…authority over another. Actions taken by a nationwide Baptist convention, for example, have no authority over Baptist state bodies, associations or churches. Similarly, a church has no authority over an association or convention. Furthermore, associations and conventions, being autonomous, have the right to determine who will be accepted or seated as messengers and to decide which other Baptist organizations they will relate to and which they will not. Some Issues Related to Baptist Autonomy Even when the basic concept of Baptist autonomy is understood, the application of autonomy in the complexity of Baptist organized life is not always clear. When Baptist life was primarily comprised of small congregations of baptized believers, autonomy was a relatively simple matter. As Baptist associations, societies, state and national conventions and institutions of various kinds have evolved as part of Baptist life, autonomy issues are not quite as simple as they once were. For example, questions exist concerning the autonomy of Baptist institutions, such as universities, aging and child care entities and medical centers. If all or a portion of the trustees of a Baptist institution are elected by another Baptist entity, such as a state or national convention, what autonomy does the institution have?…

…Bible. Baptists believe that congregational governance best reflects the practices of those churches described in the New Testament. For example, the members of a church acting in concert, not any one person or group, made major decisions (Acts 6:1-6; 13:1-3; 15:22; 2 Corinthians 8:1-13). Salvation Only by Grace through Faith. Baptists believe that all persons who are redeemed have come by grace to saving faith in Christ, not by works, social status, or any other thing (Ephesians 2:8-10). The ground at the foot of the cross is level. Therefore, no Baptist is to lord it over another. Thus, a church is to be governed by all of the people together under the lordship of Christ. Soul Competency and the Priesthood of Believers. Persons have a God-given competence to know and to follow God’s will. Those who respond by faith to God’s grace-gift of salvation become “believer priests” (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 5:1-10). Each believer priest has direct access to God through the Scriptures and prayer and is free under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to determine God’s will. Furthermore, each believer also is part of a “royal priesthood” in which Jesus Christ is the High Priest (Hebrews 7-10). This…

…priests. By searching the teachings of believer priests in the past and by seeking out the wisdom of those in the present, persons are aided in their understanding of the Bible and of God’s will. The Baptist model of a church rests on the concept of the priesthood of believers. A church is made up of persons who have exercised their God-given competency by believing in Jesus as Savior and Lord and by voluntarily associating with a particular fellowship of believers. Each believer priest in the fellowship is equal to all of the others. Therefore, no one is in authority over all. Thus decisions are made by the community of priests seeking to know the will of the head of the church, the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. They do this by prayer, Bible study, meditation, discussion and decision. Conclusion So, which is it? Priesthood of the believer or priesthood of believers? It is not either/or but both/and. The term “the priesthood of the believer” communicates the biblical emphasis on the individual and soul competency. The term “priesthood of believers” communicates the biblical emphasis on community and fellowship. Throughout history in all aspects of life, a tension has existed between…

…of human thought. It is not an authority in science. It does not claim to be.” Hobbs also writes, “The Bible lays no claim to being a textbook of history, literature, philosophy, psychology or science. Yet it contains true elements of all these and more.” The Authority of the Bible Relates to Other Basic Baptist Beliefs Because Baptists regard the Bible as the sole written authority for faith and practice, the Bible is foundational for Baptist doctrine and church polity. Baptist statements of belief through the centuries have always cited Scriptures for each belief set forth. On the authority of the Bible, Baptists base beliefs in matters such as salvation by grace through faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, soul competency, believer’s baptism, the symbolic nature of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, a church membership only of those who have been born again, congregational church governance, the autonomy of churches, religious freedom, and voluntary cooperation for missions and ministry. Some of these basic convictions relate in a special way to how Baptists view and interpret the Bible. For example, belief in soul competency and the priesthood of all believers leads Baptists to insist that each believer-priest is competent to…

…and persecuted by both religious organizations and governments, to one of the largest denominations in the world? Why have Baptists sacrificed comfort, possessions and even life itself to minister to others and to work for religious freedom for all? Although no simple answer exists to questions such as these, the why of Baptist action is rooted in basic Baptist beliefs. Baptists are a vastly diverse people. Nevertheless, they hold certain basic doctrines and practices in common. No single doctrine or polity defines Baptists, but taken as a whole, they make Baptists a distinctive denomination. Some of these convictions, such as a belief in God, are held by all Christians. Others, such as belief in congregational governance, are held in common with certain denominations. However, the entire combination of beliefs, polities and practices held by Baptists makes them a unique fellowship of Christians. Basic doctrines include these: The lordship of Jesus Christ, the Bible as the sole written authority for faith and practice, soul competency, salvation only by a voluntary response of repentance and faith to God’s grace through the gift of his Son, the priesthood of all believers, baptism of believers only and only by immersion and a regenerate (born…