Baptist Union of Great Britain.
There have been Baptists in Britain since the early 17th century, with the first English-speaking ‘Baptist Church’ being formed in the more liberal environment of Amsterdam in 1609.A group under Thomas Helwys returned to Spitalfields, London, in 1611, facing persecution as they did so. Thus, Baptists are part of the broader ‘churches of the Reformation’, with roots in both 16th century Anabaptist life and the Puritan and ‘Dissenting’ wing of the national Church in 17th century England. Since those early beginnings 400 years ago, Baptists have grown to a world-wide movement of some 80 million Christians found in every continent.
The Baptist Union of Great Britain is a Union of just over 2000 independent churchesthat are congregational in government and practice believer’s baptism as ‘gathered’ or ‘believers’ churches, and are served by a similar number of pastors. With 13,500 committed members, and many other adult attendees, together with 120,000 children and young people attached to the churches, Baptists are one of the larger ‘Free Churches’ in Britain. Although independent in governance, with their life ordered by their Church Meeting, they are also closely networked together, often locally, but more generally through membership of one of 13 Associations. They are situated throughout England and in both South Wales and parts of the North Wales coastal strip. There are separate Baptist Unions in both Scotland and Wales (part of which is Welsh-speaking,) and it must be recognised that there are also many independent ‘baptistic’ churches in Britain that are not in membership with The Baptist Union of Great Britain, or its sister Unions in Wales and Scotland.The Baptist Union of Great Britain is broadly, though not exclusively, evangelical in its faith, and is fully engaged in the ecumenical life of England and Wales and beyond, being in membership with Churches Together in England, The Conference of European Churches and the World Council of Churches. It is a member ofThe Fellowship of Baptists in Britain and Ireland (FBBI) which includes the three Unions, The Irish Baptist Network and BMS Worldmission, and through this ensures collaborative ministry amongst Baptists throughout these islands.
The national life of the Union is governed by an annual Assembly and its Council, which meets twice a year. A Baptist Steering Group offers leadership to both national and association life, and works closely with the Trustee Board of the Union.
While generally eschewing creeds, Baptists, nonetheless, hold to the truths of the historic creeds of the Church, being fully Trinitarian and orthodox in their beliefs. A concern for mission has often been at the heart of their self-identity, and this is as true today as it has ever been. Baptists have a concern that individuals should come to a saving knowledge of God through Jesus Christ, and live out a vital faith that affects every area of life as missionary disciples of Jesus. Evangelism and church planting in a multi-cultural and multi-faith society is very much part of the ‘way of being’ Baptist. Baptists also want to see whole communities infiltrated by the Kingdom of God, and so are committed to issues of justice, equality and well-being in society at large. Co-operating with the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church in responding to matters of social policy, The Joint Public Issues Team is our voice to society and policy makers. Our focus does not stop at the UK borders, and through BMS Worldmission (The Baptist Missionary Society) Baptists work in challenging situations throughout the world to enable mission and justice to flourish.
Baptists have an accredited and trained ministry, with currently about 2000 accredited ministers, both men and women. Of these 1600 are in active ministry as pastors, youth specialists, evangelists, chaplains, college tutors and those exercising translocal ministry as Regional Ministers or national post-holders. There are 6 Baptist Colleges in England and Wales, with the Scottish College also in membership with the Union, and these colleges train and form the majority of the Union’s ministers, as well as enabling theological reflection to take place more widely.
More details about who Baptists are can be found at the following website page
and much else besides can be found by reference to the whole Baptist Union website at