Keep it up. I would like to see more links like TTC's, from both sides. Every history book I have ever read calls Smyth and Helwys 'reformers' or 'protestants.' Maybe someone can discuss some of these folks.

When I pray, worship, witness, give offering, eat potluck I don't think about what I am considered. Just a disciple of Christ who is a Christian that belongs to a Baptist Church. The reason I belong to the Baptist Church is mainly I was raised that way, I guess a lot of us fall under that system. As I got older I was able to decide things without my parents (Grandma) influence.

 

I've studied churches for about 10 years and still doing it. I have found out a lot, but rather keep this simple. I like the programs of my church. These programs...Bible studies, witness activities, preschool, children, youth, senior are important as we grow as Christians. The church must be Bible Based.

 

I've been in sport programs through the Church and have seen many people come to Jesus.

 

I believe we are a protestant Church. But I don't think about this very often.

Bap·tist (băp'tĭst)

n.

A member of an evangelical Protestant church of congregational polity, following the reformed tradition in worship, and believing in individual freedom, in the separation of church and state, and in baptism of voluntary, conscious believers.

baptist One that baptizes.

http://www.answers.com/topic/baptist

History of the Baptist Churches

 

In Holland a group of English separatists, led by John Smyth, came under Mennonite influence and formed c.1608 in Amsterdam the first English Baptist congregation. Smyth baptized first himself, then the others. In 1611 certain members of this congregation returned to London and established a church there. This was the first of the churches afterward known as General Baptists, since they held the Arminian belief that the atonement of Jesus is not limited to the elect only but is general.

 

In 1633 the Particular Baptists were founded. They were a group whose Calvinistic doctrine taught that atonement is particular or individual. Immersion was not yet insisted upon in these churches, but in 1644 seven Particular Baptist churches issued a confession of faith requiring that form of baptism, and Baptist was thenceforth the name given to those who practiced it. In 1891, General and Particular Baptists united into a single body called the Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland.

 

In America it was Baptists of the Particular type that first gained influence among the Puritans and Calvinists, when Roger Williams and his companions in Rhode Island rejected infant baptism and established a church in 1639 based on the individual profession of faith. Baptists were later persecuted in New England for opposing infant baptism, and one group emigrated c.1684 from Maine to Charleston, S.C. A group of Separate Congregationalists from New England under Shubael Stearns and Daniel Marshall established (1755) the Separate Baptists in Sandy Creek, N.C.

 

In the Southeast the General Baptist views found acceptance, but the stricter Calvinistic ideas suited the pioneers who settled the southern mountains after the Revolution. Their opposition to mission work gave them the name Anti-Mission. They were also called Hard Shell or Primitive Baptists.

 

Early missionary activity extended the Baptist movement to the Continent and elsewhere. In the United States the American Baptist Missionary Union (under a longer title) was formed in 1814 to support workers in foreign lands. In 1832 the American Baptist Home Mission Society was organized. When the question of slavery became a dividing wall, the Southern Baptist Convention was established (1845).

 

Bibliography

 

See J. E. Tull, Shapers of Baptist Thought (1972); L. Davis, Immigrants, Baptists, and the Protestant Mind in America (1973); R. G. Torbet, A History of the Baptists (4th ed. 1975); W. H. Brachney, The Baptists (1988).

I wish that this article I have had a link to it but since it doesn't I will reference a few sections to rebut the above. The article is entitled "John Smyth-A Fake Founder of the Baptist Faith" by W. C. Taylor

It was published by the Ashland Avenue Baptist Church on May 22, 1964.

 

". . . And I will not give my glory unto another" (Isaiah 48.11).

The True Author of our Faith. His Name is Jesus. Christiaity's first great apology said so. It calls our Savior "The author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). Truer to the Greek original would be, "Looking unto Jesus the founder and finisher of the faith." THe word "our" is neither present nor suggested in the Greek.

Any other founder of a faith is a rival to Jesus, and the faith so spawned is not Chrisitanity, but open revolut and apostasy from revealed truth. The Baptist is definitely set to follow Jesus, not Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Campbell or either popes or theolgians, where they lead away from Christ and the New Testament. Our Founder lives. George W. McDaniel, former President of the Baptist Conventions has said, "Baptists are justly proud of their beginnings: they have an ancient and Scriptural origin. Certain characters in history are named as founders of various denominations. Not so with the Baptists. There is no personality this side of Jesus Christ who is a satisfactory explanation of their origin.

 

Spurgeon writes: "I am not ashamed of the denomination to which I belong, sprung, as we are, direct from the loins of Christ, having never passed through the turbid streams of Romanism and having an origin apart from all dissent or Protestantism, because we have existed before all sects."

 

W.T. Whitley writes "First, it has called them into being,: "Thus in every land where the Scriptures are available to the people, there has been spontaneous generation of Baptists."

