This involves public proclamation of the individual’s faith in the Christ through baptism. In recent times, there are an estimated 50 million Baptists in the United States. This makes them the nation’s largest Protestant groups. Here are some of the facts about Baptists you need to know:

1. Baptist churches have different sub-denominations

The largest group of Baptists in the United States is the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptists founded the Convention in Georgia after splitting with the Northern Baptists in the 19th century. They had split over the issue of slavery. The Southern Baptists Convention had over 15 million members in 2015.

Affiliated organizations include the smaller conservative organizations of the Baptist churches and the Independent Baptist churches. They’re not a part of a governing authority or a hierarchical structure. In 2004, the Southern Baptist Convention left the Baptist World Alliance. It is made up of nearly 200 Baptist conventions and organizations.

The reason for leaving the alliance was the Southern Baptist Convention’s objection to certain issues. They included homosexuality and the inclusion of women in the clergy.

2. They are strong believers in biblical authority

Baptists firmly believe that the Bible is the only authority. Their reason for this belief is the Bible’s divine nature. As an example, they often cite Timothy 3:16-17. According to its verses, all scripture is God-breathed. They also state that the scripture is useful for teaching righteousness and for correcting, rebuking, and training.

The purpose is to equip the believers thoroughly for every work that’s good. Baptists also believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible. It also empowered men to record the truth about the Almighty. They were also empowered to give directives on the application of the Bible in the lives of Christians.

There’s a disagreement among some Baptist churches with regards to certain practices. Nevertheless, many of them agree that Bible is their only authority.

3. They strongly encourage missionary work and evangelism

Many Baptists encourage opportunities for evangelism and missionary work. This is their response to Jesus Christ’s call to make disciples of all nations. According to them, there are millions around the world who haven’t heard of Jesus. They see evangelism as a mission for sharing the message of the Christ.

There has been a long history of Evangelism in the Baptist church. Historians have been using books and other resources for the purpose of evangelism since the early 19th century. The events of Billy Graham, a former evangelist, inspired several new evangelistic conventions and conferences.

Such events attracted millions of people. The Baptist church encourages the sharing of faith and the message of Christ with the neighbors and co-workers.

4. The Baptist church was started in America during the 17th century

After its establishment in Amsterdam, the first Baptist church in the United States was started in 1638. It was started by Roger Williams, who was formerly associated with the Church of England. Thus, America’s first Baptist church came up on the uncolonized Rhode Island. Around the same time, another Baptist church was founded on Rhode Island by an Englishman named John Clarke.

Later, these two men got a charter that guaranteed religious freedom on Rhode Island from King Charles II. Towards the end of the 18th century, there were 35 associations of Baptists in America. The belief of the Baptists in religious freedom also influenced the first amendment of the American constitution.

5. The Baptist church mainly believes in Baptism

According to the Baptist church, Baptism symbolizes an individual’s cleansing of sins. There are some churches that use a sprinkling of water for Baptism but most use full immersion. In this, the individual in question is fully immersed in water. This practice has its origins in John 3 and Romans 6.

In the Baptist church, Baptism is a public expression of faith. Many churches don’t subscribe to infant baptism, as it’s not a requirement for salvation.

6. Opinions differ on the Baptist church’s origin

Four major opinions exist with regards to how Baptists originated according to Bruce Gourley. He is Baptist History & Heritage Society’s former executive director. The first opinion is that they grew from within the separatist movement of England. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the Protestants separated from the Church of England.

This view is the most accepted among all the other views. A church established in Amsterdam in 1609 is considered as the earliest Baptist church. There also exists a second opinion that the Baptists originated from English Separatism.

They were formed out of Dutch Mennonites, who had a significant influence on them. There are the third and fourth opinions as well. They say that the Baptist church has been in existence since Christ and John the Baptist in some form.

7. They consider the Lord’s Supper a symbolic act of obedience

The Lord’s Supper is also called communion. It is a symbolic practice to honor Jesus Christ’s death according to the Baptist church. This practice has its origins in the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples. During the meal, Jesus Christ gave his disciples wine and bread.

