Dr. L.M.Murry, Chairman
Okotso Baptist Church Mission Society
There is confusion in Nagaland about Baptist Church polity and practices. It is difficult to distinguish from other denominational practices and traditions. Some Baptist Associations are claiming to be the apex body of Baptist churches of a particular tribe or region. Associations or Unions or Conventions are not apex bodies of Baptist churches. They are just cooperating bodies of Baptist churches. It is therefore important for us to understand the nature of Baptist concept of church. No local church exercises authority over any other local church or denominational bodies. And no denominational bodies can issue edicts to any other local church. When Dr Herschel H Hobbs was elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention, he was interviewed by the National Radio network. He was asked if he was the head of the Convention. His reply was that he had been elected to its highest elective office and added that the Southern Baptist Convention have no human head. He was then told “then you are the head of a headless denomination” Asked about the authority, he told him, he had less than any one messenger. This is the stand of Baptist Association, Unions or Conventions At one time Dr. P.I. Lipsey, the editor of the Mississippi Baptist record was traveling on a train from Jackson to New Orleans. He met one Roman Catholic Priest who asked him who was the head of the Southern Baptist Convention. He asked him, what he meant by the “head”. The Priest replied “I mean someone like the Pope”. Dr. Lipsey told “We have no such head”. The Priest then told him “well the Lord help you”. Then Dr. Lipsey told him. “He is the one who does”. This is the crux of what Baptists believes. Every believer has the right to direct access to God and the right of all believers to equal privilege in the church.
Every Baptist group traces their history to a particular starting point as an organization. But if we are willing to study the first century church history and the Bible, Baptist church is the oldest tradition. The history of fundamental church doctrine can identify who is a Baptist. We are surely Baptist when we take our stand on the Word of God. Unfortunately, in Nagaland, most of us never bother about what we believe. Many of us are Baptist because our parents are or were Baptists. We like to associate with Baptist church because the first church in Nagaland was Baptist church. Some of us are Baptist because Baptist churches are more than other churches and have better employment opportunity in Baptist organization.
In the beginning of church history, and in the days of the Apostles, there was only one church doctrine taught by the Apostles themselves and their immediate followers. When Jerusalem church was persecuted by the Jews, the believers scattered all over the Mediterranean world. Wherever they went they preached Christ crucified but rose again and is alive. Those who repented and confessed their sin, were baptized by immersion as an outward sign of the new life in Jesus Christ (Rom.6:3,4) Wherever sufficient number of such believers were found they formed a community and gathered together in fellowship to break bread, worship and edify each other. Such local churches multiplied all over the place where they went. Each local church was independent and under the guidance of the elders that God had provided to them. There were several such elders in each local church. There was no hierarchy and no distinction of class. Some division arose in the church at Corinth claiming themselves as the followers of Paul, Peter and Apollo. Paul told them that they were merely labourers in the field of God. They were all followers of Christ.
When a dispute arose in Antioch about circumcision of gentiles, the wise counsel of the Apostles was sought for. The Apostles did not put their authority over the believers or church at Antioch. In Jerusalem council that followed, Peter supposed to be the foremost among the Apostles was merely a participant. James, who was not even one of the Apostles, presided over the function. Acts 15:13. When Antioch church decided to commission Paul and Barnabas for the Gentile World, they did not sought approval of the mother church at Jerusalem They independently commissioned them. For nearly a hundred years this model of church government remained as the standard for all the local churches. The characteristics of these early churches are the same that the Baptist church identifies themselves.
Roman Emperor, Decius persecuted the Christians in the third century (250) At this time, some of the bishops (Pastors) started gradually assuming hierarchical authority over other churches in their territories. Majority of the churches surrendered to this new structure. Thus the church began to be structured in line with the Roman Civil system. However, some believers and local churches refused to come under the growing authority of the bishops who were wholly supported by the Roman Government. The believers of the dissenting churches were persecuted, executed and burn alive. They were labeled as the Puritans. But they had great influence in France in the 3rd Century.
The first 400 years after Pentecost, the consistent testimony of the church of Christ had been to administer baptism to only those who on their own volition professed faith in Jesus Christ. In 401 AD at the fifth Council at Carthage, under the rule of Roman Government approved the practice of infant baptism. As a result, those churches that refused to bow down to the organized church did not recognize infant baptism. They insisted believers baptism even if someone had already baptized during infancy. The Roman Government encouraged the bishops to oppose the dissenting churches. A law was thus passed to condemn them to death. Many of them were persecuted and even executed. They were labeled as Anabaptist, meaning rebaptiser. Other such churches in various regions of the Roman Empire were known by different names of the regions like, Novatianists, Donatists, Albigenses, Waldenses etc.
The Anabaptist congregations grew through out the Roman Empire inspite of the persecution by the Roman church. The great Reformation at the time of Martin Luther, the dissenting churches were already in great numbers in Bohemia and Moravia. They were found everywhere, that the assistants of Martin Luther complained about them saying “they were like weeds”. So his followers determined to completely weed them out. Many of them were exiled and even executed. Through the teaching of John Calvin, the Waldens united with the reformed church. The followers of Menno Simons, the founder of the Mennonites organized all the scattered Dutch Baptists in 1536. From then on the Anabaptist assumed the name Baptist while retaining the historic independence and self rule and practice of believers baptism by immersion.. At the same time, Thomas Helwys and John Murton under the influence of the Dutch Puritans of Amrsderdam organized to form the first English Baptist church in 1612. This was to be the first General Baptist for their belief in general atonement. In 1633, Henry Jacob in London who had Calvanistic theology of particular atonement broke away and started English particular Baptist movement. In the USA, Roger William who was chased out by the Puritans of New England organized Baptist church in Rhode Island in1639.
In spite of countless Baptist groups with different names like First Baptist, Second Baptist, American Baptist, English Baptist, Southern Baptist, Northern Baptist, General Baptist, Independent Baptist etc. they all identify themselves that characterized them as Baptist by the independence of local church, Priesthood of all believers and only two ordinances. No Board or bishop but the church itself as the final authority. 1 Cor.11:1-5,Rev.11:5,6;Acts 2:41,42;1 Cor.25,26.
The two ordinances are not sacraments. They are church ordinances and to be practiced by the church. No individual or institution like schools, Army Cantonments, Camps and Youth organizations and their Chaplains can administer the ordinances. They are church ordinances so no believer can experience them a part from church membership.
Baptist churches cooperate with each other in Associations, Unions, Conventions Such organization has no authority over the participating churches They are simply the means by which the churches work together in accomplishing that which cannot possibly be accomplished alone. Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is one of such organization. It is opened to any Baptist body which desires to cooperate in the work of the Alliance. It is not World Baptist super church. It is not Worldwide Baptist judicial or Legislative body. Its design is to protect and not usurp cardinal Baptist conviction.
Baptist church government is congregational. Certain responsibilities are delegated to individuals and committees but it is the members themselves own the properties, call their Pastor and control the church. Gradual synthesis of Papal, Episcopelian, and Presbyterian form of church government has started eroding the Baptist church in Nagaland. If we fail to nip it in the bud the extinction of Baptist church in Nagaland is imminent.
I have just briefly pointed out the Baptist heritage, tradition and practices as food for thought. If anybody has questions to clarify, he is welcome.
E-mail: limhthung@yahoo.com
