What IS a Baptist?.

Neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant! The Baptist was not a product of the Reformation.

History shows that the Protestant Church persecuted the Baptists and Anabaptist in just the same way as the Roman Catholic Church did. When either of these churches was in power history shows that they persecuted unto death all who would not turn to their "One True Way!" Unfortunately for them the Baptists were niether and ended up in the middle every time.

Calvin is quoted with stating "Let the Sword exercise judgement upon the Baptists!"

One of the Popes is quoted as saying "If it had not been for the great purges/persecution upon the Baptists, they would outnumber the Reformers."

The Baptist Church is to be modelled on the New Testament church - many examples of which are given in the New Testament (Read the Bible!)

The Bible is the Sole Authority - Nothing Else - no other books, manuscripts, prophets (or profits!) modern day or otherwise. The Word of God has the final say or else we fall into the need of the scathing rebuke levelled by Jesus Christ the Messiah himself at the clergy of the day - the Pharisees!

A Baptist is a Believer in the Word of God.
Believe that man is basically wicked and desparately evil and requires a Saviour - Jesus Christ.
Believe and trust - by faith- in the FINISHED work on the cross that Jesus Christ himself provided as the SOLE payment for sin.
Like Christ, received BELIEVER'S BAPTISM at the hands of an ordained Baptist preacher.
This tends to fly in the faces of most of the "Christian" churches which believe in infant Baptism as the first stage in the salvation of a soul. (God's word says REPENT and be Bapitsed - I have never come across a 4 week old baby that can even say the word SIN let alone realise all the ramifications of being a sinner - except in TV adverts!)

That's what we are - anything else is not a Baptist - even a churrch that calls itself a Baptist church and does not these thing - IS NOT A BAPTIST CHURCH!

If you need further clarification mail me or come visiting - everyone's welcome!