Baptists

There are about 35 million Baptists in the world. Baptists are a denomination of Protestant Christians with a distinct belief in regards to the ordinance of baptism. Essentially, the view is that baptism ought only be administered to believers and that immersion (in water) is the only mode of baptism indicated in the New Testament.

The following distinguish the Baptists from other Protestant communions:

• (1) their insistence on baptism of adult believers only
• (2) their concern for freedom of speech and conscience and for freedom from interference by any civil or ecclesiastical authority
• (3) the primacy they seek to give to Scripture in matters of faith, doctrine, and morals
• (4) the authority they give to the congregation in church affairs