The wine symbolizes Christ’s blood that he shed for his people. The bread symbolizes Jesus Christ’s purity. The Lord’s Supper is more of a remembrance of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross. It is not literally the body and blood of Jesus Christ as other Christian denominations consider it to be.

Among the Baptist churches, there is no fixed calendar for practicing the Lord’s Supper. Whenever there’s a practice of Lord’s Supper, it’s a time of prayer and devotion. All are able to participate in the Lord’s Supper in many churches.

8. Arminianism vs Calvinism

Arminianism comes from Jacobus Arminius, who was a Dutch theologian. According to its teachings, God chose us to bring salvation to all. It also says that people are able to make their decision for faith. The term Calvinism comes from John Calvin, a French theologian.

Its major tenant is predestination, which means, God decided the destiny of a chosen few with salvation by grace. Others are meant to be damned owing to their original sin. There are differing beliefs even within these two teachings in the Baptist church.

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Typically, there are differences between denominations with regards to their views on abortion, after-life, and other aspects. Here, we’ll talk about the globally renowned Christian denominations:

1. Catholicism

If you travel to the most popular countries in the world, you’ll always come across Catholic churches. Even in some countries that are not so popular, you’ll see at least one Catholic Church. So, it’s obvious that Catholicism is the biggest of all Christian denominations.

It is immensely popular in Europe, North America, and South America. A denomination that dates back thousands of years, Catholicism currently has more than 3,500 dioceses globally. The head of the Catholic Church is The Pope, who resides in Vatican City.

2. Eastern Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church of Russia alone has a hundred million followers. You’ll come across the followers of Eastern Orthodox Church primarily in countries of Eastern Europe. Nearly 90% of Moldova’s residents are the followers of this Christian denomination.

Smaller enclaves also exist outside Eastern Europe. Many members of the Eastern Orthodox Church can also be found in other European nations. Among them are Ukraine and Romania.

3. Anglicanism

It is a well-known Protestant denomination and has its roots in the United Kingdom of the 16th century. The Church of England is Anglicanism’s biggest Church with millions of followers. It is also popular across Europe and certain parts of Africa, such as the Church of Nigeria.

The Episcopal Church based in the United States is dedicated to Anglicanism. This was the most popular Protestant denomination for several years. Although its popularity has seen a decline over the past few years, it still remains extremely popular.

4. Baptists

This denomination is famous for its belief that only the professing believers should undergo baptism. There are millions of Baptists around the world today. The Baptists believe in full immersion during Baptism, just like the way John the Baptist had baptized Jesus Christ.

Although the Baptists are mainly found in the North American region, they can be seen in other parts of the world as well. The largest Church associated with this denomination is the Southern Baptist Convention. Some of the former American presidents were Baptists, such as Bill Clinton and Harry Truman.

5. Lutheranism

Lutheranism is popular particularly in some of the European nations and several parts of the United States. The biggest church associated with it is the Evangelical Church, which is located in Germany. Lutheranism is the most popular denomination in Protestant Christianity.

It was named after Martin Luther. There are diverse beliefs among Lutheranism’s followers. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States has millions of adherents.

6. Methodism

This is a denomination that has seen a dip in the numbers of its followers in recent times. Nevertheless, it still has millions of members worldwide. Methodism is based on John Wesley’s teachings and philosophy. He was an English theologian, evangelist, and cleric.

Methodists are based generally in parts of Europe and the United States. It is among the newer groups compared to many of the other existing denominations of Christianity. The biggest church within this denomination is the United Methodist Church.

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1. The Passion of the Christ

You might’ve seen several films about different aspects of Jesus Christ’s life. This film focuses more on the physical suffering that the Son of God had to go through. Although you’ll come across lighter moments in the film, you’ll mostly have to endure the later part. It’s really painful to see the merciless beating and crucifixion of the benign Jesus.

When Mel Gibson had revealed his plans of making Jesus Christ’s biopic, many had ridiculed the idea. It was mainly because he wanted to make the film in the original Latin, Aramaic, and Hebrew. They were of the opinion that people certainly wouldn’t want to watch it. Today, this film is among the highest grossing films in the United States with an ‘R’ rating.

