By Daniel Vestal On April 17, 2010, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship said farewell to a founder and friend, Cecil Sherman. He was a leader among us even before we began and then served as our first coordinator from 1992 to 1996….
The womb of baptism
By Carra Hughes Greer Stepping into baptismal waters to baptize my first candidate as a minister, I relived many of the emotions I felt over 18 years ago on the day that I was baptized. While my baptism was a…
A Prostate Prayer
By Ed Sunday-Winters Not so many years ago I turned 40. The whole thing was more or less anticlimactic. There were not many noticeable changes in my life, at least not many that I noticed. One change that I did…
Obedience, identification, hope reasons for believer’s baptism
By Marv Knox “In obedience to our Lord’s command, I baptize you … .” For four centuries, this baptismal formula has echoed across creek banks and through Baptist sanctuaries around the globe. It reflects a central reason most Baptists practice…
Believer’s baptism — sacrament or symbolic ordinance?
By Karen Bullock One of the distinguishing marks of the people of God called Baptists, across our 400 years of witness, has been our strong affirmation of believer’s baptism, which is rooted in our high view of Christ’s authority in…
Should Baptist churches adopt open membership? Yes.
By Curtis Freeman The Baptist movement began 400 years ago with the self-baptism of John Smyth, but the roots of immersion lie beyond that first gathered community whose mode was affusion, or pouring. Edward Barber was probably the first to…
Should Baptist churches adopt open membership? No.
By James Leo Garrett Baptists have not always agreed among themselves on doctrinal or ethical issues, but they have had some common beliefs that they have defended and on which they have been united. When one of these is challenged…
Visiting an old Landmark
By Bob Allen Like a lot of long-time church members, when I move to a new town I look for a home church with a worship style and doctrinal stance similar to where I have attended in the past. Moving…
A Baptist giant, fallen
By Marv Knox Baptists lost one of our true giants when Cecil Sherman died April 17. Cecil Sherman will go down in history as the first coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. At the time, it was a fledgling group…