Island, Illinois, on August 18, 1852. Before long, other such congregations cropped up due to the continued influx of Swedish immigrants into America. In 1864, 11 churches were affiliated with the movement, primarily in the upper Midwest and Northeast.
In 1879, the first annual (national) meeting of these churches took place—the Swedish Baptist General Conference. It was held in Village Creek, Iowa, and involved some 65 churches.
Following World War I, the denomination went through a bilingual stage, with both Swedish and English being used among the churches. Since the 1940s, however, English has become the exclusive language. Members became more comfortable with their American identity, and the word Swedish was dropped from the denomination name in 1945. With English as the exclusive language, the denomination took on greatly accelerated growth.
The denomination’s name was changed to Converge Worldwide in 2008. The reason for this is that fewer and fewer churches in the denomination wanted to be identified any longer by the name Baptist—a term many felt had grown to carry unfortunate stereotypes. The term Converge captures the denomination’s strategy of starting and strengthening churches through collaboration with each other.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is the inerrant Word of God and is inspired in the words of the original manuscripts. It is the supreme authority in matters of faith and conduct.
God. The one true God exists eternally in three persons who are equal in the divine nature and divine attributes. The Father is an infinite and personal spirit who is perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Father’s only begotten Son who, though eternal Deity, was born on earth through a virgin, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and lived a sinless life. He died as a substitutionary sacrifice on the cross and thereby atoned for human sin. He then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, regenerates believers, sanctifies them, indwells them, empowers them to live for Jesus, and comforts them throughout life.
Sin and salvation. Human beings are by nature sinful due to the sin of Adam and Eve. All are under just condemnation. Those who repent of their sins and trust in Christ are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Their salvation in Jesus is secure.
The church. The universal church is the living spiritual body of Christ of which Christ is the head. It is made up of all regenerate Christians. The local church is made up of baptized believers. Its primary task is communicating the gospel to a lost world. Each local church is autonomous and should be free from interference from any ecclesiastical authority. Church government is congregational. Churches can cooperate with other churches—in and outside the denomination—to further the cause of Christ. Women can be ordained.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and is only for those giving a credible profession of faith. The Lord’s Supper commemorates the sacrificial death of Christ and is to be celebrated until Christ returns. Each church is free to determine how often the Lord’s Supper is celebrated.
The end times. Jesus will one day return personally and visibly and establish His kingdom. Humans will be resurrected from the dead and face a final judgment. The righteous will experience eternal bliss in heaven. The wicked will experience endless suffering in hell.
Website
GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL BAPTISTS
Founded: 1870
Members: 61,500
Congregations: 698
Beginnings
This denomination grew out of the theology of Benoni Stinson (1798–1869). Stinson had originally been a member of the United Baptist Church in Kentucky. His affiliation with this Calvinistic church eventually ended because of his Arminian theology—a theology that emphasizes human free will and Christ’s atonement for the sins of all humankind instead of predestination and Christ’s limited atonement for the elect. In his heart, Stinson was a “general Baptist” because of his belief in a general atonement for all humankind.
Stinson accordingly left his church in 1823 and founded a new one—Liberty Church in Evansville, Indiana. This church was made up of like-minded Arminian enthusiasts. Other congregations soon cropped up, and the movement quickly spread into Illinois and Kentucky.
In 1824, these various churches joined to form the Liberty Association of General Baptists. Decades later, in 1870, they were renamed the General Association of General Baptists, adopting 11 articles of faith formulated by the Liberty Association and adding a few small changes.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God, fully authoritative in the life of the believer. It is the only reliable guide to Christian faith and conduct.
God. The one true living God is eternally revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus, the second person of the Trinity, is humankind’s Savior, having tasted death for everyone.
Sin and salvation. Because of the disobedience of our first parents, human beings have become fallen, sinful, and depraved, unable to save themselves. Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus. There is no final assurance of salvation. Only those who continue to abide in Christ, maintaining faith and persevering to the end, are assured of salvation. Those who lose faith and fall into apostasy lose their salvation.
