Where did Baptists begin? They come out of a long tradition of non-establishment Christians throughout the centuries who were never part of the Catholic tradition, and who did not come out of the Catholic Church via the Reformation. The Reformer groups came to be called "Protestants" since they were protesting the beliefs of their church. The name "Baptist" came into somewhat general use in the 1500 and 1600's, as a convenient label for those believers who did not fit the establishment. The name was probably a shortened version of "Anabaptist," or "again-baptizers" and was an insulting label for Christians who insisted that believers should be baptized after they had believed in Christ, even if their parents had them baptized or sprinkled as infants in the Reformation or Catholic style of baptism.

Today, taken altogether, Baptists are one of the major varieties of Christian belief and practice.

Baptist is primarily a historical designation of Christians who hold to a group of Biblical distinctives, which only they hold in totality. Others may believe and practice some of these, but usually not all.

1. Biblical Authority: We believe the Bible, God's word, is the only truth upon which we base our beliefs and actions. We only consider the writings of people or church organizations to have authority as they reflect the truth of God in the Bible.
2. Baptized Believing Membership: We believe that membership of the local church is only for those who profess personal faith in Christ and have given testimony to that faith by being baptized. The Bible teaches that salvation comes by faith before baptism thus we strongly oppose any practice like infant baptism which is based on the concept of bringing salvation through the ritual of baptism.
3. Autonomous Local Churches: We believe that the churches of the New Testament were independent and self-governing and not part of a larger ecclesiastical structure. For that reason Baptists have no hierarchy above the local congregation. No Pope, no bishop, no prophet or guru who from some higher level dictates, directs or controls.
4. Priesthood of the Believer: We have no priesthood. Every believer has direct access to God, and needs no human intermediary. Christ in the only valid priest we acknowledge as above the individual believer.
5. Individual Soul Liberty: We believe that every human being has the right and responsibility to personally relate to God. While the church and it's members ought to teach and advise one another, ultimately the individual will and must answer to God alone. That means also we strongly support religious freedom even though we may oppose other religious views. It was Baptist influence that brought freedom of religion into the United States in contrast to the state church concepts of Europe at the time.
6. Two Offices: Organizationally, we hold to only two offices in the church, and these two having function only in that local congregation. Pastor or Elder and Deacon.
7. Two Ordinances: In our church life we hold to only two ordinances (not sacraments) baptism and the Lord's Supper.
8. Separation of Church and State: It was the Baptists in America that made sure that a church would not be established and supported by the government.