Baptist Distinctives and New Testament Church Order

When people identify themselves with a label like "Lutheran," "Presbyterian," or "Baptist," they're really identifying themselves with a combination of convictions. The labels help distinguish one set of convictions from another.

Kevin Bauder says, "Increasingly, church members display an astonishing lack of knowledge about just what Baptists believe." In Baptist Distinctives, he not only spells out the beliefs that make Baptists different from others, he shows the Biblical bases, discusses differences between Baptist groups, and explains how the Baptist distinctives affect believers' lives, especially their church life. If the Biblical, "Baptist" convictions are worth holding, they're worth understanding and standing for. Read Baptist Distinctives for a contemporary look at Baptist beliefs and life.

Part One: The Baptist Distinctives

• The Authority of the New Testament
• Believer's Baptism
• Pure Church Membership
• Individual Christian Responsibility
• Congregational Government
• Separation of Church and State

Part Two: New Testament Order

• Baptists and Organizations
• Church Councils
• Landmarkism
• Baptismal Regeneration
• Organizing a Baptist Church

Kevin Bauder (DMin, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) is research professor of systematic theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis, where he served as president from 2003 to 2011. Prior to joining the faculty as associate professor in 1998, he served in various pastoral roles for 18 years. His current position affords him the opportunity to further pursue his interests in ecclesiological issues, Baptist history and polity, and the study of American fundamentalism and evangelicalism.