Baptists became a major force in American religious life through their focus on religious liberty and evangelism. Why Am I A Southern Baptist? - For the Church
: In 1609, John Smyth , an English Separatist in Amsterdam, became convinced that infant baptism was unscriptural. He baptized himself and then his followers, forming the first identifiable Baptist congregation. baptist history
: Proponents argue that Baptist-like churches have existed continuously since the time of Christ, often identifying groups like the Anabaptists, Waldensians, and Lollards as their spiritual ancestors. Baptists became a major force in American religious
The Baptist movement primarily grew out of the English Reformation as radical Separatists sought a more biblical model of the church. an English Separatist in Amsterdam