2. Exodus: Gods and Kings

Released on the 12th of December 2014, this film has Christian Bale playing the role of Moses. The inspiration behind this movie is the biblical episode of the exodus of the Hebrews. According to the Book of Exodus, Moses led the Hebrews from Egypt to Mount Sinai. This film was banned in the United Arab Emirates and Egypt as they found it historically inaccurate.

It did receive a lot of praise for the performances of its actors and the visual effects. The critics wondered how the director Ridley Scott could direct a biblical film as he is an atheist. Nevertheless, it collected $268 million according to the global box office records. The film was highly successful in Spain, where its filming had begun in the October of 2013.

3. Noah

This 2014 film was a bit controversial for its environmentalist messages that were political in nature. It also had to face accusations for its extensive use of sources that were non-biblical. The film was unable to find a release in China for reasons related to religion. It also didn’t release in many Muslim countries due to the objectionable depiction of prophets in the film.

Despite such events, the film went on to gross more than $360 million across the world. This made it director Darren Aronofsky’s highest-grossing film. The critics also praised the film for its direction and acting. This epic biblical drama derives inspiration from the biblical story of Noah’s Ark. It is narrated in the Book of Enoch and the Book of Genesis.

4. Jesus of Nazareth

Directed by Nicholas Ray, this biblical epic draws inspiration from the New Testament. It tells the story of Jesus of Nazareth right from his birth to his crucifixion and resurrection. The film came out in 1961 and was tentatively given the title ‘Son of Man’. It was a success at the box office and Miklos Rozsa had a Golden Globe nomination for his Best Original Score.

For this film, many actors were considered for playing the role of Jesus Christ. Among them were Tom Fleming, Peter Cushing, Max von Sydow, and Christopher Plummer. Ultimately, it was Jeffrey Hunter who got the role.

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So, there’s no doubt that it has played an important role in a believer’s life. Christian music is mostly about praising God. There are some amazing benefits that Christian music brings to the believers. Let’s know more about them here:

1. It brings people together

When you’re in a room full of people listening to Christian music, it just gets into your spirit. You begin raising your hands and swaying them, while feeling a strong connection with everyone in the room. It’s highly possible that all of them would feel the same.

This is when you feel like you’re getting closer to God along with them. You must remember that the power is not solely in the music that’s being played. The words that are being said in the form of a song are equally powerful.

2. It uplifts your spirit

Upon hearing a Christian song, you’ll be reminded about God. You just need to pay complete attention to the song’s message. It carries the power to uplift your spirit, especially if you’re going through a period of trials and tribulations. When it speaks to your spirit and connects well with it, the song takes on a new meaning.

You’ll feel as if God is speaking to you through the music you’re hearing. It would be as if God is using the lyrics as an instrument to give you solace.

3. It impacts your nervous system

In the times that we live in, it’s quite difficult to escape stressful situations. So, it’s extremely important for you to experience feelings of calmness and mental peace. Christian songs put you in a state of spiritual meditation. It can have an overwhelmingly positive impact on your nervous system.

There are some really good Christian artists out there with unique skills. Their voices put you in a tranquil and spiritual state of mind. What happens next is a communion with God through melodies and words.

4. It enhances your focus

Christian music has the potential to shift your mind’s focus to the faith’s realities. This is especially important when you’re feeling shattered. Upon listening to this type of music, you’ll achieve clarity of thoughts. Your mind won’t wander unnecessarily and it will focus more on God. You’ll find yourself in a blissful state of worship, which will take away all your worries.

5. It mixes well with prayer

You’ll experience greater power in your prayer when you say it with music. Through music the church can create an atmosphere of worship and convey the Bible’s teachings much more effectively. You can listen to Christian music in the morning after reading the Bible and saying your prayer.

During your everyday commute, you can choose to listen to Christian music and pray in your mind. You’ll see that the long commute to work or school doesn’t bother you. Instead, it turns into your best time for worship.

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