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William Whitesitt
President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at the end of the 19th Century. He was forced to resign his leadership position due to publishing his carefully researched views of Baptist History
Believers covenant voluntarily to serve Christ, Each other and the nations.
Autonomy and Accountability of the local membership.
Priesthood among believers means all have direct access to God and are prayer-fully responsible minsters and ambassador's for Christ.
Truths expressed and actions taken are to be in obedience to the Lord Jesus through Scripture. The plain sense was to be understood where possible
Immersion of the believer is the biblical ordinance for public initiation into the corporate life and service to Christ in the church.
Salvation is uniquely initiated and provided by God’s grace through Jesus Christ and His cross and is received individually by repentance and faith commitment.
Tyranny of worship is the least effective form and civil government, where as a free church in a free states honor the sovereignty of the Spirit in matters of conscience.
Rick Durst Basic Baptist Distinctives in Ecclesiology
Baptist Beginnings: First View
The Outgrowth of English Separatism
Baptists started from those that left Romans Catholicism and Anglicanism.
The first to promote this view actively was Whitesitt, church historian and President of the Southern Semiary in Louisville Kentucky in the 1890s.
Most scholars believe this view.
These scholars agree that Dutch Anabaptists had partial influence on John Smyth and the General Baptists but that the Particular Baptists emerge directly from the English Separatist Movement.
Leon McBeth
Wrote a definitive history of Baptist in 1987. But when McBeth completed his next project on the history of the Baptist Sunday School Board in 1990, the board as its trustees refused to publish it. And it has not been published to date.
Baptists Beginnings View #2
Through Biblical Anabaptists (Dutch Mennonites)
Some Anabaptists (Dutch Mennonites probably influenced some English Baptists (General Baptists) at a specific time 1608-09 and specific place Amsterdam Holland. In 1607 John Smyth traveled with other likeminded refugees in HOlland as a convinced Separatist.
He sought insight form the Dutch Anabaptists concerning believer’s baptism.
he then became a Mennonite.
This theory is questioned by the Anabaptists and the English Baptists having so many differences.
Walter Rauschenbusch put this idea forward.
Ac Underwood
Ernest Payne
WR Estes
Glenn Stassen
Southern Baptist President Paige Paterson supported this idea.
Baptist Beginnings View 3
Baptist ideals were always present over time. They never stopped being produced. There was always a group that held to the beliefs of baptists.
Idealogical and Spiritual Successionism.
1609 The claimed that John Smyth and his refugee group in Holland did not recover believers baptism in 1609. Rather they were merely the latest expression of that viewpoint that had continued for centuries spiritual Successionism.
Petrobrussians
Waldensians
Two groups that held to being a spiritual movement to recover covenant community and missional obedience to Jesus.
Thomas Crosby held to this Idea.
Baptist Beginnings View #4
Succession of Organized Baptist Churches through the Ages.
You can trace baptist churches throughout all of history. From the very beginning baptist churches have always been around.
Donatists
Novatinaist
Fourth century
Catharine
11th century.
First Baptist Church of Edna.
Two questions
Local Only or Local Universal
Local Only
Are Baptists Protestants.
No
The Trail of Blood.
Person who bought into this
Adam Taylor
Most Accepted View
Best view is the outgrowth of English Separatism
Religious Upheaval in the Sixteenth Century
1509 King Henry VIII becomes King
1517 Martin Luther posts his 95 Thesis
1534 King Henry signs the act of Supremacy, officially separating England from the papacy, and establishing the Church of England.
1536 William Tyndale was burned at the stake for eying guilty of translating the Bible into English.
1553 Queen Mary begins her effort at turning the Church of England back into a Roman Catholic State
1558 After Mary dies, Queen Elizabeth begins her reign and attempts the Elizabethan Settlement.
1581 The Pioneer Church becomes the first Organized Separatist Church in England. Robert Brown was the Pastor.
1581 The Pioneer Chruch becomes the first organized Separatist Church in England. Robert Browne was the Pastor.
1593 Francis Johnson Established the Ancient Church in Amsterdam, Holland.
1608 John Robinson forms the Pilgrim church. John Symth was a member of this group.
Henry VIII 1534
Act of Supremacy This was where he pulled away from the Roman Church and became independent so he could divorce his wife and marry someone new.
Edward VI
9 year old who took over. Book of Common Prayer was pretty big to influence people to be Protestant and Calvinistic
Mary Tutor
Mary’s sole purpose was to move people back to Romans Catholicism.