The church. The church universal is the body of Christ, which includes all believers. The local church is a fellowship of Christians, all of whom are a part of the body of Christ and who voluntarily band together for worship, mutual nurture, and service to members of the body. Each church is autonomous. Government is congregational. Local churches are organized into local associations, and these in turn are organized into a general association. These associations are only advisory.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and is only for those who have demonstrated a personal relationship with Christ. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s atoning work at the cross, the bread representing Christ’s broken body, the wine representing His shed blood. It constitutes an open confession that one has put away sin and put on Jesus Christ. Some members of the denomination practice a third ordinance—foot washing.
The end times. Jesus will one day return. The dead will be resurrected, and all humankind will face judgment. The righteous will be rewarded with eternal life. The wicked will suffer eternal torment in hell.
Website
Unlimited atonement is the view that Christ’s redemptive death was for all persons. Below are the verses commonly cited in support of this view (all from the NKJV).
• “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).
• “Behold! the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
• “We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10).
• “…in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).
• “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” (Romans 5:18).
• “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2).
• “All we like sheep have gone astray…and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCHES
Founded: 1932
Members: 157,728
Congregations: 1274
Beliefs
This association was founded in 1932 as a result of a number of churches withdrawing from the American Baptist Convention over doctrinal differences. These churches believed the convention had defected from the truth by refusing to affirm adherence to the nineteenth-century New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1833), widely accepted by Baptists in the northern and western states who were concerned that the convention had become theologically liberal and had succumbed to modernism. As well, the convention had drifted away from the Baptist emphasis on the independence and autonomy of local Baptist congregations.
Once the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches was formed, it adopted the New Hampshire Confession for its articles of faith but added a premillennial ending to the last article. The new association required all churches wanting to join to subscribe to these articles of faith and required them to separate themselves from any modernist groups. The association also rejected dual membership, thus barring all member churches from participating with any organization tainted by modernism. The term regular in the association’s title separates it from those who hold to the “irregular” position of theological liberalism. This association is committed to the regular Baptist (conservative) position regarding the truth of Scripture.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is verbally and fully inspired and is infallible and inerrant in all matters that it addresses. It is the supreme standard for human conduct and doctrine.
God. The one true God is an infinite Spirit. He is the Maker and Ruler of all things and is intrinsically holy. In the unity of the Godhead are three coequal persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They share equally in the divine perfections but are involved in different but harmonious offices.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is fully God. In the Incarnation, He was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He is both the Son of God and God the Son. He was crucified, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now our High Priest at the right hand of the Father.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a divine person who restrains evil, convicts humans of sin, bears witness to the truth, is the agent of the new birth, seals believers, guides and teaches them, and sanctifies them.
Sin and salvation. Adam fell and catapulted the entire human race into sin. Humans are thus totally depraved and are under just condemnation. Salvation is wholly of God’s grace through Jesus Christ, who voluntarily took on Himself our sins such that by shedding His blood, He satisfied the just demands of a holy God. Faith in the Lord Jesus is the only condition of salvation, but repentance is an integral part of saving faith. The evidence of salvation includes fruits of repentance. All who are truly born again are kept by the Father for Jesus Christ.
The church. The local church is an organized congregation of baptized believers. Each church is autonomous, free of interference from any hierarchy. The only Ruler over the church is Jesus Christ. Church government is congregational. Its two offices are pastor and deacon. There is an annual convention. Churches can and should cooperate with each other for the furtherance of the gospel.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion for believers only. The ritual shows our identification with the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, representing our death to sin and rising to a new life in Jesus. It is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. The Lord’s Supper commemorates Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross. It is preceded by solemn self-examination. Only believers baptized by immersion can celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
The end times. Church members believe in the premillennial return of Christ. The dead in Christ will be raised, and the living in Christ will be glorified without tasting death. This takes place at the rapture. After this is the tribulation period and then the second coming, at which time Christ will set up His millennial kingdom. Following this kingdom the eternal state begins. Believers will enjoy heaven forever while the wicked will suffer eternally in the lake of fire.
