The Regular Baptist Church is a denomination of evangelical Baptists who adhere to Calvinist theology and Baptist ecclesiology. They believe in the sovereignty of God, the inerrancy of Scripture, and salvation through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Here is an overview of what Regular Baptists believe:
The Bible
Regular Baptists believe the Bible is the divinely inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. They believe it is the supreme source of truth and authority for Christian faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible alone reveals God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.
God
There is only one true God who exists eternally in three persons: God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful, and present everywhere. He created the universe and sustains it through His divine providence (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 90:2, Matthew 28:19).
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, born of a virgin, who lived a sinless life on earth. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin, was buried, and rose bodily from the grave. Jesus is the only way to the Father, salvation, and eternal life (John 14:6, Romans 6:23). He reigns in heaven and intercedes for believers.
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He convicts people of sin and brings them to repentance and faith in Christ. He indwells believers upon conversion, guides them into truth, empowers them for godly living and service, and gives spiritual gifts (John 16:8, Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
Humanity
Humans were created in God’s image but chose to sin against Him. This brought death, depravity, and condemnation. Now all people are sinners by nature and choice. Apart from Christ, they are eternally separated from God and destined for hell (Genesis 1:26-27, Romans 3:23, 6:23).
Salvation
Salvation is only by God’s grace, not human effort. A person must repent of sin and believe in Christ to be saved. This is a free gift received through faith alone in Jesus. Those who are saved are spiritually regenerated, forgiven, declared righteous, and granted eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-7).
The Church
The church is the spiritual body of Christ made up of all true believers. Local churches gather for worship, prayer, preaching, ordinances (baptism & the Lord’s Supper), fellowship, and service. Church government is congregational with male elders providing spiritual oversight (1 Corinthians 12:12-31, 1 Timothy 3:1-7).
Baptism & the Lord’s Supper
Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water after conversion. It publicly identifies the new Christian with Christ and His church. The Lord’s Supper memorializes Christ’s death on the cross. It is shared by believers using bread and juice/wine (Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Future Things
Jesus Christ will physically return to earth again – first to resurrect the righteous unto eternal life and then to judge the wicked. He will rule His Kingdom forever. All people will be resurrected and face final judgment. The saved will live eternally with God in the new heavens and earth. The lost will suffer eternal punishment in hell (John 14:3, Acts 24:15, Revelation 20:11-15).
Regular Baptist Distinctives
In addition to the core doctrines above, Regular Baptists hold to these positions:
- Autonomy of the local church – Each church governs its own affairs and is not ruled by outside organizations or denominational bodies.
- Separation of church and state – The church should not be supported or controlled by the government.
- Priesthood of all believers – All Christians have direct access to God through Christ and share in ministry.
- Congregational polity – Each local church is autonomous and governed democratically by its members.
- Ordinances for believers only – Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are reserved for those who have professed faith in Christ.
- Individual soul liberty – Each person has freedom to interpret Scripture guided by the Holy Spirit.
Worship & Lifestyle
Worship services generally include singing, prayer, preaching, and the collection of monetary offerings. Music styles vary between traditional hymns and contemporary praise songs. Regular Baptists have conservative moral standards including no alcohol, no tobacco, modest dress, and upholding marriage between one man and one woman.
Evangelism & Missions
Regular Baptists actively share their faith and are heavily involved in domestic and foreign missionary work. They believe in the Great Commission call for believers to make disciples of Christ locally and globally (Matthew 28:19-20).
History of the Regular Baptists
The Regular Baptists trace their origins back to English Baptists in the 1600s. Persecution drove many to immigrate to America where the first Baptist church was founded in 1639 in Rhode Island. Regular Baptists separated from Separate Baptists in the mid-1700s over issues like Calvinism vs Arminianism. The Northern Baptist Convention formed in 1907 but liberalism drove conservative Regular Baptists to leave and start the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches in 1932. There are estimated to be around 800 Regular Baptist churches in the U.S. today.
Denominations & Associations
There are two main national fellowships that Regular Baptist churches can affiliate with:
- The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC) – Founded in 1932, largest group with around 1,400 churches.
- The Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA) – Founded in 1997, around 90 churches.
There are also many independent Regular Baptist churches not formally aligned with a national association. Regional fellowships such as state associations also exist. Each local church remains autonomous regardless of what groups it associates with.
Educational Institutions
Regular Baptists operate several bible colleges and seminaries including:
- Cedarville University – Cedarville, OH
- Faith Baptist Bible College – Ankeny, IA
- Maranatha Baptist University – Watertown, WI
- Baptist College of Ministry – Menomonee Falls, WI
- Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary – Allen Park, MI
- Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary – Wake Forest, NC
These institutions train pastors, missionaries, and church workers from a Regular Baptist theological perspective.
Notable Regular Baptists
Well-known Regular Baptists throughout history include:
- Charles Spurgeon – influential 19th century London preacher.
- William Carey – pioneering 18th century missionary to India.
- Adoniram Judson – first U.S. foreign missionary sent in 1812.
- John G. Paton – 19th century missionary to the New Hebrides.
- John Piper – internationally known author/preacher, founder of DesiringGod.org.
- Alistair Begg – current Senior Pastor of Parkside Church in Ohio.
Comparison to other Baptist Groups
Regular Baptists differ from other Baptist denominations on issues like:
- Southern Baptists – Tend to be less strictly Calvinistic on salvation/election issues.
- General Baptists – Hold to Arminian theology rather than Calvinism.
- Free Will Baptists – Also Arminian in their understanding of salvation.
- American Baptists – More likely to permit female pastors, less emphasis on separatism.
- Primitive Baptists – Emphasize hyper-Calvinism, associations discouraged, a cappella singing.
However, all affirm believer’s baptism by immersion and other Baptist distinctives. There is much more that unites than divides these Baptist groups.
Conclusion
Regular Baptists are evangelical, Calvinistic, Baptist churches that formed out of a desire to hold fast to historical Baptist beliefs. They uphold the sole authority of Scripture, salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ, the autonomy of local churches, and the primacy of gospel-centered evangelism and missions. Regular Baptists remain a vibrant part of the larger Baptist denomination and continue to preach the gospel faithfully.