What are Particular Baptist churches?

Answer

Particular Baptist Churches are named as such because they adhere to a “particular” (limited) atonement, in contrast to other Baptist groups that adhere to a “general” (unlimited) atonement. Due to their alignment with Reformed theology or Calvinism, many Particular Baptist churches now identify as “Reformed Baptist.”

Long before the Protestant Reformation, there were religious factions that opposed infant baptism, asserting that baptism should be reserved for adults who had chosen to follow Christ. These factions eventually became known as Baptists. In sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England, two distinct Baptist factions emerged: one Separatist and one non-Separatist. The General Baptists were Separatist, viewing the Church of England as apostate and advocating for a complete separation from it. The Particular Baptists were non-Separatist, establishing their own congregations outside the Church of England while aiming to maintain an amicable relationship with it. Prominent Particular Baptists in England included John Gill, William Carey, John Bunyan, and Charles Spurgeon.

In Colonial America, the Particular Baptists flourished, particularly after the First Great Awakening (c. 1735–1743). The Particular Baptists eventually became known as the Regular Baptists, and over time, their denomination diversified. Some Particular Baptists remained steadfast in their adherence to five-point Calvinism; these groups still identify as Particular Baptists or Reformed Baptists. Others, like today’s Regular Baptists, adjusted their perspective on the atonement to Amyraldism. Some questioned the inclusion of musical instruments in worship services and opposed the establishment of mission boards and other organizations not explicitly mentioned in Scripture; these are known as the Primitive Baptists. There are various other branches within the Baptist tradition, and many of them can trace their roots.History traces back to the Particular Baptist Church.

Like all Baptists, the Particular Baptists practice believer’s baptism by immersion and have a congregational form of church government. Believing that no civil authority has a right to dictate what a person believes or how he worships, Baptists strongly support freedom of religion and the separation of church and state, as outlined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

In general, Particular Baptists uphold a Bible-based theology and adhere to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. When searching for a church, it is important to carefully examine the teachings and practices of that church before becoming involved.