General Association of Regular Baptist Churches

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of a series on Baptists
Image:Baptism logo.jpg
Historical Background Christianity General Baptist Particular Baptist
Doctrinal distinctives Prima scriptura Sola scriptura Baptist ordinance Baptist offices Baptist confessions Autonomy of the local church Separation of church and state
Pivotal figures John Smyth Thomas Helwys John Bunyan Roger Williams Andrew Fuller Charles Haddon Spurgeon Billy Graham
Largest associations American Baptist Baptist Bible Fellowship Baptist General Convention of Texas National Baptist Progressive National Baptist Southern Baptist Convention This box: view • talk • edit

The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC, org. 1932) is one of several Baptist groups in North America retaining the name "Regular Baptist".

The impact of modernism on the Northern Baptist Convention (now called the American Baptist Churches in the USA) led to the eventual withdrawal of a number of conservative and fundamentalist churches. The Baptist Bible Union (BBU, org. 1923) was the forerunner to the GARBC. The final meeting of the BBU in 1932 in Chicago was the first meeting of the GARBC.

The association endorses a fourfold mission:

Champion Biblical Truth
Impact the World for Christ
Perpetuate a Baptist Heritage
Advance the Association Churches

The GARBC follows a "fellowship" model rather than a denominational model. Each member church is free to act independently in all matters. The home office of the GARBC holds no controlling power over member churches. The purpose of the association is for fellowship between churches of like faith and practice.

The association's home office is located at 1300 North Meacham Road, Schaumburg, Illinois. On this site, Regular Baptist Press publishes church education curriculum and the association's monthly magazine, the Baptist Bulletin.

Rev. John Greening presently serves as the association's National Representative. In 2006, the GARBC had over 1,300 member churches. Among them is the First Baptist Church in the City of New York, whose original pastor baptized George Washington.