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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FREE WILL BAPTISTS
Founded: 1935
Members: About 300,000
Congregations: 2500
Beginnings
This denomination can be traced to Baptists from England who settled in the colonies in the 1700s and were Arminian in their theology—holding to the doctrines of free grace, free salvation, and free will. They believed any person is free to believe in Jesus, as opposed to the Calvinistic view that God predestines only the elect to salvation. They interpreted election to mean that God determines from the beginning of time to save all those who comply with the conditions of salvation, and that human beings become His elect by opting for the salvation He offers. These Baptists also rejected “irresistible grace”—the idea that God’s grace irresistibly moves only a select group of people to believe. Rather, they believed any human being could accept or reject the grace of God. From the early 1700s through the early 1900s, a series of splits and mergers took place, with a major stream of Free Will Baptists finally coming together in 1935 to form the National Association of Free Will Baptists in Nashville, Tennessee.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is inspired by God and is without error in all that it touches on—including history, geography, and even matters relating to science. It is the infallible rule of faith and practice.
God. The one true living God is eternally revealed in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, fully divine and fully human. He is the Mediator between humankind and God. He was crucified for human sin, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and was glorified.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, has all the attributes of Deity. He is involved in a variety of ministries among the people of God.
Sin and salvation. Adam and Eve were created in a state of innocence, but they fell into a state of sin and condemnation. All humans since that time have inherited a fallen nature and are thereby guilty before God. Through Christ’s life, sufferings, death, and resurrection, redemption has been provided for humankind.
Whoever will be saved can be saved. The condition for salvation is repentance or sincere sorrow for sin (and a renunciation of it) and faith in Christ as Lord and Savior with the purpose of loving and obeying Him in all things, continuing in faith and obedience until death. Humans are not secure in this salvation. Only believers who through grace persevere in holiness to the end of life are assured salvation. If a saved person wrongly uses his freedom of will and stops trusting in Jesus for salvation, he or she can fall from grace and once again be lost.
The church. Local churches are autonomous and self-governing. They voluntarily choose to cooperate as Free Will Baptists.
The sacraments. The three ordinances are baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and foot washing. Baptism is by immersion. It represents the burial and resurrection of Jesus as well as the death of Christians to the world, the washing of their souls from sin, and their rising to a new life in Jesus. The Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s death, the bread representing His broken body and the wine representing His shed blood. Foot washing is a universal obligation to be administered to all true believers. The ritual teaches humility and reminds believers of the necessity of a daily cleansing from sin.
The end times. Jesus will come again personally and visibly at the end of the gospel dispensation. All humans will be resurrected. The righteous will experience a resurrection to life, and the wicked will experience a resurrection to eternal punishment.
Website
NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION OF AMERICA
Founded: 1895
Members: 1,500,000
Congregations: About 6500
Beginnings
Three conventions led to the eventual formation of the National Baptist Convention of America. In 1880, the Foreign Mission Baptist Convention was created in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1886, the American National Baptist Convention was formed in Saint Louis, Missouri. In 1893, the Baptist National Educational Convention was formed in the District of Columbia. In a merger in 1895, these three conventions joined in Atlanta, Georgia, to form the National Baptist Convention of America. It constitutes the second-largest association of African-American Baptists in the United States.
With 1,500,000 members in 6500 congregations, the association is comprised of more than 30 affiliate state conventions. Its objectives include (1) bringing unity to its membership and the larger Christian community by proclaiming Christ’s gospel, (2) promoting Baptist faith and practice, and (3) encouraging the scholarly and creative skills of church members in writing for publication.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is inspired by God and is without error in all that it touches on.
God. The one true living God is eternally revealed in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is God manifest in the flesh, fully divine and fully human. He is the Mediator between humankind and God. He was crucified for human sin, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and was glorified.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, has all the attributes of Deity. He is involved in a variety of ministries among the people of God.
Sin and salvation. Adam and Eve were created in a state of innocence but fell into a state of sin and condemnation. All humans have inherited from them a fallen nature and are thereby guilty before God. Through Christ’s life, suffering, death, and resurrection, redemption has been provided for humankind. Salvation comes through faith in Christ.
