There are around forty million Baptists around the world, which makes us one of the largest Christian denominations. The Baptist church was founded by John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, English "separatists," in Amsterdam in 1609. It was first started in England in 1611 in Spitalsfield, near London, but by the 1639 had spread to America (the first USA Baptist church was in Rhode Island) thanks to Roger Williams.
We are part of the greater world-wide Church, but we are also proud of the things that make us distinctive. Here are some of the things that may make a Baptist Church different from some other Christian churches:

- The Lordship of Christ
As individuals and as churches, Baptists seek to make Jesus Lord of every aspect of their lives.

- The Authority of the Bible
Baptists believe that the Bible shows us God's way for living. We try to model both our lives and our churches on what we read in the Bible.

- Baptism For Believers
One thing that makes Baptist Churches distinctive is in that we follow the New Testament practice of baptising people when they are able to decide for themselves to be Christians, and publicly show their faith. To symbolise that we have died to the old life and begun a completely new life with Jesus, we baptise by total immersion. Baptists believe that infants have no comprehension of repentance and faith, and therefore can not be baptised until they are at a "time of understanding" (usually early teenage years and after). Baptists, like some other denominations, also believe in Holy Communion, whereby bread and wine are taken together as a rememberance of the Lord's Supper.

- The Local Church
Our church is not the building we meet in. We understand the church as a community of believers who gather together for worship, witness and service. In a Baptist Church everybody has a role to play, and each local church is free to discover Christ's will for that church. Baptists are very much a "grass roots" people.

- Sharing the Faith
Baptists believe that each Christian has a duty to share their faith with others. William Carey was a Baptist who is known as the father of the modern missionary movement. Along with this emphasis on evangelism, however, Baptists recognise that mission includes social action and involves promoting justice, social welfare, healing, education and peace in the world.

For more information on Christianity in general, and the Baptist denomination, please visit the Baptist Union of Great Britain site here.