Who are Baptists?

We are a Christian reformed church that has a congregational structure. This means that each local fellowship (congregation) is independent and each individual member has the right to intervene in church affairs. Local congregations are then united in associations at national level, as well as in continental federations and the World Baptists Alliance.

Historical roots

The name Baptists has its origin in the Greek word meaning "immersion" or baptism. Baptists claim to be a movement of the radical wing of the world reformation, which at the beginning of the 16th century began to practice baptism on profession of faith, that is, the baptism of believers who profess their faith on the basis of a personal decision (unlike infant baptism). Because in the case of the founders of this movement, it was actually their second baptism, because they were first baptized as infants, they got the name "Anabaptists" - newly baptized. Anabaptists experienced many hardships for their faith. From Switzerland and Germany they involuntarily got to South Moravia, where they were called Habáni. However, after the Battle of White Mountain, they were forced to continue their own unwanted pilgrimage further east.

Confession of faith

Baptists share a common creed with other Christian churches:

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried,
descended into hell, the third day he rose from the dead,
he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Anyone who believes that Jesus is the only way to God, based on that chooses to live his or her life with and for Jesus, and openly confesses this faith to the congregation, can become a member of a local church. As a visible sign of faith, he is then baptized by immersion in water. By joining the congregation, the new member makes a commitment to live according to the demands of the Bible concerning both personal and church life.