The church. Local churches are independent, autonomous congregations of baptized believers. (Only saved people can be members.) The work of the church is to get people saved, baptize them, and teach them Scripture.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and must be given by a proper administrator. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s broken body and His blood, shed on the cross.
The end times. Jesus will come again personally and visibly. All humans will be resurrected. The righteous will experience a resurrection to life, and the wicked will experience a resurrection to eternal punishment.
Website
NATIONAL PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CONVENTION
Founded: 1907
Members: 53,630
Congregations: 547
Beginnings
During the Civil War years, black slaves in the South worshipped with white slave owners. Following the emancipation of slaves, their white Baptist brethren assisted them in setting up their own churches and ordained ministers and deacons from among their own people. By the early 1900s, many of these churches were ready to unite into a convention.
In 1906, a number of black elders—including Clarence Sams, George Crawford, and James Carey—issued a call for others to attend a strategic meeting in Huntsville, Alabama, that was to take place in July of 1907. Some 88 elders from seven Southern states attended and organized the National Primitive Baptist Convention.
The convention is a loosely structured organization with no central authority and no common confession. Accordingly, some variation exists among members regarding doctrine and practice. A primary difference of opinion exists among members regarding the issue of social involvement.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is inspired by God and is the only rule of faith and practice. It is fully sufficient to make one “wise unto salvation.”
God. The one true God is externally manifest in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross to provide salvation for the elect. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
Sin and salvation. Adam fell into sin, and his sinful nature was communicated to his posterity by ordinary generation. All human beings are now fallen in sin.
Before the foundation of the world, God specifically elected certain individuals in the human race for salvation. These chosen in Christ will be effectually called, regenerated, and born again by the Holy Spirit. At the moment of belief in Christ, they are justified—Christ’s own righteousness is imputed to them by faith. Good works are the fruit that give evidence of faith. All the elect will persevere to the end and will finally be saved.
The church. Local churches are independent congregations of baptized believers. Only saved people can be members. The work of the church is to get people saved, baptize them, and teach them Christ’s principles. The officers of the church are pastors and deacons (or deaconesses). Church government is congregational. There are local associations and a national convention.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and must be given by a proper administrator. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of Christ’s broken body and His blood, shed on the cross. Foot washing takes place after the Lord’s Supper (as it did at the Last Supper in the upper room).
The end times. The end will include a general judgment of both the just and the unjust. Eternal joy awaits believers in heaven. Eternal punishment awaits the unsaved.
Website
Limited atonement is the view that Christ died not for all people but only for the elect. Following are verses commonly cited in support of this view (all from the NKJV).
• “She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
• “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
• “I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:15).
• “Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).
• “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25).
• “Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28).
• “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).
NEW TESTAMENT ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT BAPTIST CHURCHES
Founded: 1965
Members: 1400
Congregations: 120
Beginnings
In the 1950s and 1960s, many members of the Conservative Baptist Association of America expressed dissatisfaction with the convention. They felt the association, instead of separating from churches and theological beliefs that are aberrant, was becoming increasingly inclusive with other churches and was growing too ecumenical in spirit. Further, many of these members wanted the association to take a stand for premillennialism and pretribulationism (that is, a pretribulational rapture).
In 1964, representatives of these dissenters met at Marquette Manor Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois, to explore possible courses of action. A committee was then appointed to make plans for the establishment of a new association. The New Testament Association of Independent Baptist Churches was provisionally constituted in 1965 at Beth Eden Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado, and some 27 churches affiliated with the association met at this first meeting.
Beliefs
This denomination has a policy of separation and disavowal in regard to interdenominationalism, liberalism, Covenant and Reformed theology, amillennialism and postmillennialism, and the posttribulational and midtribulational theories of the rapture.
The Bible. The Bible is God’s Word. It is the only rule Christians have for faith and practice.
God. The one true God is eternally revealed in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three, though distinct persons, are one in essence (or nature).
Jesus Christ. Jesus is fully God. In the Incarnation, He became a man while fully retaining His Deity. He was crucified for human sin, was buried, and rose from the dead.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, convicts people of sin, indwells believers, and empowers them for service.
