The Production Team Many persons have contributed in various ways to the Baptist identity website and the materials posted on it. The contributors are extraordinarily diverse, yet they all have in common a deep commitment to Christ as Lord and to the Baptist family of Christians. They are too numerous to list individually. They include professors, pastors, deacons, Sunday School teachers, historians, theologians, and editors. They range in age from high school students to octogenarians. Male and female, they come from churches large and small in various states and countries. The input from these persons took place over a period of years. Some of the input came when the initial twenty-seven articles were printed. Other input came when some of the material from the Baptist Identity Series was released for evaluation and field testing. Input has been in various ways, such as emails and letters in response to printed material and the website, written evaluations of manuscripts at the request of the authors, and verbal communication discussing Baptist identity. Concerning the website itself, the original designer of the website, the person who then updated it, and the individual who is the current webmaster are all not only skilled in website…

“Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” Philippians 1:1 “The officers in a local New Testament church are pastors and deacons (Phil. 1:1). The same office is variously called bishop, elder or pastor.” Hershel H. Hobbs The Baptist Faith and Message, p. 69 Baptist polity through the years has affirmed two scriptural officers of a New Testament church, pastor and deacon. Baptists believe the Bible teaches that all Christians are called to serve and minister to others in Christ’s name, but some are called and gifted by God to function in specific roles of ministry, such as pastors and deacons. Baptist Pastors Baptists declare the office of pastor is one of two that a church patterned after New Testament churches should have. The Bible uses three words for the same office: elder, pastor and bishop. In the Greek language of the New Testament, these words indicate different functions and not different persons (Acts 20:17-28;1 Peter 5:1-5). Baptists look to the Bible for the qualifications for persons to serve as pastor (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). The qualifications fall generally into two categories—character and

…New Testament churches. Furthermore, Christians in New Testament times resisted the efforts of governmental and religious authorities to dictate religious belief and practice (Acts 4:18-20; 5:29). The early Christians insisted on autonomy from both secular and religious authorities. Other Biblical Baptist Convictions and Church Autonomy Church autonomy rests on other biblically based convictions of Baptists. For example, the lordship of Christ, a belief precious to Baptists, relates to autonomy. Christ is Lord of each person and of each church. Jesus, not any individual or group, is to be in control. His lordship for a church is exercised through the members of the church, persons who have trusted and followed him as Lord (Ephesians 4:1-16). Born-again persons voluntarily gather in groups and form churches. The Bible indicates that only those who have been born-again are to be members of churches (Acts 2:47). These persons have been saved only by faith in God’s grace gift of salvation in Christ, and thus all are spiritually on the same plane (Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9). As such, no individual or group inside or outside of a church is to “lord it over” another individual or church (1 Peter 5:3). God has endowed each person with…

for orientation of new staff, officers, committee members, and trustees of related institutions about Baptist history and identity. Provide a class or group study on Baptist identity for the staff of your organization and utilize the Series as a resource. Promote the use of the Series in publications of your organization. Display the Baptist Identity Leaflets and the Baptist Beliefs and Heritage book in the offices of your organization. Prepare a display on Baptist identity at meetings of your organization, utilizing the Series in the display and encouraging persons to take copies of the Baptist Identity Leaflets. Provide the Baptist Beliefs and Heritage book, the Personal Study Guides book, and a packet of the Baptist Identity Leaflets for each trustee and administrator of entities related to your organization. Promote the use of the Baptist Identity Series in churches, institutions, and other Baptist organizations. Encourage officers, staff, trustees, committee members, and others who are part of the function of your organization to utilize the Series in the church of which they are a member. Publicize the website www.baptistdistinctives.org and encourage its use. “…among the finest I have ever seen.” Denominational Executive “…very explicit, concise, and yet highly informative…” Baptist Church Member…

…prix Nobel, est un laïc baptiste enseignant l’école du dimanche …un homme d’affaires baptiste généreux a été le premier à mettre au point un procédé efficace de pasteurisation du fromage …l’auteur du livre de dévotion très répandu « Mon Lieu Suprême à Sa Majesté » (My Utmost for His Highest) était un baptiste issu d’une famille baptiste pieuse, dont le père et l’un des fils étaient des pasteurs baptistes Bien que ces déclarations du type « le saviez-vous » soient intéressantes (vous trouverez plus d’informations à leur sujet dans les articles suivants de cette série), elles n’indiquent pas quelles croyances et pratiques caractérisent les baptistes. Si quelqu’un vous demandait : « Qu’est-ce qui distingue le plus les baptistes des autres dénominations chrétiennes ? », quelle serait votre réponse ? Ou si l’on vous demandait : « Quelle différence cela fait-il d’être un chrétien baptiste ? », que répondriez-vous ? Dans les semaines à venir, cette série d’articles explorera ces questions. Pourquoi y a-t-il un tel manque de connaissances au sujet des baptistes ? Pourquoi de nombreux baptistes aujourd’hui ne comprennent-ils pas ce que cela signifie d’être baptiste ? Plusieurs facteurs ont probablement contribué à ce manque de connaissances : *…

