We are...
...guided by God's Word.
...are committed to our churches.
...committed to missions.
...a denomination in service to its churches.
American Baptist Identity Statment
Links

(I am writing this in first person.)
We are guided by God's Word:
We believe that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and our Lord. Through belief in Him we are given eternal fellowship with him. The foundation of our belief is the drama of Easter week: the death of Christ on a cross, in which he paid for the sins of all who believe in him, and the Resurrection, which offers glorious proof of his teaching and His triumph over sin and death. Jesus is talking below:

"We are going up to Jerusalem," he said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." (Mark 10:33,34 NIV)

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

We are committed to our churches:
We believe in interdependence. This recognizes that the Holy Spirit is a work in all congregations. In American Baptist Churches, the cooperative efforts of 5,800 congregations, 34 regional organizations and a number of national and international agencies have resulted in many accomplishments in evangelism and social outreach. American Baptist Churches USA is the most racially diverse denomination in Protestantism. We have seen a great number of churches in crease in our African American, Hispanic, Native American, Haitian, Portuguese and Asian American churches. We are truly a diverse people: geographically, theologically and vocationally. Depending on the location of the church, it provides different needs to the congregation and the surrounding area. The American Baptists have a large focus in international missionaries in Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Europe where they start ministries and, many times, churches. Many people in our stressful and secularized society are without a church home. American Baptists have always taken seriously the challenge to provide those persons with communities. The regions work closely with local congregations to support and encourage them as they carry out ministries of evangelism, education and social witness in their communities.

We are committed to missions:
Missions are an endeavor that can never be exhausted. Evangelism is a challenge and a opportunity. Even after 2,000 years of Christianity ministry, tens of millions of persons throughout the world have not yet heard the Good News of the salvation through Jesus Christ. While six out of seven adults in the United States claim to be Christians, only four in ten of those same adults can be found in church pews on any given Sunday. Evangelism takes place at home, at school, at work, and in neighborhoods through door-to-door visitation. This personal sharing of our faith is the most important way American Baptists tell others about Christ. Preaching and teaching are also essential ways of evangelizing. For American Baptists, evangelism is a worldwide endeavor. Overseas, American Baptist missionaries and volunteers aid in supporting the spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ. In 1824, American Baptists founded a publication society to produce books, tracts, and Sunday school curriculum to spread the Good News about Christ. Judson Press, as it is called, has made it able for millions of people to come and know Christ. God grants each of us a spiritual gift. It is our belief that God expects those gifts to be put in use with in the church. Laypersons are essential to all congregations because the pastor(s) can not do all the work. Many leadership training events are scheduled at our American Baptist Assembly in Green Lake Wisconsin. Some men and women are called by God to professional Christian service- as pastors, chaplains, counselors, religious educators, regional or national staff persons. The American Baptist commitment to developing strong leaders, both lay and professional, is part of our work with Baptist unions throughout the world. American Baptists have shown themselves to be a group of caring people, eager to respond when and where there is want. American Baptists have acted decisively to meet the needs created by earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, as well as of human making. Many American Baptists, both as individuals and as members of work teams, have volunteered their time and talents to on-site ministries of rebuilding in the wake of natural disasters. Much of the healing we seek to administer in Christ's name is through hundreds of institutions worldwide. Nearly one million persons are treated overseas by hospitals and medical centers operated by the American Baptist International Ministries. American Baptists know that sharing Christ means more than sharing words. Christ promised eternal life to those who believed in Him. He also set very deliberate examples of the kinds of ministry His followers need to pursue in this life. American Baptists have told the Good News in many food pantries and homeless shelters. Since 1948, more than 75,000 people have found refuge in the United States through refugee and immigrant resettlement missions. Fewer and fewer of those within our congregation fit the "traditional family" with mom, dad and kids living together. Whether divorced, single, elderly, widowed, members of stepfamilies, or whatever, the American Baptists have met people where they are in their life and accepted them for who they are. No matter how the dynamics of the international family change, children and youth will remain at the core of church ministries. National and regional youth gatherings have brought together thousands of people at one time to share fellowship and mature in Christian understanding. Regions and national organizations have utilized Youth Leader Core as a strategy for helping young adults identify their gifts and deepen their faith so they can effectively become Christ's servants. More than 60 regional American Baptist camps across the United States have provided individuals and families with experiences for Christian growth. The Apostle Paul reflecting teaching rooted in the Old Testament, reminds Christians that we all are "stewards of God's ministry" (I Corinthians 4:1). Stewardship is our mandate to use and share wisely and compassionately all the blessings God has granted us. The American Baptist Mission Support allows churches to spread the Word beyond their local community. There are four annual offerings each year. America for Christ funds missions in the United States and Puerto Rico. One Great Hour of Sharing provides emergency relief to people. World Mission Offering enables missions in other countries. The Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering provides money to those who have served us, whether as ministers or missionaries. American Baptists acknowledge that all people committed to faithful service to Christ benefit from periods of renewal- times devoted to recapturing the freshness and vigor that marked their original efforts in His name. When we get renewal we are listening to what the Apostle Paul said,

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2 NIV)

We are a denomination in service to its churches:
Every one of the 34 American Baptist regions in the United States and Puerto Rico is autonomous. Each region is committed to serving the churches within the region, and to providing an essential channel of communication with the National board. The regions play a vital role in raising the mission funds--more than $40 million each year--which support all American Baptist missions at home and overseas. The Board of Educational Ministries provides programs and materials to help American Baptists grow as disciples of Christ and leaders in church life. Educational Ministries works to deepen biblical understanding, to call persons to lives of stewardship and service, to enhance American Baptist identity and to strengthen the preparation of lay and professional leaders. The Board of International Ministries is the service organization that helps our local churches fulfill the mandate to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by word and deed beyond the boundaries of the United States. International Ministries relates to more than 500 educational institutions and 125 hospitals and medical facilities. International Ministries missionaries work in partnership with some 15,000 trained national workers, who serve about 22,000 churches and nearly 3,000,000 baptized members. The Board of National Ministries is committed to the three charter purposes of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies: preaching the gospel, establishing churches and ministering to persons of special needs. The Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board provides retirement, death and disability benefits, emergency financial assistance and other support for the denomination's pre-retired and retired ministers, missionaries and lay employees. The General Secretary relates to and coordinated the work of the national and regional boards, fostering ecumenical relations, raising the mission budget. The General Board deals with denominational business and polity and gives direction to national staff. Biennial Meetings are national gatherings that provide opportunities for fellowship for all American Baptist churches through worship. Continuing a half-century long tradition, the American Baptist Assembly in Green Lake, Wisconsin is a "gathering place" for fellowship, training and inspiration. Countless conferences have enabled thousands to grow in appreciation of and skills in Christian mission.

The American Baptist Identity Statement
This document is quite long, and would take a long time for you to read.
If you want to read it., please use the ABC-USA link beflow.

(Information taken from the Pamphelt: We Are American Baptists: A People of Faith, A People in Mission)

Back to What I Believe...
Main page