Free Will Baptist Church
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Free Will Baptist Church (or Free Will Baptists) is a group of churches that share a common history, name, and an acceptance of the Arminian theology of free grace, free salvation, and free will, based on the idea of general atonement. Free Will Baptists share similar soteriological views with General Baptists, Separate Baptists and some United Baptists. The autonomous power of the local church is highly valued. The denomination remains relatively rural and is especially strong in the southern United States.
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[edit] Distinguishing Doctrinal Features
Free Will Baptist Doctrine is distinguished from the majority of Baptist groups (including the Southern Baptist Convention and her offshoots, as well as fundamentalist Baptists) in that Free Will Baptists reject the popular Baptist view of "unconditional perseverance of the saints," (also commonly referred to as the "Doctrine of Unconditional Eternal Security" or "once saved, always saved"), which is based on the Calvinist teaching. Instead, Free Will Baptist Doctrine holds to the traditional Arminian position, based on the belief in a General Atonement, that it is possible to commit apostasy, or willfully reject one's faith. Faith is the condition for salvation, hence Free Will Baptists hold to "conditional eternal security." An individual is "saved by faith and kept by faith." The concept is not of someone sinning occasionally and thus accidentally ending up "not saved", but instead of someone "repudiating" their faith in Christ. Free Will Baptists believe that an individual maintains his or her free will to follow Christ, but in the event a believer turns from faith in Christ, there is no remedy for this apostasy (based on an interpretation of Hebrews 6:4-6).
Free Will Baptists also observe The Washing of the Saints' Feet as a third ordinance of the church along with Baptism and Communion, a rite common among other evangelical groups but not practiced by the majority of Baptist denominations.
Additionally, Free Will Baptist congregations believe the Bible is the completed, inerrant word of God, and believe in a primarily literal interpretation of Scripture.
Free Will Baptist congregations hold differing views on eschatology. Traditionally, churches in the eastern part of the country have tended to follow a premillennial interpretation, while western churches often hold an amillennial view. Churches commonly advocate (voluntary) tithing, totally abstaining from alcoholic beverages, and not working on the Sabbath.
Free Will Baptists are involved in mission efforts around the world.
[edit] Historical sketch
Free Will Baptists can be traced to General Baptists from England who settled in the American colonies in the late seventeenth century. The first Baptists, who originated with the ministry of Thomas Helwys near London in 1611, were General Baptists. That is, they believed that the atonement of Jesus Christ was "general" (for all) rather than "particular" (only for the elect). Thus, they were Arminian in doctrine.
One of these English General Baptists who settled in the American colonies was Benjamin Laker, who arrived in colonial Carolina as early as 1685. Laker had been associated with the illustrious General Baptist theologian and writer, Thomas Grantham, and had signed the 1663 edition of the General Baptists' Standard Confession of Faith. The earliest Free Will Baptists in America arose from English General Baptists in Carolina who were dubbed "Freewillers" by their enemies and later assumed the name.
Two distinct branches of Free Will Baptists developed in America. The first and earliest was the Palmer movement in North Carolina, from which the vast majority of modern-day Free Will Baptists have their origin. The later movement was the Randall movement, which arose in the late eighteenth century in New Hampshire. These two groups developed independently of each other.
[edit] The "Palmer" Line
In 1702, a disorganized group of General Baptists in Carolina wrote a request for help to the General Baptist Association in England. Though no help was forthcoming, Paul Palmer, whose wife Johanna was the step-daughter of Benjamin Laker, would labor among these people 25 years later, founding the first "Free Will" Baptist church in Chowan, North Carolina in 1727. Palmer organized at least three churches in North Carolina.
His labors, though important, were short. Leadership would descend to Joseph Parker, William Parker, Josiah Hart, William Sojourner and others. Joseph Parker was part of the organization of the Chowan church and ministered among the Carolina churches for over 60 years. From one church in 1727, they grew to over 20 churches by 1755. After 1755, missionary labors conducted by the Philadelphia Baptist Association converted most of these churches to the Particular Baptist positions of unconditional election and limited atonement. By 1770, only 4 churches and 4 ministers remained of the General Baptist persuasion. By the end of 18th century, these churches were commonly referred to as "Free Will Baptist", and this would later be referred to as the "Palmer" line of Free Will Baptists. The churches in the "Palmer" line organized various associations and conferences, and finally organized a General Conference in 1921.