 

Who is the Fake Founder of the Baptists" His name is John Smyth. Dr. J. H. Shakespeare (Baptist Times of London, Dec. 22, 1922 called John Smyth "the founder of the modern Baptists"---"Fake founder, if ever there was a fraud and a fake, serving the ends of tendential propaganda, heading out with Shakespeare himself toward an amalgamation of nominal Christianity." and I could go on. Suffice it to say that today's true Baptists are distinctive in their doctrines and these kinds of churches can be traced back to Christ's personal ministry. We have not always gone by the name of Baptist but have common doctrine that sets us apart from any protestant demonination with a human founder. Our founder is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ . . . the author and finisher of our faith. If anyone wishes to have a hard copy of this article in its entirety you may PM me with mailing information and I will gladly copy this and mail it to you.

I consider myself a Christian and I don't subscribe to a church...

 

I consider myself a Christian also ,but like you I don't subscribe to a church.

Why does it matter ?

Who cares? Do you really think that all Protestants are protesting the Catholic Church? It's just a way to group us. If you want to get techinical, the only other church that isn't Catholic are the Orthodox Church's since they came before Luther.

Maybe noone, maybe a few. I, for one care that I understand the history of where the roots of my faith began. As a Christian I want to have searched out the scriptures enough to know if I am practicing the faith of my forefathers, and that I am a member of a new testament church that teaches the same doctrines of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Not that church membership "saves" you but what they teach about salvation could determine if you are trusting wholly in the Lord for your salvation or trusting in your own works or ritual. Depending on how far you stray from the biblical teachings it could have eternal consequences. To me, that should matter.

Keep it up. I would like to see more links like TTC's, from both sides. Every history book I have ever read calls Smyth and Helwys 'reformers' or 'protestants.' Maybe someone can discuss some of these folks.

See post 18.

Why does it matter ?

 

It doesn't. But this is a religious topic where there is a lot of historical revisionism going on, for some reason certain Baptists believe that acknowledging there roots lie in the Reformation as do other denominations is somehow a bad thing or invalidates their origins. So they attack John Smyth, as classic a historical figure as exists, and brand him a false witness. Or they, like Spurgeon, claim that Baptists had no connection to "Romanism." Good grief, Christian historical identity does not exist at all except as compared to their struggle with the Romans and Constantine's eventual absolution of Christians. Or, my personal favorite, they claim that John the Baptist was "the first Baptist." Haven't seen that one yet, but I'm sure its coming.

Ok how about the LDS,not protestants if you ask them.An If I might ask a quick questions is it the Baptists who believe once saved always saved? Thanks

LDS is a "restored" religion.

Some thoughts I found that were interesting...............

 

WHO WAS THE FIRST BAPTIST?

 

Who was the first Baptist? I heard this question asked over 30 years ago by a minister on the radio. I don't know if it was orginal or from some other source, but it has remained with me for these many years.My immediate response was John the Baptist. I figured since that was his last name, he must be the one. But the preacher proceeded to say that God was really the First Baptist. Although he was a Baptist minister, I am not sure if he was defending Baptists, or simply giving an illustration about the significance and importance of the ordinance of Baptism. Whichever the case may be, I thought he made some valid points.

First we must understand that the word , baptize , means to immerse. At least that is the basic definition, of the New Testament word ,translated from the original Greek language.

Listed below are several Scriptures of his and mine used to illustrate this claim.

1. Genesis 1:2 The earth was initially immersed in water.

2. Genesis 7:19-21 God destroyed the earth by flood , saving only Noah's family ,and the animals on the Ark. The earth was again immersed in water.

3. 2Kings 5:10-14 Elisha , a prophet of God, had Naaman, a Syrian captain, dip 7 times in the Jordan River in order to be healed of leprosy.

4. Matthew 3:1-6 John the Baptist came preaching and baptizing his followers.

5 Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus, God in the flesh(John 1:14) was baptized by John the Baptist, inaugurating the earthly ministry of Christ.

6. John 4:1-2 Jesus baptized His disciples.

7. Matthew 28:19: Mark 16:15-16 Jesus commanded His disciples to teach and preach the Gospel, and to baptize followers, prior to His Ascension.

8. Acts 2:37-38, 41 Peter and the other disciples baptize 3000 on the Day of Pentacost.

There are many more examples that could be given. So what do you think? WAS GOD THE FIRST BAPTIST?

I consider myself a Christian also ,but like you I don't subscribe to a church.

 

Are you saying you don't attend church at all or are you saying it doesn't matter to you which denomination you attend?

Or, my personal favorite, they claim that John the Baptist was "the first Baptist." Haven't seen that one yet, but I'm sure its coming.

 

John was the first Baptist, followed by Paul, George, and Ringo.

John was the first Baptist, followed by Paul, George, and Ringo.

 

Don't forget Clarence, the "Fifth Beatle."

I like the fact that each Southern Baptist Church is completely autonomous. Although there is cooperation among the chuches, there is no central governing body.

Don't forget Clarence, the "Fifth Beatle."

 

Actually, it would be either Pete or Stuart.