BAPTIST HISTORY Dr. Paul Kim Pastor Emeritus, Antioch Baptist Church Cambridge, Massachusettts

BAPTISTS Introduction Overview Who are the Baptists? Where did the Baptists come from? What do the Baptists believe? What are Baptists’ unique qualities? 

Who are Baptists? The Baptist Identity Three Theories of Origin John the Baptist Anabaptists (16th Century Europe) English Baptists (17th Century) No Founder of Baptists Compare with Methodists – John Wesley Compare with Presbyterians – John Calvin

Where Did The Baptists Come From? The Beginning of the Baptists Anabaptists English Baptists Baptists in America Baptists in New England Baptist World Alliance (BWA)

What Do Baptists Believe? Common Beliefs and Doctrines Bible-believing Christians who preach the 3 B’s – The Book, The Blood, and The Blessed Hope Priesthood of all believers Believer’s baptism by immersion Regenerate Church membership Congregational autonomy Religious liberty Associational principle

What are Baptists’ Unique Qualities? Priority of Baptists Authority of Bible New Testament Church – The Lordship of Jesus Missions and Evangelism – World Evangelization/Soul-Winning Sound Theology – Conservative in doctrine Simplicity of Lifestyle Unity and Diversity Education – Baptist schools, colleges, seminaries

An Overview of English Baptists and the Anabaptist Movement Life and Ministry of John Smyth Lived AD 1570-1612, died in Amsterdam Life and Ministry of Thomas Helwys Circa AD 1550-1616, died in prison

Life and Ministry of John Smyth (1570-1612, died in Amsterdam) Fellow at Christ’s College in Cambridge, England from 1594-98 Ordained by Bishop of Lincoln in 1594 and studied for the Anglican priesthood at Cambridge Lecturer to City of London in 1600 Pastor of Separatist Congregation at Gainsborough and later in Amsterdam from 1606-12. Re-baptized himself in early 1609 in Amsterdam – From his baptism the modern Baptist movement is said to have begun. He believed that the true Christian Church was reduced to single groups of professing believers. Persecuted by the Anglican authorities Exiled with 50 other believers under persecution He started the 1st English Baptist Church in Amsterdam on the primitive Apostolic model.

Life and Ministry of Thomas Helwys (Circa 1550-1616, died in prison) His view of General Baptist doctrine of the atonement (that Christ died for all) Oppose the doctrine of predestination General Baptists later turned into Calvinistic brethren or into English Unitarians General Baptists had lack of trained clergy General Baptists claimed to have four Baptist churches by 1626 Frequently endured intolerance and persecution until the time of English Civil War (1640-50). Anabaptist practices of General Baptists He worked together with John Smyth (Smith) as Separatists, which shaped later Baptists. Opposed infant baptism By 1655 General Baptists had 75 churches

Life and Ministry of Henry Jacob, John Lathrop, Henry Jessey, John Spilsbury, William Kiffin, and Hanserd Knollys Leaders of Particular Baptists to believe the atonement of Christ was limited to an elect group of saints Evolved from a London Separatist Congregation in 1616 Opposed infant baptism and practiced a believer’s baptism by immersion By 1655 there were 96 Particular Baptist churches

TURNING POINTS IN BAPTIST HISTORY By Walter B. Shurden The Turn Toward a Believers’ Church – 1609 The Turn Toward a Free Conscience – 1612 The Turn Toward Believer’s Baptism by Immersion – 1641 The Turn Toward Cooperative Christianity – 1707 The Turn Toward Missionary Baptists Responsibility – 1792 The Turn Toward Social Justice – 1955

The Turn Toward a Believers’ Church – 1609 Two key leaders – John Smyth (Clergy) and Thomas Helwys (Layman) Departure from the Separatists (Puritans) From Anglican to Puritans (Separatists) , then to Baptists Believed the authority of the Bible, not the church tradition or religious creeds Church is governed by believers, not by church bishops In 1607 they moved to Holland and Anabaptists met them. In Amsterdam the Baptist movement makes its beginning. In 1609 John Smyth baptized himself by pouring water on his own head. He was the first candidate for this baptism. Then, he baptized Thomas Helwys and others to start a Believers’ Church. Opposed infant baptism Separatists retained infant baptism. Clergy had a superior role in the church, which differs from the Believers’ Church!

The Turn Toward a Free Conscience – 1612 The First Baptist Church on England soil in 1612 Thomas Helways – Wrote a book on Freedom of Conscience: “A Short Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity. Died in prison Religious liberty led by Baptists in America under Roger Williams and John Clarke and other Baptist leaders.

The Turn Toward Believer’s Baptism by Immersion – 1641 General Baptist – Thomas Helwys Christ died for all. Believer’s baptism Particular Baptists – Calvinists Christ died for elect (Predestination) Believer’s baptism by immersion only All Baptist churches practice believer’s baptism.

The Turn Toward Cooperative Christianity – 1707 Congregational Church government – “autonomy” (Self-rule) of the local church Establish the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1707 English Baptists (General and Particular) had the associational functions in 1640s.

