Many wonder if the Baptist Movement is a cult that perhaps started in America over the last few hundred years. However, Baptist beliefs were started with Jesus Christ. The Apostles took these beliefs across Europe, and there is some evidence that these beliefs were in the British Isles by the second and third century.

A Baptist is a Christian who subscribes to a distinct theology which is traced back to Jesus Christ and His Apostles. These theological beliefs are called the “Baptist Distinctives”. One of the most prominent of these beliefs is that of a believer's baptism by immersion (as opposed to infant baptism and affusion [pouring] and sprinkling). A Baptist church is a local congregation composed of Baptist people committed to Baptist principles (distinctives).

1. As Baptists, we believe the Bible is God’s Holy Inerrant Word.
The Bible alone is what we look to for instruction as to how to live our lives. The Bible is our only Authority concerning what we believe and how we are to worship God—not tradition. (Matthew 7:24-27; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; 1 Peter 1:23-25)

2. As Baptists, we believe in the Priesthood of all Believers.
We believe that each person has the right to approach God on his own, without the help of a human intercessor (no need to confess to a human priest). Every true Christian is a “king and priest” before God. Jesus Christ alone is our High Priest—the only Mediator between God and Man. (1 Timothy 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:5-6)

3. As Baptists, we believe in Freedom of Soul.
While we firmly hold that Jesus Christ is the only Way to heaven, we do not believe that anyone can be forced to receive Christ. We persuade men through the preaching of the Gospel. We believe each person has a FREE will to worship as he chooses, without fear of persecution from any group, party, church, or government. This belief set the Baptist people apart from all other professing Christian groups for nearly a millennium and a half before the idea even began to take root in Western society. The first society in which true freedom of religion was granted to all was the colony of Rhode Island, founded by a Baptist named Roger Williams in 1635. (2 Corinthians 5:11; Acts 5:27-29; Revelation 22:17)

4. As Baptists, we believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
We believe that through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, He conquered sin, death, and Hell. Every individual who will receive the FREE gift of Jesus’ atoning death on his behalf has eternal life. Since we believe that the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ was enough to pay for our sins in full, we believe baptism and communion are only symbols of our trust in Christ, and not ways of obtaining saving grace (they are not sacramental). (John 1:12; 1 Corinthians 11:14,15; Hebrews 10:10-18)

5. As Baptists, we believe that Baptism (immersion) is only for believers.
Only a person who has believed in the finished work of Jesus Christ to save him from sin and Hell is eligible for baptism. (This person must be old enough to understand and make a choice of trust.) This excludes infants and young children from baptism. According to the Bible, infants are safe from God’s judgment until they reach an age of understanding and accountability—at which time they must choose whether to receive God’s way of salvation, or reject it. (2 Samuel 12:21-23; Acts 8:35-39; Romans 6:1-5; Romans 7:9)

6. As Baptists, we believe that the Local Church is God’s Instrument of Worship.
One enters into membership in a local church by Scriptural baptism. The Local Church should not be ruled by a hierarchal system. Each local assembly (church) has its own autonomous, congregational government, and answers to no higher “ecclesiastical” authority—only to Jesus Christ. The Local Church should have a biblically qualified pastor (the same as bishop/elder), and biblically qualified deacons where necessary. (Acts 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13; Ephesians 5:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 1 Peter 5:1-3) 

7. As Baptists, we believe in the Separation of Church and State.
All Christians are to pray for, support, and obey civil authority as long as the civil authority does not command one to violate God’s Word. We also believe that no government has any authority over the religious practices, administrations, and teachings of the Local Church. Nor is there any such thing as a “state church.” This belief radically sets Baptists apart from the Catholic Church and the Reformation Protestant churches, which often forced people, on pain of fines, imprisonment, confiscation of goods, and even torture and death, to belong to their “church.” (John 18:36-37; Acts 5:27-29; Romans 13:1-7)

As Baptists, we believe that the Church (founded by Jesus Christ in Jerusalem) was Baptist in character and doctrine, and that separate, yet similar churches have had perpetual existence from the days of Christ to the present. This view is not only demonstrated through history, but is also based on Jesus’ commission and promise that He would be with His followers as they carried on His ministry, “even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20).

The history of the Baptists shows that Baptists have always been separate from the Catholic Church and the Protestant religious denominations. The Baptist movement predates the Catholic Church, and is therefore not part of the Protestant Reformation. J.M. Carroll’s booklet The Trail of Blood, published in 1931, has been a popular writing presenting the historical view. It points to ancient groups such as the Montanists, Novatianists, Donatists, Paulicians, Albigensians, Waldenses, and Anabaptists, as predecessors to contemporary Baptists. Baptist historian John T. Christian writes in the introduction to his book History of the Baptists: “I have...pursued the scientific method of investigation, and I have let the facts speak for themselves. I have no question in my own mind that there has been a historical succession of Baptists from the days of Christ to the present time.”

The history of the Baptist shows that Baptists have always been separate from the Catholic Church and the Protestant religious denominations. The Baptist movement predates the Catholic Church and is therefore not part of the Protestant Reformation. Several History books point to groups such as the Montanists, Novatianists, Donatists, Paulicians, Albigensians, Catharist, Waldenses, and Anabaptist,  as predecessors to contemporary Baptists. Baptist historian John T. Christian writes in the introduction to his book  History of the Baptists: “I have throughout pursued the scientific method of investigation, and I have let the facts speak for themselves. I have no question in my own mind that there has been a historical succession of Baptists from the days of Christ to the present time.”

The desire of all true Baptist is the same desire our God and Saviour has. That is, we long for all people to know, understand, and experience the Love of Jesus Christ for them. “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

You can experience this love through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Here is how:

 First, realise that God loves you...
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Second, realise that you are a sinner...
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Third, realise that sin has a price that must be paid...
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death;…”
Revelation 20:14-15 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Fourth, realise you cannot be good enough to earn God’s love or eternal life…
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Fifth, realise that Jesus Christ (and only Jesus) died to pay your price...
Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Hebrews 1:3 “...when he (Jesus Christ) had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”

Finally, pray, asking Jesus Christ to be your Saviour, and claim His promise of eternal life...
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
1 John 5:11-12 "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."