Baptists are one group or denomination within the Christian church. Like other Christians we hold some basic biblical beliefs:

I. Jesus is Lord. Like other Christians, Baptists believe that Jesus is fully God and fully human. Through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, He can freely offer salvation to all that accept Him as Saviour and seek to follow Him as Lord. Therefore, Baptists believe that every area of the church’s life and the individual believer's life ought to be subject to the Lord. Consequently we believe that studying God’s Word (the Bible) and prayer are vitally important for both churches and individual believers.

2. The Authority of the Bible. We believe that God communicates His will primarily through the inspired Word of God, the Bible. Baptists have always held a very high view of the Bible. The Bible is our final authority in matters of faith (what we believe) and practice (how we live and conduct ourselves). We also believe that all persons have the privilege and responsibility to read the Bible prayerfully for themselves.

3. The Priesthood of All Believers. The Bible affirms the value of each person. Each of us has been created in the image of God. Each of us has the right and privilege to deal directly with God through Jesus Christ. Thus we do not need a "priest" to act as a "go-between" between God and ourselves. We can pray and confess our sins directly to God. Each of us also has spiritual gifts that we have the privilege and responsibility to use in ministry.

An extension of this principle is that Baptists believe that no group or individual has any right to compel others to believe or worship as they do. Baptists historically were among the first champions of religious liberty in Canada.

4. A Believers' Church. Baptists believe that Jesus Christ chooses to form his church by bringing together those who believe in Him for the purpose of worship, witness, fellowship, and ministry (both spiritual and social). Baptists recognize the church as all that profess faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour. We believe this "universal church" is visibly expressed in local congregations. Each local church is made up of believers who profess their faith in Jesus, are baptized, and identify themselves with that church, normally through membership.

5. Believer's Baptism by Immersion.Baptism is Jesus’ command for those who believe. Full immersion is the pattern established in the Bible. Baptism by immersion allows a believer to publicly identify with Jesus: going under the water symbolizes Jesus' death, being immersed represents His burial, and rising from the water celebrates Jesus’ resurrection! Baptism is one first significant acts through which the believer is obedient to Jesus’ commands and proclaims personal faith in Christ!

Historically, the decision by believers to follow the biblical pattern of baptizing believers (not infants) by immersion (not sprinkling or pouring) gave rise to the name "Baptists."

6. Congregational Government. Local Baptist congregations are governed by the principles of the priesthood of all believers, the Lordship of Christ, the authority of the Scriptures, and the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. Baptists believe that Christ, through the Holy Spirit, is present in the lives of believers in a congregation. In terms of leading and governing a local church, believers are responsible to seek to discern God’s will through prayer, Bible study, and discussion.

This principle also gives each individual congregation a certain degree of autonomy and freedom from control by other bodies. However, just as individual believers, through prayer, study of Scripture, and discussion, come together to govern local churches, so individual churches come together in larger bodies (areas, associations, unions, and conventions) to work together to know and obey God’s will.

7. Separation of Church and State. Based on Baptist convictions such as the Lordship of Christ and the priesthood of believers, Baptists believe there must exist a separation between the church and civil governments. We believe God has given legitimate roles in society to both church and state. And we hold a deep conviction that neither is to encroach upon the rights or responsibilities of the other. Christians are, however, under obligation to become the conscience of the community and nation and hold governing authorities accountable to perform their duties with wisdom, integrity, and conscience. Christians are also under obligation to speak to issues of social justice.

What is a "Canadian" Baptist?

Our church is part of "Canadian Baptist Ministries" (CBM), an umbrella organization that celebrates the connectedness of Canadians who share a Baptist faith from coast to coast.

Through CBM, Baptists in western Canada (Baptist Union of Western Canada) work with Francophone Baptists (l’Union de l’Eglises Baptistes Francaises au Canada), and Baptists in central Canada (Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec) cooperate with Baptists in Atlantic Canada (United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces).

CBM also enables Baptists across the country to share in ministries such as the support of missionaries in over a dozen countries, overseas relief and development (The Sharing Way), short-term service assignments (Canadian Baptist Volunteers), publishing, youth work, and public affairs.

Regionally, CBM Baptists support four seminaries (one of them French), one liberal arts university, and two lay leadership training programmes as means of equipping Christian lay people and pastors. We also support one another through regular promotion of overseas mission efforts and cooperative mission ministries within Canada.

Internationally, Baptists who are part of CBM are also part of the Baptist World Alliance. Through the BWA. more than 35 million Baptists around the world share their faith, vision, and ministries.

Baptist History

"Baptists" began during the Protestant Reformation as believers began practicing biblical principles such as believers’ baptism by immersion (rather than infant baptism by sprinkling or pouring).

In Canada, the first Baptists established churches in the Atlantic region and Ontario in the 1700’s, and in Quebec and western Canada in the 1800’s. New Baptist churches continue to be established as Canada grows and changes.
 
 

Other Baptists in Canada

There are several other major Baptist groups in Canada. Other Baptists belong to churches, which remain independent.

The Baptist General Conference of Canada and the North American Baptist Conference have roots in Scandinavia and Germany respectively.

The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches is a combination of groups that emerged during theological controversies in the 1920’s.

The Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists, sister to the Southern Baptist Convention in the United States, also has several churches and a seminary in Canada.

These groups share many of the Baptist distinctives listed above. In recent years, all Baptist groups have been doing more and more ministry cooperatively.