Baptists in the United States

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Main article: Baptists

Baptist roots go all the way back to the Reformation in England in the sixteenth century. Various dissenters called for purification of the church and a return to the New Testament Christian example. These dissenters also called for strict accountability in their covenant with God. One of the prominent dissenters who arose in the seventeenth century was John Smyth. Smyth was a strong proponent of adult baptism and 1609 went as far as to rebaptize himself and others. Smyth's action was a sign of the first English Baptist church. Smyth also introduced the Arminian view that God's grace is for everyone and not just predestined individuals.

Roger Williams was one of the Baptists to come over and in 1639 he established the first Baptist Church in America in Providence, Rhode Island.[1] [2] Baptist churches exist in each of the United States today and it is estimated that more than 70% of all Baptists worldwide reside in the United States.

Though each Baptist church is autonomous, Baptists have traditionally organized into associations of like-minded churches for mutual edification, consultation, and ministerial support. The constituency of these associations is based on geographical and doctrinal criteria. Many such associations of Baptist churches have developed in the United States since Baptists first came to the continent.

Until the early 1800s these Baptist associations tended to center around a local or regional area where the constituent churches could conveniently meet. However, beginning with the spread of the Philadelphia Baptist Association beyond its original bounds and the rise of the modern missions movement, Baptists began to move towards developing national associations.

The first national association was the Triennial Convention, founded in the early 1800s, which met every three years. The Triennial Convention was basically a loose organization with the purpose of raising funds for various independent benevolent, educational and mission societies.

Over the years other nationwide Baptist associations have originated as divisions from these two major groups. There are a few smaller associations that have never identified with any of the national organizations, as well as many Independent Baptist churches which are not part of any organization, local or national.

Contents

[edit] American Baptist Churches USA

Main article: American Baptist Churches USA

The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) are the descendants of the Triennial Convention. From 1907-1950 it was known as the Northern Baptist Convention. While its theology was originally rooted in the same Confessions of Faith as more traditional Baptists, as a rule the ABCUSA churches have adopted a more modernist approach to the Scriptures and are thus more tolerant of doctrinal diversity.

The primary strength of the ABCUSA is in the northeast, but it also has a strong presence throughout the midwest, the southwest, and on the west coast. They operate a number of colleges and other benevolent enterprises.

[edit] Southern Baptist Convention

Main article: Southern Baptist Convention

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the largest group of Baptists in the United States. Its greatest numerical strength is in the south, but it has churches in every state and a strong presence in many northern and western states.

In 1844 the issues of missionary work and slavery came to a peak. The Home Mission Society gave a statement saying that a person could not be a missionary and wish to keep his slaves as property. This caused the Home Mission Society to separate northern and southern divisions. As a result of this the Baptists in the south met in May of 1845 and organized the Southern Baptist Convention.

Women began making great strides in 1872, when Henry Tupper of the Foreign Mission Board appointed Edmonia Moon for missionary service. She was the first woman to receive this honor.[3] In 1888 the Woman's Missionary Union was instituted. Women were recognized and encouraged to form missionary circles and children's bands in churches and Sunday Schools.[4].

Although all Southern Baptists would be viewed as ‘’conservative’’ by those outside the tradition, from the late 1970s forward there was a well-orchestrated takeover of the SBC by a conservative/fundamentalist group who wrested control from those who have come to be call “moderates.” In 1987, some moderates formed the Southern Baptist Alliance, a group which has since become supportive of the homosexual agenda. In 1991, other moderates established the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), a group emphasizing global missions and what it considers “historic Baptist values” such as local church autonomy, priesthood of all believers and religious liberty. Unlike the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship ordains women for ministry.

The Southern Baptist Convention has over 15 million members and continues to grow. In 2005, the SBC recorded almost 300,000 baptisms. More Southern Baptist churches are being planted each year through the efforts of the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board, the denomination's domestic and foreign missions agencies.

Some of the largest churches in the US are Southern Baptist (figures shown are best estimates):

The SBC is also affiliated with more than 56 colleges and universities around the world. Many of the denomination's pastors are trained at its six seminaries operated by the Convention through its Cooperative Program.

