The Denominations
The following is one of the major reasons I am a Baptist (and not something else) — the first and foremost reason is that I am born-again in Christ Jesus.
Edinburg Cyclopedia (Presbyterian):
“It must have already occurred to our readers that the Baptists are the same sect of Christians that were formerly described as Ana-Baptists. Indeed this seems to have been their leading principle from the time of Tertullian to the present time.”
Tertullian was born just fifty years after the death of the Apostle John. (The Trail of Blood, J. M. Carroll)
The following is excerpted from The Trumpet, a bi-monthly newsletter of Faith Baptist Church, Harrison, AR
Three things must be true concerning the beginning of the church in order for it to be a scriptural church.
It must have the right Founder — Jesus Christ (Mt. 16:18);
The right place — Palestine (where Christ lived);
And the right time — during Christ’s personal ministry.
Any church that does not meet these three requirements cannot be the church that the Lord built.
When and where did all these other denominations begin?
[Date — Denomination — Founder]
325AD-610AD — Roman Catholic (date range depends upon who you believe-PWD)
1054AD — Greek Orthodox
1530AD — Lutheran — Martin Luther
1530AD — Episcopal — Henry VIII
1541AD — Presbyterian — John Calvin
1581AD — Congregational — Robert Browne
1624AD — Friends
1708AD — Church of the Brethren — A.Mack
1727AD — Freewill Baptists — Paul Palmer
1728AD — Seventh Day Baptists — John C. Beissel
1729AD — Methodist — John & Charles Wesley
1800AD — United Brethren in Christ — Otterbein/Boehm
1800AD — Evangelical — Jacob Albright
1810AD — Cumberland Presbyterian — Ewing/King/McAdow
1825AD — Unitarians — W.E.Channing
1825AD — Churches of God in N.A. — Winebrenner
1829AD — Plymouth Brethren — J.N.Darby
1830AD — Mormons (LDS) — Joseph Smith
1831AD — Primitive Baptists — Daniel Parker
1837AD — Christian — Alexander Campbell
1837AD — Church of Christ — Alexander Campbell
1844AD — Christadelphians — John Thomas
1845AD — Seventh Day Adventists — James White
1845AD — Spiritualism — Andrew Davis
1848AD — Church of God (New Dunkards) — G. Patton
1852AD — Advent Christian — Church J. Cummings
1865AD — Salvation Army — William Booth
1872AD — Jehovah’s Witnesses — Charles Taze Russell
1879AD — Church of Christ-Scientist — Mary Eddy Baker
1880AD — Church of God — Daniel S. Warner
1881AD — Christian & Missionary Alliance — Simpson
1882AD — Brethren Church
1885AD — Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant
1888AD — Swedish Evangelical (Free Church)
1894AD — United Evangelical
1894AD — Church of Christ (Holiness) — C.P.Jones
1907AD — Church of the Nazarene — Hoople/Bressee
1907AD — National Council of Churches
1914AD — Churches of God, Holiness — K.H.Burruss
1914AD — Assemblies of God
What is true of the above listed churches is true of all other denominations, as they also would fail to meet these three requirements.
Baptists are the only churches that can meet these requirements. No man this side of Christ can be named as the founder of Baptists. Nor can any date this side of His personal ministry be pointed out, nor any location outside of Palestine be set for their beginning period.
It is a distinct principle with Baptists that they acknowledge no human Founder, recognize no human authority, and subscribe to no human creed. For all these things, Baptists of every name and order go back to the New Testament. And while no competent Baptist historian assumes to be able to trace a succession of Baptist church through the ages, most of them are of one accord in believing that, if we could secure the records, there would be found heroic groups of believers in every age who upheld with their testimonies and, in many cases, with their lives, the great outstanding and distinctive principles of the Baptist churches of today.
Bureau of Census for 1926
United States Department of Commerce
