It’s getting less and less popular for any church to identify themselves as “Baptist” these days. In fact, it’s getting less popular for churches to even identify themselves as a “church”! Instead we see a trend towards “worship centers” and “assemblies” and “fellowships” and some names even more vague than that.

Why? Well, surveys and studies show that people tend to have negative feelings towards “church”… and even more negative feelings about “Baptists”… consequently many well-meaning people have decided to change the name, spice up the music, shorten the sermons, and ‘focus on the positive’ in hopes to better appeal to the general public.

So why are we sticking with the name “Spokane Baptist Church”?

The answer is simple… it’s because the name “Baptist Church” has great meaning, history, and significance… all of which we consider an honor to be associated with.

Tragically, there’s a great deal of misunderstanding today about what this name means. There are even people out there who call themselves Baptists – but have nothing to do with actual Baptist history. The following outline is a very brief introduction to the true meaning and history of the Baptist name.

A Name from our Enemies

†    The Baptist name was actually originally created as a slur against those who would baptize a person only after that person had repented and believed on Christ for salvation. This practice was considered insulting (at best) by the large organized churches (Catholic and Reformed) that baptized people as babies.

†    Since Baptists wouldn’t give up this practice, they were labeled, hunted, driven into hiding, and thousands were actually killed for refusing to abandon the Biblical practice of Baptism.

A History of Separation from Error

†    The first major error to gain wide acceptance in Christianity was the establishment of a Church power-structure (started around 200 AD). This un-Biblical practice put some men in charge of multiple churches – which made these men politically powerful in the Roman Republic – and ultimately corrupted the purpose of the church. Baptists were persecuted for standing against this error and separating from churches that pledged allegiance to church hierarchy rather than to God's Word alone.

†    As so-called “Christianity” became politically powerful, around 300 AD, these politically entangled churches started baptizing babies (under the unbiblical notion that baptism brings salvation) to make their churches even bigger. Baptists refused to acknowledge the validity of a baptism where the person had no choice in the matter (since this is not what the Bible teaches) and many Baptists were therefore killed as enemies of these “churches.”

†    By 400 AD, these errant churches were fully united with the government, and the spiral of corruption and deviation from the Bible plunged to new depths. This united Church & State used its power to martyr many Baptists who preached against the elevation of politics and traditions which superseded the Word of God.

Colossian 2:8 – Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Sir Isaac Newton said: “The Baptists are the only body of known Christians that have never symbolized with Rome [the Roman Catholic united ‘church’ & state].”

A History of Standing for Right

†    For Freedom of Conscience.
♦  Baptists wrote the first constitution (State of Rhode Island) granting religious liberty. (click here to read more)
♦  The phrase “Separation of Church and State” comes not from the US Constitution, but from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Baptists – crediting them for their example! (click here to read more)

†    For Equality for All.
♦  Baptists are the only religious group to have never persecuted another religious group.
♦  Baptists were the first to ban slavery in North America.
♦  Baptists led the effort to treat the Native Americans as men, not savages.

Keep Reading about the history of the Baptists by clicking here.