Where are the Baptists?

[Cary.Melvin]

Where are the majority of Baptists located in the World?

 

[SumTinWong]

I have no idea...I am right here though if that helps you any...

 

[scud]

anyone heared of the biblecode?
what they do is like do a search and like every 11th letter they pick out and they make words etc..

and the bible code talks about hitler iraq saddam hussein etc. it is rather interesting, you can get the bible code software at this website, and they also have magnetic rings that are supposed to increase your vitality.
here is the link anyway

http://www.alexchiu.com/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=scallchad

 

[Frankie]

I don't believe that any statistics are right on but here is a link to some statistical claims on populations of Baptist. Also, the below statistics do not include Independant Baptist so the numbers are smaller than they would be if the IB where included in the report.

http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_bap.html

 

[Jay2004]

The majority of Baptists are located in the United States. I believe it might be the largest Protestant denomination in the US. If it isn't, it is 2nd after the Methodist church.

 

[Cary.Melvin]

I don't believe that any statistics are right on but here is a link to some statistical claims on populations of Baptist. Also, the below statistics do not include Independant Baptist so the numbers are smaller than they would be if the IB where included in the report.

http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_bap.html

According to that website there are 33 million Baptists in the United States, with India being a far distant second at 1.5 million. I was surpised not to see that there were no European nations listed. It appears thet the Baptist faith communities are an American phenomenon.

Is the Baptist faith an American styled sort of Christianity?

 

[FreeinChrist]

I don't believe that any statistics are right on but here is a link to some statistical claims on populations of Baptist. Also, the below statistics do not include Independant Baptist so the numbers are smaller than they would be if the IB where included in the report.

http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_bap.html

That article pointed out something important...that many churches that are Baptist in theology do not use the word Baptist in the name of the church or organization.

I attend a nondenominational church that is Baptist in theology, and is asociated, very loosely, with other nondenom churches that also have a Baptist theology. There are a larg number of 'community' churches that align with the beliefs of Baptists.

So how many believe in baptism by immersion and beleiver's baptism, that we must be born again - having repented and asked for forgiveness and for Christ to come into our heart - that is hard to say. Are the numbers so important ...and who does the numbers glorify? Can't they be used to glorify a church organization and not God? The only one to get glory should be God.

The history of Baptists includes a firm belief in separation of church and state (NO state religion), and some ...disdain (for lack of a better word) ....for huge organizations that impose their corporate beliefs on individuals. We believe in the priesthood of all beleivers....as does the nondenom church I attend.

 

[FreeinChrist]

According to that website there are 33 million Baptists in the United States, with India being a far distant second at 1.5 million. I was surpised not to see that there were no European nations listed. It appears thet the Baptist faith communities are an American phenomenon.

Is the Baptist faith an American styled sort of Christianity?

That article just used statistics of churches that have the name Baptist.

I know of misionaries who spent years in Korea, having been sent by Baptists and nondenom's with Baptist theology...and the churches they started are Baptist in theology...but do not include the name "Baptist. It may include the word Bible or Gospel in the name. They were VERY successful in Korea, and now efforts are directed at supportng Korean missionaries to Mongolia and elsewhere.

I believe the reason behind not using the word Baptist is that Christ is to be the focus, and not a church organization. Christ is the head of the church and the Holy Spirit leads us.

 

[theseed]

Where are the majority of Baptists located in the World?

United States and Canada--I think. But there are Baptists in every country.

 

[theseed]

According to that website there are 33 million Baptists in the United States, with India being a far distant second at 1.5 million. I was surpised not to see that there were no European nations listed. It appears thet the Baptist faith communities are an American phenomenon.

Is the Baptist faith an American styled sort of Christianity?

There are baptists missionaries in ever country, building churches and evangelizing. They have been doing this for hundred hears or more.

 

[theseed]

Here are the stats for the International Mission Board (SBC).

http://www.imb.org/core/fastfacts.asp

 

[ShirChadash]

That article just used statistics of churches that have the name Baptist.

I know of misionaries who spent years in Korea, having been sent by Baptists and nondenom's with Baptist theology...and the churches they started are Baptist in theology...but do not include the name "Baptist. It may include the word Bible or Gospel in the name.