Marian separatists flowed out of her persecution which in turn started the Baptist movement.
Elizabeth Tudor
Elizabethan Settlement was put in place to allow Catholics and Protestants to live peace together. Ultimately that didn’t work at all..
Puritanism
They wanted to purify the church for England from the problems that they had.
Separatism.
They left the Church of England
The pioneer church of Robert Brown was the first person accredited to forming a separatist church
Barrow
Greenwood
Perry
Were all executed.
The Specific Doctrines that influenced the English Baptists
Leo Garrett Baptist Theology
Humanity’s Adamic Disability
The Bible as a Rule of Faith and Practice
The Royal Priesthood of all Christians.
Congregational Polity.
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF BAPTISTS
Believer Baptism
Baptists by Immersion.
General Baptists Beliefs
Beliefs
General Atonement
Conditional Election
Free Will
Possibility of Falling out of Grace
Emphasis on the Universal Church
Hearty Connectionalism
Two Key Players in the General Baptist World
John Smyth and the First Baptist Church of Modern Times
His Enduring legacy is that the is credited with founding the first Indentifable Baptist Church in Amsterdam, Holland in January of 1609
Thomas Helwys
He started the first baptist church on England Soil.
Helways ended up in Jail for the challenge that he had with King James. He pushed for people to be able to make their faith their own.
Newgate Prison is where he died.
Particular Baptists Theological Characteristics
Limited Atonement
Unconditional Election
total depravity of humanity
Irresistible grace
Security of believer
Emphasis on the local church.
Notable Particular Baptists
Henry Jacob - - - First pastor of the JLJ Church formed in London in 1616.
The church represented a milder form of Separatist Beliefs
His plant ended up Becoming the Particular Baptists
John Lathrop - - - Took over the JLJ church. People left over infant baptism. September 12,1633 17 members left. Samuel Eaton Richard Spilsbury. He was forced out by the Church of England for his belief that infant baptism was wrong.
Henry Jessy - - - - He was the next pastor in. Six more members left of the same baptism issue.
Blunt and Eaton left the JLJ church in 1633 but returned in 1640.
Kiffin Manuscripts
were written to talk about the challenges between baptism by immersion and baptism through sprinkling.
Defining the Baptist Faith
Public Disputations . . . There were a ton for debates about all sorts of things. Baptism, authority of scripture, signing in worship, and the open versus closed communion.
Printed Word. . . Pilgrims progress. Baptist published a ton for documents.
Confessions of Faith . . . There were lots of confessionals that were written defining beliefs.
Church Covenants . . . . Churches would form promises to each other. To be made and be made known by scripture.
Two Valuable Aims of church covenants
To Defend and Explain
To Unify and mature
Ten Doctrinal Beliefs
God
Holy Spirit
Jesus
Scripture
Atonement
GB - - - General Atonement. Christ died for everyone
PB - - - Calvinist’s. They believed that God predestined the people who he was going to die for.
Church
Job is to be a group showing the Gospel at work
GB separate churches that worked together
PB’s each church is independent
Ministry
Leadership Office Holders
Lay Preaching
Deacons and Deaconesses
Lengthy Pastorates
Baptism
Communion
Closed Communion for the believer who was baptized by Immersion
Relationship to Government
Not good.
Religious Liberty
Future Hope
Things in a service.
Numerous speakers
Lengthy worship services
No singing or musical instruments
Lord’s supper
Baptism
Foot washing
Spontaneity
Church Discipline.
Conclusion
James 1 17th Century Battle for the Faith
Started the King James Bible to get rid of translation that was negative about him. He was the one that threw Helwys into Jail.
Charles I
James son took over. He was violent in his attempts to push back the religions that were coming up.
The Saints Regime
Refers to the Common wealth era - - The period of the English republic following the Civil War and Charles behaving up to 1660. Oliver Cromwell became the Lord Protector in 1653. This was a huge help to gaining religions freedoms for people.
The Quest for Religious Tolerance
Charles II
the Saints regime didn’t work. They brought back parliament that eventually brought back Charles the 2. He was in exile after the killing of Charles the 1. He brought back some religious opposition to things.
He put into play the Clarendon Code
Five acts passed at this time
Corporation Act
dissenters couldn’t participate in local government.
Act of Uniformity
banished pastors and teacher who did not conform to the Church of England.
