BAPTIST RELIGION

Baptists form the fifth largest Christian church in the world. Baptist churches are found in almost every country in the world and have about 40 million members worldwide. In Britain, 2,150 churches belong to the Baptist union

The name Baptist comes from the Baptist practice of immersion In water. It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that Baptists accepted the name. The first Baptist congregation was formed in 1609 in Holland

John Smyth preformed a scandalous act by baptizing himself by pouring water on his head, he then baptized his fellow reformer, Thomas Helwys, and other members of the congregations.

Smyth and Helwys left England after being persecuted for wanting to purify the church of all Roman Catholicism.

The Baptists were shaped out of these three beliefs: 1.The Bible, not church tradition or religious creed, was the guide in all matters of faith and practice. 2.The church should be made up of believers only, not all people born in the local parish. 3.The church should be governed by those believers, not by figures like bishops.

HISTORY in America In America the first Baptist church was formed by Roger Williams in Rhode Island.

America continued… Roger was expelled from Massachusetts Bay and established a new colony where you can practice any religion.

In 1707 five churches in New Jersey and Pennsylvania organized the Philadelphia Baptist association which had a great influence on Baptist life in America.

Baptists played an important role in the struggle for freedom. They generally sided with the patriots. They took part in politics and served as soldiers. After the civil war Baptist churches flourished.

History in England In England the Baptist religion was led by John Smyth. There were two different divisions of the church in England, the General Baptists and the Particular Baptists.

England continued… Both had two important documents. The General Baptists wrote the Orthodox Creed of The Particular Baptists wrote the Second London Confession of 1677.

General Baptists believed that when Christ died on the cross he died for everyone in general. Particular Baptists followed the Calvinist tradition of believing that Christ died for a particular group.

These two groups eventually joined in 1813 to form a General Union which eventually became the Baptist union of great Britain and Ireland. In the seventeen century Baptists were being persecuted for there beliefs being known as “non-conformists”, they said Christ and not the monarch was the head of the church.

The Baptists world alliance, which was founded in 1905 has concerns about Christian education, religious freedom, and human rights and missions. In 2009 Baptists will celebrate the 400 th anniversary of the birth of the Baptist church.

In the Baptist church every one is equal. The priests or bishops do not exercise authority over another. Each church is self governing and self supporting.

The churches encourage those attending to become church members through baptism. This means they have to vote at church meetings. During church meetings all the decisions are made. The final authority does not rest with a minister or deacon but with the final vote.

Baptists reject infant baptism. They think baptism is for believers only. Those who can personally declare Jesus as Lord. The baptism is carried out by full immersion into the water

They believe that God created every individual with the skills to be a priest for themselves or others.

The minister is equal to every one ells in the congregation. In the church there shall be no outside interferences in decision making. Meaning the sate can not be involved. They have no creed and all authority comes from the bible.

The Baptist church only recognizes two ordinances, baptism and communion. Baptists generally believe in a second coming in Christ.