I attend a non-denom church with Baptist theology -- there are loads of them in the US, and elsewhere I imagine. Just saying, FIC is correct.

 

[Propadeutic]

Baptists started out among English Separatists. They didn't make much headway into continental Europe because those countries were officially Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed. The Church of England persecuted as well, for a time, but Baptists prospered there and in the American colonies.

The great missionary movements of the Baptists have always been directed toward unreached peoples, such as those in Africa, India, and China. The liberalization of the churches in Western Europe has reached a point where they may also be considered "unreached" and are now receiving renewed attention. However, this region is so hardened that our missionaries there report very few conversions.

(For what it's worth, none of our Baptist distinctives originated in England or America. Biblical authority was a central Protestant belief. This and the aversion to ritualism were already common among Puritans. Religious liberty and our view of the ordinances were principles of the Anabaptists on the continent. Congregational church government is also found among Separatists and prior to the rise of Baptist belief. Baptists were simply the first to put all these together.)

Currently, there are 16 million Southern Baptists in the US, in 42,000 churches. That's about half of US Baptists of all affiliations, and just short of twice the size of the United Methodist Church (which has about 8.5 million members). As of 2003, there are 7.04 million members of the 87,000 international Baptist churches that are in cooperation with the SBC. Most of these are in Asia, Africa, and Middle America--the regions that have always had the greatest response rates. Our churches are exploding in those areas, and we had over half a million baptisms overseas last year.

Just to clarify, I don't mean to imply that the Western European denominations are not Christian. By "unreached" I refer to a lack of exposure to the gospel of salvation as commonly understood by Baptists and preached by our missionaries. Our understanding of salvation is in harmony with the historic confessions of most Protestant denominations. By "liberalization," I mean that many of the churches in Western Europe (many Baptists included) are now more in accord with the understanding of the gospel held by theological liberals such as Schleiermacher, Ritschl, von Harnack, Bultmann, and Tillich, than with the understanding expressed in their historic confessions.

 

[Snowy]

Im right here in Tennessee

 

[Frankie]

According to that website there are 33 million Baptists in the United States, with India being a far distant second at 1.5 million. I was surpised not to see that there were no European nations listed. It appears thet the Baptist faith communities are an American phenomenon.

Is the Baptist faith an American styled sort of Christianity?

Like I said in the previous posts, it doesn't list all the Baptist just those of that particular study. Also, I just read a comment that someone else made on this thread that I agree with. There are many churches out there that hold to Baptist Theology but do not hold the Baptist name. We have a couple of those churches here where I live. They do not have the Baptist name in the name of their church but the theology could for sure be called "Baptist" theology.

I have been looking for a more percise "statistic" on Baptist numbers but haven't found one yet. When I do, I will post it.

Frankie

 

[theseed]

Im right here in Tennessee

Me too

 

[theseed]

Yes, one of the Largest churches in the US is Baptist in theology, but not in name--Saddleback Community Church in LA.

My baptist church started a community church too that is baptist in theolgogy, but not in name.

 

[Athanasian Creed]

There are many Baptists in the former Soviet Union - a much persecuted group under Communist rule, many who were driven underground and refused to register themselves with authorities, knowing that they could never preach the true Gospel of Christ if they did !!

Many turned to Christ during the 70+ years of Communist rule not only in Russia but other countries as well, despite the terrible persecution they suffered ! It was estimated that in Russia alone there were 50 million Christians during this time.

God bless those who kept the flame of Christ going and ultimately helped to topple Communism !!! Christ Jesus is Lord of all


Ray

 

[theseed]

There are many Baptists in the former Soviet Union - a much persecuted group under Communist rule, many who were driven underground and refused to register themselves with authorities, knowing that they could never preach the true Gospel of Christ if they did !!

Many turned to Christ during the 70+ years of Communist rule not only in Russia but other countries as well, despite the terrible persecution they suffered ! It was estimated that in Russia alone there were 50 million Christians during this time.

God bless those who kept the flame of Christ going and ultimately helped to topple Communism !!! Christ Jesus is Lord of all


Ray

Praise the Lord