Sin and salvation. By virtue of Adam’s sin, all human beings are born in sin. Jesus was crucified for the sins of humanity, and those who believe in Him become recipients of salvation. One who is truly born again is eternally secure in Christ.
The church. The universal church is the body of Christ. The local church is made up of a regenerate membership (all are believers). The local church is autonomous, and government is congregational. Only men can be ordained and serve as pastors.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It points to a believer’s faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and it represents the participant’s death to sin and resurrection to a new life. It is a prerequisite to the privileges of church membership. The Lord’s Supper commemorates the death of Jesus and is to be preceded by a solemn self-examination. It is for church members only.
The end times. Eschatology is interpreted from a dispensational, premillennial, and pretribulational viewpoint. At death, the spirits of believers go to heaven with Christ and enjoy conscious joy until the future rapture. At the rapture, believers receive their resurrection bodies. Following the rapture, God’s judgments will be poured out on humankind during the tribulation. Christ’s second coming will then occur, after which He will set up the Davidic kingdom (the millennial kingdom). Israel will be saved and restored as a nation. Following the millennial kingdom is the eternal state. Believers will live forever in heaven. Unbelievers will suffer eternally in the literal flames of hell.
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Founded: 1865
Members: 74,000
Congregations: More than 400
Beginnings
The North American Baptists were established in the nineteenth century by Germans who immigrated to the United States. Konrad Anton Fleischmann founded the first German-speaking Baptist congregation in Philadelphia in 1843. After founding this church, Fleischmann traveled around founding other churches throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
In 1865, delegates of these like-minded churches met in Wilmot, Ontario, and organized the North American Baptists. At that time, the German language was exclusively used among the churches. The shift from German to English occurred rather rapidly following World War I, and today nearly all congregations within the denomination speak English (though a few are bilingual).
The Bible. The Bible is the Word of God, inspired by Him. It constitutes God’s revelation to humankind and is trustworthy, sufficient, and without error. It is the supreme authority and guide for doctrine and conduct.
God. The one true God is perfect in wisdom. He is sovereign, holy, just, merciful, and loving. He exists eternally in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father reigns with providential care over all things in the universe.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God who, in the Incarnation, became a man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He revealed the Father through a sinless life, many miracles, and teachings. He provided salvation for humankind through His atoning death on the cross. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, where He now intercedes on behalf of believers.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scriptures, convicts humans of sin, indwells believers, seals them for salvation, empowers them for service, guides and teaches them, and produces spiritual fruit in them.
Sin and salvation. Adam disobeyed God and brought sin and death to all humans. All people are born with a sin nature and are in need of reconciliation with God. Salvation is provided by the redemption wrought by Christ and is a free gift of God to all people. It is received personally through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. True believers are secure in their salvation.
The church. The universal church is the body of Christ, of which Christ is the head. All who believe in Christ are members of the universal church. Christians who are baptized upon profession of faith become members of a local church for mutual encouragement and growth in discipleship. Each local church is autonomous under the lordship of Christ. Church government is congregational. A triennial conference of all churches is the chief administrative body.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It symbolizes the believer’s identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper involves partaking of bread and the cup as a memorial of the broken body and shed blood of Christ.
The end times. Jesus is coming soon, personally and visibly. The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all humankind. The righteous will receive rewards from Christ and dwell forever in heaven. The unrighteous will be consigned to everlasting punishment in hell.
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Founded: 1827
Members: 49,225
Congregations: 1650
Beginnings
The Primitive Baptists emerged in the nineteenth century as a reaction against money-based missionary societies. These Baptists argued that the New Testament does not mention missionary societies, and no Scripture verse tells Christians to form such societies. They are mere human inventions, and because they have no biblical support, Christians should not have them today. The Primitive Baptists at the Kehukee Association in North Carolina (1827) took the lead in condemning such societies as going against Christ’s teachings.
Primitive Baptists are primitive not in the sense of being backward, as the word is sometimes interpreted. Rather, primitive is intended to communicate the idea of originality—that is, the goal is to recapture the original faith and practice of the original New Testament apostles.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God and is infallible in all matters, including history and science. It is the sole rule of faith and practice. The 1611 King James Version is considered the superior English translation of the Scriptures.
