I have attended Baptist Church while in Owerri as a teenager. But as I grow spiritually, I kept bumping into Estate Baptist, First Baptist etc church. I kept asking, how many Baptist churches do we have and what are the differences?
Most people who claim to be Baptists I have met, do not know the difference and few who know, refused to be dragged into the split in the Baptist Church and the role of doctrinal differences between Baptist in Amsterdam (the birth place of Baptist Church), England and USA and how the Missionaries sponsored by these, brought such differences into Nigeria.
A member who spoke with me, said there are no differences only names to indicate location. That Estate Baptist Church, merely means a Baptist Church in an estate and First Baptist Church means the first Baptist Church to be established in any given location. Hence, First Baptist Church PW, Kubwa, is the first Baptist Church in Kubwa.
Baptists form the fifth largest Christian church in the world.
Despite their names, all Baptist Churches believe these four core beliefs:
- The Bible, not church tradition or religious creed, was the guide in all matters of faith and practice.
- The church should be made up of believers only, not all people born in the local parish.
- The church should be governed by those believers, not by hierarchical figures like bishops.
- Baptism of believers by full immersion This is perhaps the most obvious difference between Baptists and other denominations. Baptists reject infant baptism, thinking instead that baptism is for believers only – those who can personally declare Jesus as Lord.
The theme of 2023 for First Baptist Church Kubwa, is IT’S MY TURN TO EMERGE. But today’s first service sermon’s topic is, THE IMAGES OF THE CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
The Pastor in charge is Rev. Dr. Emmanuel O. Adewara.
Mission Statement:
To be a church that makes converts and raises ministers for Kingdom growth.
The sermon took and digested the allegories used by Jesus in the New Testament, to remind members of the need to be together as one body, a member of the same flock and as a bride of Jesus.
He urged believers to be part of the church and should not isolate themselves but be part of the flock to be led by a shepherd. Many Christians have made wreck of their faith by being alone and thinking that it doesn’t matter to mingle with fellow believers. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd and your pastors are merely shepherding in accordance with the directives of Jesus.1st Peter 5:2-4.
Galatians 6:10 The Church As A Family. Family members are united together by blood. The blood that joins us together is the blood of Jesus. Haven been saved by the blood of Jesus, despite our tribes, we are one in the church.
1st Timothy 3:15 Church As A Household Of God. 1st Corinthians 3:9 The Church As God’s Building. There are different sizes of blocks used in building a house. Same is applicable to a church. There are many spiritual gifts and temperaments in the church, brought in by God, to be fused together for the good and growth of the church.
Like every other church that is growing, First Baptist Church, has its needs and need your assistance to reach out to those in need in and around Kubwa. If you are led by the spirit, you can make donations to: FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH KUBWA. Zenith Bank ACC. 1011590560.
If you are in Kubwa and in search of a Baptist worship, visit First Baptist Church Kubwa, PW.
