The name Reformed Baptist does not refer to a distinct denomination but instead is a description of the church's theological leaning. Not all churches that are reformed in doctrine identify themselves as such. There are two associations of Reformed Baptist churches in the United States: the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America, which began in 1997, and the Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals, organized in 2000. There are also associations in South Africa and New Zealand. The Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA) is a denomination of Protestant churches that was founded March 11, 1997. ... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Reef. ... The Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (F.I.R.E.) is a fellowship of baptistic and Reformed churches and individuals. ... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Reformed Baptist churches quite often adhere to either the First or Second London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1646 and 1689 respectively. These two statements are usually not considered exhaustive or completely accurate, but instead are convenient summaries of a church's belief. Reformed Baptists attempt to derive all of their doctrine directly from the Bible, which they see as the sole authority of faith and practice. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith was written by Calvinistic Baptists in England to give a formal expression of the Reformed and Protestant Christian faith with an obvious Baptist perspective. ...

Reformed Baptist Churches are distinct in that they are both Reformed (adhering to and showing respect for much of the theology defined by John Calvin) as well as Baptists (believing in baptism for believers only, and that by immersion). Historically, the five points of Calvinism have been central tenets of the Reformed faith, which all Reformed Baptist churches agree with by definition. However, conservative Reformed theology is normally committed to Covenant theology, one application of which is the practice of infant baptism. For this reason more traditional Reformed branches of Christianity (Presbyterian, etc) sometimes refuse to accept their Reformed Baptist brothers as truly Reformed. John Calvin John Calvin (July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a preeminent Christian theologian during the Protestant Reformation and is the namesake of the system of Christian theology called Calvinism. ... Baptist churches are part of a Christian movement often regarded as an Evangelical, Protestant denomination. ... 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. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ... Covenant Theology is a school of Biblical interpretation that provides one alternative to Dispensationalism and is a form of Supersessionism. ... Infant baptism (also called paedobaptism and pedobaptism), the baptism of the infant children of believers, is an ancient custom of much of Christianity, including the Roman Catholic church, the Orthodox churches, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists, to name a few. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organisationally independent. ...

Modern Reformed Baptists usually consider themselves the spiritual heirs of English Baptists John Bunyan and Charles Spurgeon. The Calvinist theology of the Reformed Baptist is akin to if not descended directly from that of early English Particular Baptists. John Bunyan. ... Charles Haddon Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 – January 31, 1892) was Englands best-known and most-loved preacher for most of the second half of the nineteenth century. ...

Some common (though far from universal) traits of Reformed Baptists are:

1. Credalism: historical creeds are considered useful, but not authoritative.
2. Localism: each congregation is a fully independent church, which considers itself accountable directly to Jesus Christ rather than intermediately through an earthly organization such as a Convention, Synod or Presbytry.
3. The Regulative Principle: the belief that "the acceptable way of Worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself; and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be Worshipped according to the imaginations, and devices of Men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way, not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures," (from chapter 22, paragraph 1 of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith). This is usually manifested in a relatively simple liturgy.
4. Plurality in Leadership: each local church has multiple Elders as well as a Pastor (also known as plurality of elders).
5. Moderate Cessationism: the supernatural Gifts of the Holy Ghost in general, and Revivals specifically, are considered exceptional measures sovereignly bestowed by God, not to be searched as a common policy. Thus a rejection of Revivalism in general and Pentecostalism specifically.
6. The idea of the Sunday as the Christian Sabbath.
7. The centrality of the Word of God: the church takes no part on human schemes for church growth, nor searches for popularity, but sows the Word and trusts God will make it multiply.
8. The reservation of the Pastor/Elder role for men.

Localism usually describes social measures or trends which emphasise or value local and small-scale phenomena. ... The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith was written by Calvinistic Baptists in England to give a formal expression of the Reformed and Protestant Christian faith with an obvious Baptist perspective. ... Cessationism, in Christian theology, is the view that the charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit were in effect only during the time between the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost c. ... This article should be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... The Pentecostal movement within Protestant Christianity places special emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. ...

External links

• Founders Ministries (http://www.founders.org/) - a site committed to preserving historic Reformed principles within the Southern Baptist Convention
• Grace and Truth Christian congregation in Israel (http://www.graceandtruthbulletin.org/) - a Reformed Baptist congregation
• International Fellowship of Reformed Baptists (http://www.reformation-today.org/ifrb/) - an international body to promote unity among Reformed Baptists
• Johnny Farese's Reformed Baptist Church Directory (http://www.farese.com/rbcd/rbcd.htm) - an informal directory of "churches which either claim to hold to the 1689 Confession of Faith; correspond with and pray for other sister churches; and/or fellowship with other sister churches through family conferences, pastors' conferences, etc."
• New Zealand Reformed Baptist Churches (http://www.rbc.org.nz/) - official site
• Reformed Baptist Association in South Africa Web Site (http://www.reformed.org.za/) - official site, in Afrikaans and English
• What is a Reformed Baptist (http://www.vor.org/truth/refbapt.html) - a Reformed Baptist explains his beliefs