The Turn Toward Missionary Baptists Responsibility – 1792 Calvinistic Particular Baptists were growing while General Baptists were dying. George Whitefield (7 trips to America from England) and Jonathan Edwards for revival meetings in the 18th century William Carey – Urged Particular Baptist on missions with God. Formed Missionary Society in Kettering on October 2, 1792. Luther Rice in 1814 – Born in Northborough, MA Formed 1st national convention for the world missions

WORLD MISSIONS IN BAPTIST HISTORY William Carey (1761-1834) Born at Paulersbury, Northampton on August 17, 1761 and died June 9, 1834 in India “Father of Modern Mission” Apprentice as a shoemaker under Clarke Nichols at Piddington. After death of Nichols in September 1779, Carey began to work for Thomas Old of Hackleton. Married to Dorothy Plackett – Mr. Old’s sister-in-law on June 1781. On June 1782 Carey preached his first sermon at Earls Barton. Rev. John Ryland of College Street in Northampton baptized Carey in the River Nene on October 5, 1783. Carey moved to Moulton as shoemaker and school teacher to Moulton in March 1785 Church membership – He joined Sutcliff Baptist Church on July 14, 1785. Pastor of Olney Church in Moulton from 1786-1789. In 1792 he published a pamphlet: An enquiry into the obligation of Christians to use means for the conversion of the heathens”. Appointed as a new missionary by the Baptist Missionary Society in 1793. Leave for India with his family (wife and son), sister-in-law, John Thomas, M.D. on June 13, 1793 and landed on November 11, 1793 by ship.

Five-fold ministries in India Church – 1st Baptist church est. 1795 Agriculture – Created farming evangelism Education – Established Christian school in 1795 Medical Missions – John Thomas, M.D. served as a medical missionary Social Work – Opposed social injustices in the Hindu society

Church Growth in India 1st Convert – Krishna, a Hindu carpenter accepted Christ on December 22, 1800 and baptized on December 28, 1800. Serampore Church and baptism – Six in 1801; nine in 1802; and 190 in membership by 1810. Branch church – On January 23, 1803 a branch church was established in Calcutta at a rented room. Later they moved to a chapel and a full ministry began. Co-missionaries in the ministry – William Ward, born October 20, 1769 and Joshua Marshman, born April 20, 1768 joined Carey and worked together for many years.

Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) Born on August 9, 1788 in Malden, MA and died on April 12, 1850 on a ship to the Isle of France. His father was a pastor of Third Congregational Church in Plymouth, MA. Education – Top in class from Brown University in 1807 and graduated from Andover Theological Seminary in 1810. Career – School teacher in Plymouth from 1807-08 Salvation – On May 28, 1809 at his father’s church in Plymouth Family – He married to Ann Hasseltine of Bradford on February 5, 1812 Ordination – With five friends they were ordained at Tabernacle Church of Salem Missionary – Sailed for India on February 19, 1812 and arrived in Calcutta, India on June 13, 1812. Appointed by American Board of Commissioners to India. Baptism by immersion – On September 6, 1812 he was baptized to be a Baptist and cut off from his original mission society. 1st Baptist missionary to Miyama (Burma) from 1813 – 50. He returned to the U.S. only once during his entire missionary lifetime. His missionary work – Translation, Burmese Bible and books, dictionary. He started Rangoon Baptist Church. His first convert was Maung Nau in 1819 and baptized him. Marriage – He married three times. Two of his wives died on the mission field.

Luther Rice (1783-1836) Born on March 25, 1783 in Northborough, MA and died on September 25, 1836 in Edgefield, SC. Education – B.A. from Williams College and Andover Theological Seminary in 1812. Career – Missionary to India in 1812. He returned to the U.S. due to his health problem. Baptism – On November 1, 1812 he was baptized in Calcutta, India. Travel – Extensive travels to New England, Philadelphia, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and the South to promote the Baptist foreign mission work Established the General Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States for Foreign Missions on May 18, 1814 at Philadelphia. It is now known as the Triennial Convention and meets every three years. Worked for American Baptist Board of Foreign Missions (1813-26) Formed Columbia College in Washington, D.C. in 1826 until his death No marriage

The Turn Toward Social Justice – 1955 Martin Luther King, Jr., Pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama Led the Civil Rights Movement Jailed 29 times Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 Assassinated in Memphis, TN in 1968 Early Baptists for Social Justice Isaac Backus – Religious justice in America Roger Williams and John Clarke – justice in the 17th century Walter Rauschenbusch – Promoted social reform of poverty and economic injustice based upon biblical and theological principles in New York. Baptist World Alliance (BWA) formed in 1905 in England for human rights around the world. The 400th anniversary of Baptist Movement – 2009

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS The Beginning of the Southern Baptist Movement The New Convention The Organization The Boards The Missions and Ministries

Southern Baptists (cont’d) The Education The Bible and the Church The Congregations The Cooperation

Key Terms Separation of church and state Arminian Predestination Separatists  Puritans Calvin (Geneva), Luther, & Zwingli (Zurich) Anabaptists from Northern Switzerland Mennonites (“Brethren”) – Followers of Simon Menno