Continental Baptist Churches is an association of "Calvinistic" Baptist churches holding New Covenant theology, organized in June of 1983. The roots of this movement are in the Baptist Reformation Review, founded by Norbert Ward at Nashville, Tennessee in 1972, and the Sword and the Trowel, edited by Ron McKinney of Dallas, Texas. Both of these papers espoused the doctrines of grace. Calvinism has been known at times for its simple, unadorned churches and lifestyles, as depicted in this painting by Emmanuel de Witte where the 17th century congregation stands to hear a sermon. ... Baptist churches are part of a Christian movement often regarded as an evangelical, protestant denomination. ... 1983 is an integer and composite number that represents a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Downtown Nashville at dusk, viewed from the Gateway Bridge Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... Dallas is one of the ten largest cities in the United States and the heart of the largest metropolitan area in Texas. ...

In 1979, the Sword and Trowel leaders began to sponsor an annual "Council on Baptist Theology." Through this form of exchange, it became clear that this "Dallas" group held different understandings, especially in the area of Covenant Theology, from those espoused by northeastern Reformed Baptists led by Walter Chantry and Albert N. Martin. This led the "Dallas" ("Sword and Trowel") churches to form their own association - Continental Baptist Churches. This group began with about twenty churches. 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... The name Reformed Baptist does not refer to a distinct denomination but instead is a description of the churchs theological leaning. ...

Beliefs held by the churches of this body include the doctrines of grace, often referred to as the Five Points of Calvinism, the gathered believers church, believers' baptism by immersion requisite to church membership and to participation at the Lord's table, and the autonomy of each local church. Continental Baptist Churches accept the First London Confession of Faith (1646 edition) as a general expression of their beliefs. Calvinism has been known at times for its simple, unadorned churches and lifestyles, as depicted in this painting by Emmanuel de Witte where the 17th century congregation stands to hear a sermon. ... Events Ongoing events English Civil War (1642-1649) Births April 15 - King Christian V of Denmark (d. ...

The organizational structure includes an Executive Committee composed of a Council elected by the churches and the officers (Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) elected by the association. A periodical called Kindred Minds is the official publication of Continental Baptist Churches. The association holds a Bible Conference and business meeting each year. In 1995, 9 churches were participating in the association. Membership is open to any Baptist church "on the North American continent which subscribes to the Constitution and Articles of Faith of the Association." These churches must be received by majority vote of the messengers at the annual meeting. Continental Baptist Churches also cooperates with the Sovereign Grace Baptist Association of Churches. Sovereign Grace Baptists in the broadest sense are any Calvinistic Baptists that accept Gods sovereign grace in salvation and predestination, including Primitive Baptists, Reformed Baptists, Continental Baptist Churches (org. ...

External link

• Kindred Minds (http://www.kindredminds.org/welcome.htm) - Continental Baptist Churches/Kindred Minds Web Site

Sources

• Continental Baptist Churches: A Fellowship of Kindred Minds, by the Executive Committee of CBC
• Constitution of Continental Baptist Churches
• The Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness, by H. Leon McBeth