BAPTIST

I will be posting on a regular basis for my Business Communications class over the next three weeks. The requirement is to post at least twice per week. Four weeks from now I will present my blog to the class. In addition, I will also present information regarding how one can market their blog, or use it to make money.

I have free reign to post about whatever topic I choose. I want this blog topic to be educational, so I will be blogging about the acronym BAPTIST:

Biblical authority
Autonomy of the local church
Priesthood of the believer
Two ordinances (Believer's Baptism and Lord's Supper)
Individual soul liberty
Separation of church and state
Two offices (Pastor and Deacon)

The preceding are something commonly called the "Baptist Distinctives". They are common doctrinal beliefs held by the vast majority of Baptists. Please keep in mind that these doctrinal viewpoints are by no means exclusive to Baptists. Many denominations hold to most, if not all, of these viewpoints, as do many non-denominational congregations.

Please also be aware that there is only one true Church: the Body of Christ. It is made up of people who are true believers in Jesus Christ. The buildings we call churches are actually congregations. A congregation consists of the building and the people who attend that place of worship. The people who attend may or may not be part of the Church. A congregation may or may not be affiliated with a denomination. A denomination is a group of congregations, under a particular religion, who basically believe the same things from doctrinal and traditional standpoints.

Before I get into the acronym, I feel I should first explain why I am a Baptist.

When I first asked Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior I was not attending any kind of church. I looked into many different denominations, and came to the conclusion that the Baptist faith was most closely related to the non-denominational congregation I attended as I was growing up. As I have mentioned in previous posts, our walk with the Lord is a quest for the truth. I perceive the Baptist faith to be closest to the truth. The emphasis placed on the Bible is one of my main reasons for this conclusion.

There is a plethora of information regarding where the Baptists originated from. Obviously, some of these historical records conflict. It is beyond the scope of this blog topic to delve into this issue. However, if you are curious, as I am, the following link will provide one fairly comprehensive history. Click on the link titled "Who Are Baptists". Then click on "Baptist Beginnings" at the bottom of the page.

http://www.baptisthistory.org/