We Are American Baptists!
A People of Faith. A People of Mission.
American Baptist Churches USA exists as a denomination to offer its 5,800 churches a sense of family and to provide resources to support them in life-changing ministries undertaken in the name of Jesus Christ. The local church is the fundamental unit of mission within denominational life, and our priority. American Baptist leaders have noted that our priority, “is to affirm, support and challenge congregations as they live out their mission.”
The American Baptist Mission Center in Valley Forge, PA is a national resource for all congregations. Like the Regional Offices that serve their churches, the Valley Forge offices are home to staffs and programs committed to enabling effective congregational mission and cooperative ministry.
EMBRACING AN INCLUSIVE, GROWING FAMILY
As the most racially diverse denomination in Protestantism, the American Baptist Churches USA has seen an historic commitment to inclusiveness manifest itself in the makeup of its churches and their members. Some of the most significant growth within our family in recent years has been witnessed in our African American, Hispanic, Native American, Haitian, Portuguese and Asian American congregations. Within the next decade there will likely be no single majority racial or ethnic group within our denomination. The breadth of our denominational household can in part be attributed to our longstanding commitment to offer fellowship and support to all people. In many other areas, too, we are a diverse people: geographically, theologically and vocationally.
AFFIRMING FRONTLINE MISSION: SUPPORTING AUTONOMOUS, INTERDEPENDENT CONGREGATIONS
American Baptists continue a great religious tradition that has promoted local church autonomy, separation of church from state influence, and religious freedom. Interdependence—congregations doing ministry together—also is an American Baptist hallmark. Within the denominational household, the cooperative efforts of churches, regions, national and international agencies have produced great accomplishments in the name of Christ.
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