An American Baptist Congregation
Fourth Among Many
As an American Baptist congregation, we are affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. There are about 5800 such congregations in the US with a total of about 1.7 million members, which makes us about fourth in size among the 25 or so Baptist groups in the country.
Local Congregation Is Fundamental
We trace our roots back four centuries to pioneering people who were seeking to worship God as individual members of freely organized and freely functioning churches. We are people of faith and a congregation in mission, believing that the local congregation is the fundamental unit of mission for our churches. Yet, we are very active in the area, regional, national, and world-wide ministries of the American Baptist Churches.
Yet We're Not All Alike
American Baptist churches are not all alike. Our leaders have indicated that the ABCUSA is "the most racially diverse denomination in Protestantism." There are recognizable differences, including those of theology, vocational pursuits, class, culture, and geography, and some congregations have mixed racial memberships.
Partners in Foreign Missions
American Baptists are recognized for their very effective ministries of foreign missions that have enabled them to establish durable and effective partnerships with Baptist agencies and leaders in countries where our missionaries have served and are now serving.
New Mission Statement for the ABCUSA
The American Baptist Churches USA General Board, at its June (2005) meeting, voted to adopt the following mission statement. The text was developed last June at the Seek It! Summit in Green Lake, Wi., the culmination of an unprecedented grassroots endeavor in which more than 2,500 American Baptists lifted up their affirmations of and hopes for their congregations and denomination. The mission statement text follows.
"American Baptists are a Christ-centered, biblically grounded, ethnically diverse people called to radical personal discipleship in Christ Jesus. Our commitment to Jesus propels us to nurture authentic relationship with one another, build healthy churches, transform our communities, our nations and our world, engage every member in hands-on ministry, and speak the prophetic word in love.
"As a people of prayer, purpose and passion, we are in the forefront of creating a diverse community of faith where people of every race, nationality and culture gather as one in worship, witness and work.
"The heart of the gospel is God's redemptive love. In our life together, the world will see the power of forgiveness to overcome alienation, the strength of love to transform hate, the power of grace to break the bonds of guilt, the triumph of hope over despair, and the victory of faith over doubt.
"Through the cross of Christ we embrace the world as neighbor. Our vision for mission energizes a multitude of servant ministries of evangelism, discipleship, leadership, new church development, social justice, healing, peacemaking, economic development and education. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we work together in mutual trust, humility, love, and giving that the gospel might be preached and lived in all the world."Your questions, concerns, and inquiries will be welcomed by our ministers, staff, leaders and members. We will try to explain who we are honestly and thoroughly in a friendly way, recognizing that we are not perfect as individuals, as a local congregation, or as the American Baptist Churches USA.
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