God. The one true God is eternal, infinite, incomprehensible, and Almighty. God is eternally manifest in three persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the true Messiah and Savior. He was manifested in the flesh, was born of a woman, and died on the cross for the elect only. He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now makes intercession for believers from heaven.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is involved in various ministries, including teaching believers the Word of God.
Sin and salvation. Since Adam’s time, all humans have been born with a corrupted nature, utterly dead to spiritual things. Sinners can do nothing to gain merit before God. Yet God has unconditionally elected specific individuals to receive salvation. This choice was not based on foreseen merit of human beings but rather was based entirely on God’s sovereignty. In God’s plan, the blood of Christ is sufficient to both procure and secure salvation for all for whom it was shed. All of the elect will finally be saved.
The church. The local church is made up of believers. Each church is autonomous, and no association has authority over them. Church government is congregational. Ministers of each church are called elders. These are chosen by individual congregations from among male members who have proven themselves faithful to the church. They are self-educated in the Word of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
No musical instruments are used during services. There are no Sunday school classes (for none are mentioned in the New Testament). There is no organized program for the entertainment of youth. There are no crucifixes or pictures of Jesus in the church, for such would be idolatry. No member of a secret society can join the church. Sermons are often delivered in a dramatic singsong voice.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and follows a profession of faith. It represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. People who come to the church from another denomination must be rebaptized (Acts 19:1-7). Communion (using wine and unleavened bread) commemorates the sufferings and death of Jesus and follows a time of personal self-examination. Foot washing takes place after communion, just as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples after the Last Supper (John 13:14-15).
The end times. Jesus will one day come again personally and visibly. The dead will be resurrected and judged based on their works, whether good or bad. Heaven is reserved for the saved, while eternal suffering in hell is the fate of the unsaved.
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Different Views of Bible Translation
PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION
Founded: 1961
Members: 2,500,000
Congregations: 1800
Beginnings
This convention was formed in 1961 as a result of five years of continued dispute regarding the tenure of the presidency of the National Baptist Convention of the USA, as well as other administrative and procedural issues. There was also growing tension related to the civil rights movement. The National Baptist Convention of the USA had been following a policy of noninvolvement regarding civil rights.
Before 1961, concerned ministers had met several times, seeking solutions to their concerns regarding the convention. Their goal was to continue working within the framework of the convention, with no intention of withdrawing membership. At subsequent convention meetings, however, the breach widened. In one session, delegates actually threw chairs around.
The Reverend L.V. Booth of Zion Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, promptly sent a letter out to urge fellow pastors to come to Cincinnati for a meeting. He called for all who were interested in peace, fellowship, and progress to attend. Though the meeting was opposed by leading ministers in the convention, 33 delegates from 14 states attended. At this meaning, attendees formed the Progressive National Baptist Convention and elected Reverend Booth as its first president. Within a short five years, some 660 affiliate churches and 31 affiliate associations, conventions, and fellowships joined the convention.
Not unexpectedly, the convention became a strong supporter of Martin Luther King Jr. It became very active in seeking social justice, not only in the United States but also around the world. The convention took a strong stand against the apartheid of South Africa.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is inspired by God and is without any mixture of error. It is the supreme standard against which all human actions should be judged.
God. The one true God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is eternally manifest in three persons—the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God, who atoned for human sin by His death on the cross. He then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
Sin and salvation. Adam sinned and catapulted the entire human race into sin. Every human being now has an inherently sinful nature. Jesus, however, provided redemption at the cross. The salvation He provided is to be received by personal faith.
The end times. Christ will one day come again personally and visibly. Humans will be resurrected from the dead and face the judgment. Believers will spend eternity in heaven, while unbelievers will suffer endless punishment in hell.
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Founded: 1954
Members: Not available
Congregations: About 350
Beginnings
The Reformed Baptist Church is more of a theological movement than a denomination, but between 300 and 400 churches have aligned themselves with it. All such churches hold to five-point Calvinism as represented in the London Confession of 1689 and the Philadelphia Confession of Faith (1772). As noted previously, the five points of Calvinism are total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.