[edit] The "Randall" Line
While the movement in the South was struggling, a new movement rose in the North through the work of Benjamin Randall (1749-1808). Randall initially united with the Particular or Regular Baptists in 1776, but broke with them in 1779 due to their strict views on predestination. In 1780, Randall formed a "Free" or "Freewill" Baptist church in New Durham, New Hampshire. (The Randall movement combined the words "Free" and "Will.") By 1782 twelve churches had been founded, and they organized a Quarterly Meeting. In 1792 a Yearly Meeting was organized. This northern line (the "Randall" line) of Freewill Baptists grew quickly. But in 1911, the majority of the churches (and all the denominational property) merged with the Northern Baptist Convention. The Randall churches that remained Freewill Baptist after the merger joined with other Free Will Baptists in the Southwest and Midwest to organize the Cooperative General Association of Free Will Baptists in 1916.
[edit] The Union of the Lines
Fraternal relations had existed between the northern and southern Free Will Baptists, but the question of slavery, and later the Civil War, prevented any formal union until the 20th century. On November 5, 1935, representatives of the General Conference (Palmer) and the Cooperative General Association (a mixture of Randall and Palmer elements west of the Mississippi) met in Nashville, Tennessee to unite and organize the National Association of Free Will Baptists. The majority of white Free Will Baptist churches organized under this umbrella, which remains the largest of the Free Will Baptist groups to this day.
[edit] Free Will Baptist Bodies
- National Association of Free Will Baptists - a national body of predominantly white Free Will Baptist churches in the United States and Canada, organized in 1935 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the largest of the Free Will Baptist denominations.
- International Fellowship of Free Will Baptist Churches - an international fellowship of Free Will Baptists with 12 member associations in Brazil, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, France, India, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Spain, United States, and Uruguay, evidently related to foreign mission work of the National Association of Free Will Baptists.
- Original Free Will Baptist Convention - a North Carolina based body of Free Will Baptists that split from the National Association in 1961. In 1991 they reported over 33,000 members in 236 churches that were organized into 7 conferences.
- United American Free Will Baptist Church - the largest body of African-American Free Will Baptist churches, organized in 1901 and headquartered in Kinston, North Carolina.
- United American Free Will Baptist Conference - a body of African-American Free Will Baptist churches that withdrew from the United American Free Will Baptist Church in 1968; headquartered in Lakeland, Florida.
- Unaffiliated Free Will Baptist local associations - a number of local Free Will Baptist associations remain independent of the National Association, Original FWB Convention, and the two United American bodies. Researchers have identified 12 such associations, though there may be more. The unaffiliated associations of Free Will Baptists include over 300 churches with an estimated 22,000 members. They have no organization beyond the "local" level.
- Eastern Stone (TN)
- French Broad (NC)
- Jack's Creek (IN, KY, OH & VA)
- John-Thomas (NC)
- Mt. Mitchell (NC)
- Muscle Shoals (AL & TN)
- Original Grand River (OK)
- Stone Association of Central Indiana (IN)
- Tennessee River (AL & TN)
- Toe River (NC,TN, & SC)
- Western (NC)
- Western Stone (TN)
[edit] Free Will Baptist Colleges
- California Christian College - Fresno, California
- Free Will Baptist Bible College - Nashville Tennessee
- Gateway Christian College - Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College - Moore, Oklahoma
- Mount Olive College - Mount Olive, North Carolina
- Southeastern Free Will Baptist College - Wendell, North Carolina
[edit] External links
- Benjamin Randall - Christian History Institute's Biographical Sketch
- California State Association of Free Will Baptists - official Web Site
- International Fellowship of Free Will Baptist Churches - official Web Site
- National Association of Free Will Baptists - official Web Site
- United American Free Will Baptist Conference, Inc. - official Web Site
[edit] Sources
- A Free Will Baptist Handbook: Heritage, Beliefs, and Ministries, by J. Matthew Pinson
- A History of Original Free Will Baptists, by Michael Pelt
- Baptists Around the World, by Albert W. Wardin, Jr.
- Dictionary of Baptists in America, Bill J. Leonard, editor
- Encyclopedia of Religion in the South, Samuel S. Hill, editor
- Sub-Groups Within the Baptist Denomination (in the United States), by R. L. Vaughn
- The Free Will Baptists in History, by William F. Davidson