The Conventicle Act
Prohibited dissenters from meeting form religious purposes
The Five Mile act
barred dissenting preachers from coming within five fields of any city or town they had acted in
The Test Act
excluded dissenters from civil military positions
Act of Toleration 1689
This gave more religious freedom than they had ever had.
First Baptist Covenant
produced in Kittery, Maine 1683
The Covenant spoke of their desire to basically follow all things that are right together as a group.
American Baptist
mostly in the North. The whole group didn’t take off until the Great Awakening.
Baptist in New England
Baptists in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine New Hampshire, Vermont and Connecticut.
Roger Williams
Established Rhode Island
He had a variety of things come up in his spiritual journey
Anglican, Puritan, Separatist, Baptist, Seeker
Roger Williams Convictions
Native Americans were the true owners of the land
On the Oath Williams refused to say that roach witch the local government required.
On the Church of England
Williams insisted that Christian’s must withdraw totally form the Church of England
On the Government Williams Calle for a strict separation of the church and state. He wrote Constantine was worse that Nero
Five Contributions of Roger Williams
Missionary to the American Indians
Religious Liberty for All - - The Bloudy Tennent of Persecution and Yet More Bloody.
Strict Separation of Church and State
Democracy
Founder of the first Baptist Church in America formed in 1639 in Providence Rhode Island.
John Clarke
He was arrested on July 16th
Published News from England about Holmes whipping story.
Was the Pastor at Newport for 30 years.
John Clarke’s Contributions
Founded the second Baptist Church in America
Second in Date but Frist in Baptist Principals
His book News from New England drastically impacted things. This book caused Charles II to give Rhôde Island a Charter for this area to be devoted to religious freedom.
Proponent of Soul Competency Each person will be responsible for their own soul.
Obadiah Holmes
refused to pay the fine for saying infant Baptism was wrong.
He allowed jack the first African American to be Baptized when Clark was gone.
Biggest Name to help people move forward in their positions of Evangelistic Calvinism. The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation
Work that he wrote putting this together.
Andrew Fuller
General Baptist and their decline toward Unitarianism.
Doctrinal Problems Absorbed from Outsiders
Dutch Anabaptists.
Jesus didn’t have a true physical nature. His flesh was celestial. Therefore the full humanity of Christ was denied or at least diminished.
Orthodox doctrine expressed at Chalcedon in AD 451 has relied on the Christological assertion of Hebrews 1 and 2 Christ became like us in all things that he might fully redeem us in all things.
Arianism
The denial of the deity of Christ was next
3rd Century Alexandria Egypt Aries declared that the son was preexisting but not eternal. Jesus was a preexisting created being. There was a time when the Son of man was not. This viewpoint is still in existence with the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Socinianism/Unitarianism.
Christ didn’t pre exist. He was a man who would give one a good example of what a good Christian life would look like.
Results many didn’t believe that there was a God at all.
They followed an inner light instead.
The Philadelphia Confessions of Faith
In 1742 adopted by the Philadelphia Association. It is essentially a copy of the Second London Confession of Faith in 1677
The first Separatist Baptist Church
Established at Sandy Creek, North Carolina by Shula Stearns, Daniel Marshall, and Martha Sterns Marshall
Rhode Island Colleges
1764 founded by Baptists. It is the first Baptist College in America
The Articles of Religion of rate New Connection
produced by Dan Taylor in 1770
George Lille
travels in Jamaica. He comes the first documented Baptist Missionary but without denominational support
Bill of Rights
1790 First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion to everyone who is there.
The Baptist Missionary Society
formed in London in 1792 William Carey is sent to India.
Particular Baptist Fund
Started to help cover the costs of pastors who were without money
More Education for Pastors
Sift Toward Open Communion
Strong Church Discipline
Younger Children Being Saved.
Roles of Women Decreased.
Ann Dutton had to defend herself for what she did.
Rising Division over Slavery.
Characteristics of Particular Baptists
Baptists Churches Exploded in this Century
24 to 979 Churches
Eighteenth Century Baptists in America
marked by eloquent and fervent preaching and emphasized personal one on an one visitation.
Theodore Freylinghuysen
Sacramental— these Baptist churches accept more sacramental elements, other forms of baptism (even no baptism or infant baptism) open communion, more ecumenism and fare open to advanced liberal views on theology.
Evangelistic —more of an emphasis on Baptist distinctives, believer’s baptism only, closed communion and conservative theology.
British Baptists can be divided into two groups.
