• Christian church is established in Jerusalem at Pentecost.Acts 2

• Church moves from Jerusalem to Roman world over next30-70 years.

• Rome declares Christianity official religion & center of church life in 325 AD.

• The Great Schism occurs and the Roman Catholic & Eastern Orthodox churches are born. (1054) Moving the church from Byzantine to Constantinople. Differences in church tradition, clergy roles, responsibility

of laity, problems over Latin & language of the people.

Where do Baptists come from?

• The Protestant Reformation occurs and the Protestant Church is born. (1517 by Martin Luther) Authority of Scripture over church tradition. Soul competency: you are accountable to God not the

church Scripture in the language of the people & not Latin. Priesthood of the believer: no mediator between God &

man.• John Smyth breaks from the Church of England and starts

first Baptist church. (1609) Became convinced of believer’s baptism instead of infant

baptism. Believed that worship should be from the heart & not

through ritual.

Where do Baptists come from?

• Roger Williams founds first Baptist church in American colonies. (1630) Fled England under religious persecution by the Church of

England. Came to America 10 yrs after Mayflower. Settled Providence, Rhode Island Believed in freedom of religion & separation of Church &

state• Southern Baptist Convention formed in 1845.

We broke off from the Northern Baptist Convention SBC was formed because NBC would not allow slave

owners to become missionaries or pastors.

Where do Baptists come from?

• Soul competency: each person is accountable to God & responsible for their faith.

• Salvation by grace alone through faith alone by Christ alone.• Scripture is the only rule for faith & practice for believers &

the church.• Baptism is for believers only, has no saving power, is an act

of obedience to Christ, and is by immersion only.• Autonomy of the local church & freedom of conscience for

the individual.• Priesthood of the believer: each person is capable &

responsible to be led by the Spirit to understand & apply Scripture to their lives.

What makes Baptists different from other denominations? Why is this important to know?