After the reformation and English Civil War, the Bible was available in
English to anyone who could read. This led to a considerable growth in
groups who were working out for themselves what God was saying through
the Bible. In turn, these groups formed their own churches. This was illegal
until the Tolerance Act was passed in 1688. Up until that time, and especially
between 1684 and 1688 Baptist risked imprisonment, transportation and even
death.
From the earliest times great importance was attached to:
a personal relationship with God.
individual churches being able to decide upon their future.
real democracy in the decisions that the church made
Organisation
Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a Baptist Denomination. The
basic principle is that each church decides what it is going to do on its
own. The organisation is 'bottom up' rather than 'top down'. Even so, in
the UK most Baptist churches belong to the Baptist Union. This is not a
central authority but a central resource for helping churches in times
of difficulty and opportunity.
Each Baptist church may choose its own minister (or more than one). This
important decision, and other more ordinary decisions are taken at church
meetings, where all the members may discuss the issues and vote as they
think best.
Baptists Today in the UK
There are about 150,000 Baptists in Britain today. Baptist churches enjoy
good relationships with other denominations both at a national level and
in their own community.
Baptists Worldwide
Baptist form about the fifth largest church grouping in the world. International
organisations include the European Baptist Federation and the Baptist World
Alliance.
The Baptist Missionary Society
The BMS was formed in 1792 with the aim of taking the Good News of the
Lord Jesus Christ to those who had not heard it. Today the Society continues
to bring God' Word to people across the world, as well as health care,
education and training.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are the Baptists a Denomination?
Not really but it's not a big issue. Each church decides to join with other
churches. In the UK this group is called the Baptist Union of Great Britain..
What does the word 'Baptist' mean?
It comes from a Greek word which means to dip or immerse. This carries
with it the idea of being made clean.
Do Baptist baptise babies?
Baptists believe that it's down to each person to make a response to God's
invitation to join His family. This decision cannot be made for you by
anyone else. So, when parents want to thank God for their new child they
have a service called Dedication. This is normally a part of the regular
Sunday morning service.
When do Baptists get baptised then?
This would happen after someone has decided to become a Christian. Its
a matter of personal choice and it doesn't actually 'do' anything for you.
It is an outward expression of something that has happened inside. This
is called 'believers baptism'. You can get baptised at any age, but not
normally before round about your mid-teens.
What does being baptised actually involve?
Most Baptist churches will have what is basically a pool (about 4m by 3m)
called a baptistry. During the baptismal service the person being baptised
will normally say how God called them, how they responded and what God
means to them today. The minister will then go into the pool (the water
will be about waist height) and the person being baptised will follow.
The minister will ask some basic simple questions such as 'Do you accept
the Lord Jesus Christ as your saviour and friend', the person being baptised
responds, then the minister, holding the person, will lay them back in
the water so that they are totally immersed, then bring them back up again.
If you want to see a Baptism then phone round your local Baptist churches
and ask when their next Baptismal service will be. Also be aware that other
church denominations also have believers baptism. In some countries (even
UK) some baptisms will be in a river, the sea or perhaps a swimming pool.
Isn't this all a bit ritualistic or even barbaric?
It's really meant as an outward sign of something that has happened between
you and God. It gives a person the opportunity to clearly show which direction
their life has taken. Baptism would be totally meaningless unless it was
a completely free choice. It can also be a wonderful experience.
Do other churches baptise adults?
Yes. Some denominations do anyway, others will if you specifically request
it.
Links
We have tried to gather all the links on this site to one place. Try the
Christian links page.
