Seventh Day Baptists

Seventh Day Baptists are Baptists who rest and worship on Saturday, the seventh day of the week, as a holy day dedicated to God. They share common Baptist beliefs, such as using the Bible as the main guide for faith and practicing baptism by full immersion for believers. They also believe each local church should make its own decisions. For Seventh Day Baptists, resting on Saturday shows their commitment to following God's commands, not as a way to earn favor, but as a sign of their relationship with God.

Most Christian churches choose Sunday as their main day of rest, but throughout history, many Christians have chosen to keep Saturday holy, following God's command in creation and the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles. The first groups of Baptists who kept Saturday appeared in England in the 1600s, though this was not the most common belief at the time.

Today, Seventh Day Baptists have over 520 churches worldwide with at least 45,000 members. They often meet and share ideas through conferences in different countries and through an organization called the Seventh Day Baptist World Federation. Some groups work together, while others operate independently. In general, they maintain friendly relationships with other Baptist and Protestant groups and connect with many Christian organizations around the world.

History

English Baptists began in the early 1600s when some people in England did not agree with the Church of England and started their own churches. One of these groups was in Gainsborough, led by John Smyth and Thomas Helwys. In 1608, they left England and went to the Netherlands. They decided that babies should not be baptized because the Bible did not support it. This group in Amsterdam became the first Baptist church. Two years later, Helwys and some others returned to England and started a church in London. At this time, they celebrated the Sabbath on Sunday.

In London, a man named Hamlet Jackson convinced a minister couple, John and Dorothy Traske, to start observing the Sabbath on Saturday instead. In 1617, they established the Mill Yard Seventh Day Baptist Church. However, John Traske was jailed for writing letters to the king, while Dorothy stayed in prison for many years. Other groups also began observing the Sabbath on Saturday, facing punishment from authorities.

By the mid-1600s, more people began to support the idea of the Seventh-day Sabbath. In 1650, the first official Seventh Day Baptist service was held in London. The church faced fires and other challenges but continued to grow.

In the 1600s, Seventh Day Baptists began to spread to the American colonies. In 1672, the first Seventh Day Baptist church in the Americas was started in Newport, Rhode Island. Over time, more churches were established across the American colonies. By 1801, these churches formed a group called the General Conference to support each other and spread their beliefs. They also started educational institutions, such as Alfred University and Salem University.

Today, Seventh Day Baptists have churches around the world, including in the United States, Canada, and many other countries. They continue to observe the Sabbath on Saturday and follow Baptist traditions.

Statement of Belief

Seventh Day Baptists believe in one God who exists as three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They think the Bible is the most important guide for faith and life. They practice baptism by immersing believers and observe Saturday, the seventh day of the week, as a special holy day of rest and worship.

They believe that people are saved by turning away from wrong and trusting in Jesus Christ. They also believe that Jesus will come back again one day. The church is important to them, and they believe each local church should make its own decisions while working together with other churches. They share a meal called the Lord’s Supper to remember Jesus’ life and teachings.

Seventh Day Baptist World Federation

In 1965, leaders from 11 countries created the Seventh Day Baptist World Federation. It helps Seventh Day Baptists talk to each other, work together on projects, and stay connected as a community. Today, it includes members from 20 countries and about 50,000 baptized people. The federation is led by elected leaders who follow its rules and meet to discuss important topics for Seventh Day Baptist churches.