Baptist churches have been around for over 400 years and have become one of the largest mainstream Christian denominations with around 40 million members worldwide. The two mains things that distinguish a Baptist church are the practice of baptism by total immersion and their independence from external church government.
Baptists baptise people who have come to a belief in Jesus Christ as described in the Bible. They believe that it is appropriate to totally immerse the person requesting baptism. The baptism usually takes place during a church service and is an enjoyable occasion. Baptism signifies a break with the old life and the beginning of a new Christian life.
Rather than being run and financed at a national level (as the Church of England is), a Baptist church is managed by its own members and exists as an independent self-financing organisation. Although some Baptist churches are completely autonomous, most are members of the Baptist Union, and many will cooperate with such other organisations as the Evangelical Alliance and local church partnerships.