[edit] African-American Baptists

Before the American Civil War, the African American Baptists were, with many notable exceptions, members of the same churches as the whites (though often relegated to a segregated status within the church). After the war they left the white churches to start separate churches and associations.

Today there are several historically African-American groups in the United States; the largest of these is the National Baptist Convention. A good number of African-American Baptist churches are dually aligned with a traditionally African American group and the ABCUSA, the Southern Baptist Convention, or the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

[edit] Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF)

Main article: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) was formed in 1991, largely by moderate Southern Baptists who had been disenfranchised by the concerted, well-orchestrated fundamentalist/conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention. CBF has been called a quasi-denomination since in many ways it provides many of the benefits of a convention, including ordination of women for ministry, but as yet has not declared itself a denomination. Its primary offices are located in [[Atlanta], GA.

[edit] Mission statement

"We are a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission of Jesus Christ and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice." Our purpose is to "serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission."

[edit] Operating budget and support

Operating Budget: $17.05 million for 2006-07 The organization's financial support comes from Baptist individuals and churches with an interest in global missions, theological education and other shared ministries. Approximately 1,850 churches contribute to the Fellowship’s ministry budget. Churches, church groups and individuals are also involved through volunteer missions, theological education and various ministry partnerships.

[edit] Membership

Members, as defined by the Fellowship’s bylaws, are individual Baptists, Baptist churches and members thereof who contribute annually to the ministries and operations of the Fellowship. All members are entitled to vote at the General Assembly.

[edit] Leadership

A Coordinating Council elected by the General Assembly meets three times a year to plan the Fellowship's missions and ministries. The council is led by a moderator, elected annually by the General Assembly. A CBF Resource Center staff of approximately 62 persons provides leadership and support services through offices in Atlanta and Dallas. Chief executive officer is Daniel Vestal, who assumed the position of coordinator in December 1996 after nearly three decades as a Baptist pastor.

[edit] Primary Emphases

  • Global missions and ministries that focus primarily on partnerships with local congregations and other mission groups, planting the gospel among the world’s unevangelized peoples (ethno-linguistic people groups, comprising nearly one-fourth of the world’s population, who have little or no exposure to the Christian message), and ministries among the urban poor and other marginalized peoples in America’s inner cities.
  • Advocacy of historic Baptist values such as local church autonomy, priesthood of all believers and religious liberty
  • Partnerships with a dozen seminaries and theology schools and with other organizations that identify with the Fellowship’s mission and vision.
  • Connecting churches and their leaders to resources that will help them fulfill the mission God has given them
  • Networking with other groups that share the Fellowship’s commitment to the Great Commission
  • Global Missions Field Personnel: 163, including career personnel and persons serving two-to- three-year assignments.
  • Events: The Fellowship’s General Assembly meets annually in a different region of the country. The 2006 meeting was held June 22-23 at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Also, 18 state and regional CBF organizations host assemblies and other events.

[edit] Information

  • Publication: fellowship! newsletter published seven times a year (free).
  • E-newsletter: Fellowship distributed every other Friday.

[edit] Smaller Baptist Bodies

There are a number of smaller Baptist associations in the United States which maintain a separate existence from the larger groups for doctrinal reasons. Among these are the Freewill Baptists, the General Baptists, the Primitive Baptists, various associations devoted to Landmarkism, the Conservative Baptist Association, the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, and many regional and local associations which do not affiliate with any national group.

[edit] Independent (non-aligned) Baptist churches

Main article: Independent Baptist

Independent Baptist churches are completely independent of any association or group, though they usually maintain some sort of fellowship with likeminded churches. They share the traditional Baptist doctrinal distinctives, but they adhere to what they see as a Biblical principle of churches' individuality.

Independent Baptists believe that this approach to ministry leaves pastors and people in the church free to work as a local ministry, instead of national work, which, in their view, can be less efficient.

Independent Baptists are strictly Biblicist in their theology, adhering to the traditional Baptist understanding of the Bible and of faith. The same doctrinal variations that exist within (or between) the Baptist associations exist among Independent Baptists.

Independent Baptists operate educational institutions such as:

[edit] External links on Baptists in the USA

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