Greatest Theologian in American history.
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.
Jonathan Edwards
First Great Society that was Created
The Triennial Convention
Baptist voice in the North
Isaac Backus
Between Spurgeon and John Clifford
Baptist Union Shifted to a more Functional Core from a Doctrinal Core
Spurgeon Threes Complaints
Decline of Prayer Meetings
Worldliness of minsters
Doctrinal Decay
Spurgeon Wrote about this in The Sword and Trowel
Never made sense that the Baptist union and Clifford would not put there beliefs in writing.
Down Grade Controversy
preached and brought on so many people. 42 to 125 in churches.
Shubal Stearns
Met with Madison to help push for the bill of rights
John Lealand
was the sister of Shubal and the wife of Daniel. She was arrested while pregnant .
Martha Sterns Marshall
Moderate Calvinist’s
Free will and the importance of Evangelism
Emotional Worship Services
Very noisy!
Nine Rites
Baptism Communion love feast lay on of of hands foot washing anointing the sick the right hand of fellowship the kiss of charity and the dedication of children.
Anti-education
Didn’t push education
Evangelistic Invitation
Women leaders
Beliefs and Practices of Separate Baptists.
Revolutionary War
Second Great Awakening
Fight for Religious Liberty
Regular Baptist and Separate Baptists Came together
Conflicting Interests
Hardworking Ministers
Emphasis upon the local Church
Emphasis upon Special Occasions
Characteristics of Churches in the Eighteenth Century
Overcoming Sociological theological Divisions Between Eighteenth Century
Separate and Regular Baptists
In 1863 absorbed home mission work, particular baptist fun and the baptist building fund.
The Baptist Union
The Power to Withdraw Fellowship from Churches
Serve as Doctrinal Instructor and Monitor
Advise on Baptist Practices
Promote Benevolent Work in the Community and Beyond
Provide Fellowship for lonely baptists
Provide models mentors of ministry and administration for young preachers
Provide a resourcing Network for new church starts and other mission endeavors.
Functions of Associations
was the primary spokesman for religious liberty in the southern colonies.
John Leland
MERGER of Particular Baptists and General Baptists
1891 PB and GB came together at the Baptist Union Meeting
Daniel Parker
Two seed of the Spirit Doctrine
Always can see the two differences in existence.
no point in trying to save the unelect
John Taylor
Thoughts on a. Mission
Anti Missional Movement
No money necessary
Joshua Lawerence
Pushed the anti missional movement in North Carolina
Hyper Calvinist’s who pushed for the complete stoping of missions.
Daniel Parker
Two seed of the Spirit Doctrine
Always can see the two differences in existence.
no point in trying to save the unelect
John Taylor
Thoughts on a. Mission
Anti Missional Movement
No money necessary
Joshua Lawerence
Pushed the anti missional movement in North Carolina
Hyper Calvinist’s who pushed for the complete stoping of missions.
Revivals were happening
People were having all kinds of things happen
Started a false movement that said baptism was a part of salvation.
1600 churches lost
68000 members gone
Convention formed
Disagreement on methods of organization
Campbellism
Three Stages of Doctrinal Decline.
Exaggerated View of Election and Predestination (Some predestined to Heaven and others Predestined to Death)
Last Zeal for Evangelism (Everything was already decided if you were going to heaven or hell)
Antinomianism. Everything was fine because God already decided if you were going to heaven or hell
led the famous Hastack Prayer Meetings of 1806 at Williams College
Samuel Mills
Missionary that pushed and started a national organization for international missions.
Luther Rice
Volunteered based
Membership based off of dues
Focus on a specific cause
No denominational
No geographical limitations
quickly change and respond to new needs
Composed of committed members.
Emphasis the individual
Society Approach
happened in South Carolina in 1826
First State Convention
Messengers go to conventions and vote their conscience
Able to sponsor a lot for ministries
Strong Central Denomination
Geographically Defined
Slower in response to new needs and new visions
Individual commitments are more difficult to achieve
Conventions emphasis the convention
Convention Approach
Campus crusade for Christ. There is no connection with churches. Everything is done with support only.
Society Plan
Send messengers to a convention.
Send Messengers more corporate in nature.
1st. Mission functions should determine structural form
2nd Structures are temporary and are subject to evaluation
3rd. Organizational structures are important to keeping things moving forward
over time.
Three Principals for Evaluating Mission Structures
William Johnson was the first president of the SBC convention
May 10 1845
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