The movement formally began in 1954 in Ashland, Kentucky, where a series of meetings conducted by Rolfe Barnard (1904–1969) led to the first conference meeting.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is the Word of God and is fully inspired. It is inerrant regarding not only faith and practice but also history and science.
God. The one true God exists eternally in three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is full Deity. He is the eternal Son of God. In the Incarnation, He took on an additional human nature and atoned for the sins of the elect at the cross.
Sin and salvation. Man is a sinner who is totally depraved. He can do nothing to merit favor before God. Those whom God sovereignly elected to salvation will, as a result of God’s grace, come to faith and thus to salvation. From the individual’s perspective, this salvation is received through repentance and faith. All true saints will persevere to the end in faith, repentance, and holiness.
The church. The local church is autonomous and is headed by pastors (teaching elders) and ruling elders (lay elders). The election of church officers is by congregational vote.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion. The Lord’s Supper is open to all who are genuine Christians and members in good standing of evangelical churches.
The end times. Jesus will bodily come again in glory. Dispensational eschatology is specifically rejected. Church members do not take a particular millennial view. In the future there will be a literal new heavens and new earth that will be the final inheritance of God’s people. Hell is reserved for the wicked, who will suffer eternal punishment there.
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Founded: 1845
Members: 16,267,000
Congregations: 45,000
Beginnings
The Southern Baptist Convention was established in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia. It was formed by Baptist congregations in the Southern United States during the years leading up to the Civil War. Some of the Southern congregations separated from the American Baptist Home Mission Board because the board refused to send slave owners into the missionary field. Members of Southern congregations felt slave owners should be able to become missionaries on the foreign field. They believed they were no less eligible than others to serve as missionaries and that missionary boards had no right to judge their moral character. The Southern Baptist Convention was thus formed, and it established its own boards for foreign and home missions. Some 300 churches in eight Southern states entered the new convention.
The Southern Baptist Convention today seeks to be a supportive organization that provides help to affiliate churches in evangelism and missionary work. It is the largest Baptist body in the United States and the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. About half of all the Baptists in the United States belong to churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
At one time, all the churches affiliated with the convention were from the South. Today, however, affiliate churches are in all 50 states, working through some 1200 local associations and 41 state conventions that share common beliefs and a commitment to the Great Commission. The term Southern is no longer truly descriptive of the organization.
In 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a resolution renouncing and condemning its racist origins and apologized to African-Americans for the racist policies of its founders. Today, some 1900 congregations in the convention are predominantly African-American.
Churches in the Southern Baptist Convention are bound by no creed, but they share a confession of faith based on the New Hampshire Confession. Most member churches are conservative in their theology—more so than Northern Baptists.
The Bible. The Bible was written by men who were divinely inspired, and therefore God is ultimately the author of Scripture. It is authoritative and constitutes God’s full revelation to humankind. It contains truth without any mixture of error.
God. The one true living God is eternally revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Though distinct persons, these three are without division of nature, essence, or being. The Father reigns supreme with providential care over the entire universe.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the eternal Son of God who, in the Incarnation, was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross for human sin and secured salvation for humankind. He then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit exalts Christ, convicts men of sin, enlightens the minds of believers, and empowers them for service.
Sin and salvation. By free choice, Adam sinned and brought sin and death upon the entire human race. Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Salvation includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification. All true believers endure to the end and will not fall away from their salvation.
The church. The universal church is the body of Christ and includes the redeemed of all ages. The local church is made up of baptized believers who are associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel. Each local church is autonomous but cooperates with other churches. Government is congregational. Only men participate in pastoral roles.
The sacraments. Baptism is by immersion and is for those who have given a public profession of faith. It symbolizes the believer’s faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, and it represents the believer’s death to sin, burial, and resurrection to a new life in Jesus. The Lord’s Supper memorializes the death of Jesus and anticipates His second coming.
The end times. Jesus will personally and visibly return. The dead will be raised, and Christ will judge all human beings. The righteous will receive rewards and dwell forever with the Lord in heaven. The unrighteous will be consigned to eternal suffering in hell.
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