The Door-Step Evangel

What is Historic Baptist?
Dr. Ronald L. Tottingham

We are living in the days of "muddled" definitions, double usage's, and confusion. Let us remember, too, that Satan is the author of confusion (I Cor. 14).

Once there were "evangelicals" who were the ones holding to evangelism, then when these slid to the left, the term fundamentalist was coined as identifying to the right, or return to a Biblical position on fundamental Bible issues. Now, we true Baptists see fundamentalism as a right wing of Protestantism. Today, to many, fundamentalism is lauded as the true and genuine position of Biblical truth. However, real Baptists have never held fundamentalism as but an inter-doctrinal group of "to-the-right-of center" Protestantism.

Historic Baptists are much more than "fundamentalists," or even "Fundamental Baptists." Historic Baptists are Baptists holding to the doctrine of the "historic" faith originally delivered to the saints. We believe that Christ originated the church in His own personal ministry of disciples saved and baptized under John the Baptist's ministry; that the true church is a local congregation and never anything else; that the ordinances are closed, or under authority and discretion of churches of like faith or practice with baptism to be accepted "narrowly" of such like faith and practice churches and the Lord's supper (not breakfast or lunch) to be joined only within a church membership and likely only once a year, however that is an open issue.

True Historic Baptists have a history, the only history of Baptists which is Biblical and true. We also believe in evangelism with Biblical repentance before genuine regeneration which constitutes absolute re-creation of the whole person in Jesus Christ. We hold that true converts will desire the sincere milk of the Word; will be Holy Spirit led to follow in the apostles' doctrine learned from Christ. We also believe that if we love the Lord we will keep (defend and guard) God's Word (accurate translation).

Historic Baptists then are those Baptists who have a genuine history, a biblical history others do not have. Others try, genuinely try to tie themselves to Christ by doctrine - fundamentally - but not historically.

Some call us unaffiliated Baptists but that is an alignment description and not a full covering explanation. "Historic" Baptists should be unaffiliated with extra church organizations and para-organizations not of and by churches of like faith and practice to expressly fulfill the commission set forth in the New Testament. As a Baptist church becomes truly "Historic" it will become unaffiliated.

Historic Baptists follow the Bible doctrinally, ecclesiastically and historically.