“Pois vocês são salvos pela graça, por meio da fé, e isto não vem de vós, é dom de Deus; não por obras, para que ninguém se glorie.” Efésios 2.8-9 Conversas informais, filmes, programas de TV, desenhos animados, tudo sugere que o conceito de salvação é: quando uma pessoa morre, Deus coloca na balança as boas e as más obras. Se as boas obras pesam mais que as más, a pessoa vai para o céu. Se as más obras pesam mais, a pessoa vai para o inferno. Às vezes o iferno não é nem mencionado. Em outras palavras, o esforço humano prapara o caminho para o céu ou o inferno. O retrato bíblico de salvação é totalmente diferente. A Bíblia ensina claramente que todos pecaram (Romanos 3.23) e que a punição para o pecado é a morte eterna. Contudo, Deus em sua graça providenciou uma forma do pecado ser perdoado, o inferno evitado e o céu garantido. A forma é fé no Seu filho Jesus Cristo ( Romanos 6.23). A salvação, segundo a Bíblia, é somente pela graça mediante a fé, não por esforços ou obras humanas (Efésios 2.8-9). Mesmo sem negar o valor das boas obras, ao longo da…

…única autoridade. O Espírito Santo inspirou as pessoas a escrever a Bíblia para que, como a Fé e a Mensagem Batista diz, é um “perfeito tesouro de instrução divina. Tem Deus como seu autor, salvação como o seu fim, e verdade sem qualquer mistura de erro, como conteúdo”. Como tal, a Bíblia torna-se para nós uma revelação de Deus. Jesus Cristo é a mais completa revelação de Deus. O senhorio de Cristo e a autoridade da Bíblia caminham lado a lado. Eles não são contraditórios, pelo contrário, são complementares. Batistas acreditam que o Espírito Santo inspirou as pessoas não apenas para registrar a verdade sobre Deus, mas para iluminar pessoas para interpretar e aplicar a Bíblia. A Bíblia é basicamente uma autoridade religiosa. Herschel Hobbs, renomado pastor e teólogo batista, no livro “A fé e mensagem Batista”, nas páginas 24-25 diz: “a Bíblia é essencialmente um livro de religião” . Ele explica: “dizer que a Bíblia é um livro detentor de autoridade não significa que ela detenha autoridade em todas as áreas do pensamento humano. Não é isso que ela reinvindica ser.” Hobbs também diz: “A Bíblia não se propõe a ser um livro de hitória, literatura, filosofia, psicologia ou…

…no Novo Testamento. Por exemplo, os membros da igreja atuando em conjunto, nenhuma pessoa ou grupo tomava decisões importantes (Atos 6.1-6; 13.1-3; 15.22; II Coríntios 8.1-13). Salvação apenas pela grçaã por meio da fé. Batistas acreditam que todos os remidos são salvos pela graça por meio da fé em Cristo, não por obras, estatus social ou qualquer outra coisa (Efésios 2.8-10). Os pés da cruz igualam a todos. Portanto, nenhum batista deve ser mais importante do que outro. Assim, a igreja deve ser governada por todos juntos sob o senhorio de Cristo. Competência da alma e sacerdócio dos crentes. As pessoas têm uma competência dada por Deus de conhecer e seguir a vontade de Deus. Aqueles que respondem pela fé ao dom da salvação tornam-se crentes sacerdotes (I Pedro 2.9; Apocalipse 5.1-10). Cada crente sacerdote tem acesso direto a Deus por meio das Escrituras e oração e é livre sob a orientação do Espírito Santo para discernir a vontade de Deus. Além disso, cada crente também é parte do sacerdócio real no qual Jesus é o Sumo Sacerdote (Hebreus 7-10). Esse sacerdócio é a comunhão na qual cada crente deve buscar a direção de Deus como um cooperador da comunidade….

Free shipping and discounts of 50% and more are always available…and currently free books are available for orders (scroll down) of the Baptist Identity Series. When you order (scroll down) the entire set of the Series or any of the items of the set, the following gift books will be included with your order according to the chart below as long as supplies last: Click to Enlarge BONUS BOOKS $25 to $75 BAPTISTS AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY $100 to $150 WHY BAPTISTS? ISSUES TESTING BAPTIST POLITY $200 to $250 FLOWERS AND FRUITS IN THE WILDERNESS…

“Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” 2 Corinthians 8:3-4 (NIV) Baptists believe the Bible teaches that churches should be autonomous, that is, independent of any outside control by individuals or groups. Baptists also believe the Bible mandates that Christians should be involved in missions, carrying out Christ’s command to take the gospel to the whole world. A single congregation, no matter how large, cannot possibly fulfill the Lord’s command adequately. Therefore, early Baptists faced a major dilemma: How could independent congregations fulfill the command of Christ to take the gospel to the entire world without forming some sort of connection among churches that possibly could undermine their autonomy? After decades of prayerful deliberation, Baptists determined the answer to this question was “voluntary cooperation” among individual Baptists and Baptist churches. The Baptist statesman James L. Sullivan described this as a “rope of sand with strength of steel.” The Bases for VOLUNTARY Cooperation Voluntary cooperation rests solidly on other basic Baptist convictions. Voluntarism and freedom form a theme that permeates the Baptist symphony of beliefs and polities. For example, Baptists believe the following: The Bible teaches the experience…