National Association of Free Will Baptists
Encyclopedia
The National Association of Free Will Baptists (NAFWB) is a national body of Free Will Baptist churches in the United States
and Canada
, organized on November 5, 1935 in Nashville
, Tennessee
. The National Association of Free Will Baptists traces its history in the United States through two different lines: one beginning in the South
in 1727 (the "Palmer line") and another in the North
in 1780 (the "Randall line"). The Association is the largest of the Free Will Baptist denominations
.
General Baptist
s who had settled in the Province of Carolina
requested help from the General Baptists in England
. Though they did not receive help, native Paul Palmer
labored there about twenty-five years later, and founded the first "General" or "Free Will" Baptist church in Chowan County
, North Carolina
, in 1727. Palmer organized at least three churches in North Carolina. From one church in 1727, they grew to over twenty churches by 1755. After 1755, the churches began to decrease and many churches and members became Particular Baptists. By 1770, only four churches and four ministers remained of the General Baptist persuasion. By the end of eighteenth century, these churches were being referred to as "Free Will Baptist." The churches in the "Palmer" line would again experience growth slowly in the nineteenth century. They organized various associations and conferences, and finally organized into the General Conference of Free Will Baptists in 1921.
Another "Free Will" movement rose in the North
through the work of Benjamin Randall
(1749-1808). Randall united with the Regular Baptist
s in 1776, but broke with them in 1779 due to his more liberal views on predestination
. In 1780, Randall formed a "Free" Baptist church in New Durham
, New Hampshire
. More churches were founded, and in 1792 a Yearly Meeting was organized. This northern line of Free Will Baptists expanded rapidly, but the majority of the churches merged with the Northern Baptist Convention in 1911. A remnant of the Randall churches organized in 1917 as the Cooperative General Association of Free Will Baptists.
Representatives of the "Palmer" (General Conference) and "Randall" (Cooperative General Association) groups of Free Will Baptists met at Cofer's Chapel in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1935 and organized the National Association of Free Will Baptists as a merger of the two groups. The new association adopted the Treatise on the Faith and Practice of the Free Will Baptists
, which has been revised several times since then. As of August 2005, the Association claims to have over 2,400 churches in forty-two states
and fourteen foreign countries. The Association is actively involved in missionary
work in the United States and throughout the world. The Association operates a publishing house called Randall House. Two colleges, the Free Will Baptist Bible College
in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College
in Moore
, Oklahoma
, are affiliated with the Association.
who hold an Arminian view of salvation
and eternal security. The differ from the larger body of Baptists in holding three ordinances
rather than two, namely: Believer's Baptism
, the Lord's supper, and the washing of feet. Anointing with oil is also practiced in some churches.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, organized on November 5, 1935 in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. The National Association of Free Will Baptists traces its history in the United States through two different lines: one beginning in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
in 1727 (the "Palmer line") and another in the North
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
in 1780 (the "Randall line"). The Association is the largest of the Free Will Baptist denominations
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
.
History
In 1702, EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
General Baptist
General Baptist
General Baptists is a generic term for Baptists who hold the view of a general atonement, as well as a specific name of groups of Baptists within the broader category.General Baptists are distinguished from Particular or Reformed Baptists.-History:...
s who had settled in the Province of Carolina
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
requested help from the General Baptists in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Though they did not receive help, native Paul Palmer
Paul Palmer (minister)
Paul Palmer was the founder of a couple of General Baptists. Palmer started several early Baptist churches in North Carolina, including the first known Baptist church in the state. It is not certain if he was Calvinian or Arminian...
labored there about twenty-five years later, and founded the first "General" or "Free Will" Baptist church in Chowan County
Chowan County, North Carolina
- Law and government :Chowan County is a member of the Albemarle Commission regional council of government-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 14,793 people, 5,580 households, and 4,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, in 1727. Palmer organized at least three churches in North Carolina. From one church in 1727, they grew to over twenty churches by 1755. After 1755, the churches began to decrease and many churches and members became Particular Baptists. By 1770, only four churches and four ministers remained of the General Baptist persuasion. By the end of eighteenth century, these churches were being referred to as "Free Will Baptist." The churches in the "Palmer" line would again experience growth slowly in the nineteenth century. They organized various associations and conferences, and finally organized into the General Conference of Free Will Baptists in 1921.
Another "Free Will" movement rose in the North
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
through the work of Benjamin Randall
Benjamin Randall
Benjamin Randall was the main organizer of the Freewill Baptists in the northeastern United States.In 1749 Benjamin Randall was born into a New England sea captain's family. Randall experienced a conversion to Christianity in 1770 through the influence of George Whitefield. Randall served in the...
(1749-1808). Randall united with the Regular Baptist
Regular Baptist
Regular Baptists are a diverse group of Baptists in the United States and Canada. The presence of the modifier "Regular" in their names attests to the strong influence of the early Regular Baptists on the growth of Baptists in North America. Two strains of Baptists emigrated from England to America...
s in 1776, but broke with them in 1779 due to his more liberal views on predestination
Predestination
Predestination, in theology is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted biblical predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation for others...
. In 1780, Randall formed a "Free" Baptist church in New Durham
New Durham, New Hampshire
New Durham is a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,638 at the 2010 census. It is drained by the Merrymeeting and Ela rivers, and is known for Merrymeeting Lake. New Durham is home to the Powder Mill Fish Hatchery...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. More churches were founded, and in 1792 a Yearly Meeting was organized. This northern line of Free Will Baptists expanded rapidly, but the majority of the churches merged with the Northern Baptist Convention in 1911. A remnant of the Randall churches organized in 1917 as the Cooperative General Association of Free Will Baptists.
Representatives of the "Palmer" (General Conference) and "Randall" (Cooperative General Association) groups of Free Will Baptists met at Cofer's Chapel in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1935 and organized the National Association of Free Will Baptists as a merger of the two groups. The new association adopted the Treatise on the Faith and Practice of the Free Will Baptists
Treatise on the Faith and Practice of the Free Will Baptists
The Treatise on the Faith and Practice of the Free Will Baptists was adopted in 1935 at Nashville, Tennessee as representatives from the two largest groups of Free Will Baptists merged to form the National Association of Free Will Baptists...
, which has been revised several times since then. As of August 2005, the Association claims to have over 2,400 churches in forty-two states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
and fourteen foreign countries. The Association is actively involved in missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
work in the United States and throughout the world. The Association operates a publishing house called Randall House. Two colleges, the Free Will Baptist Bible College
Free Will Baptist Bible College
Free Will Baptist Bible College is a private four-year college in Nashville, Tennessee affiliated with the National Association of Free Will Baptists....
in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College
Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College
Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College is a Christian liberal arts college in Moore, Oklahoma, offering several associate's and bachelor's degree programs and a master's degree program in ministry.-History:...
in Moore
Moore, Oklahoma
Moore is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. The population was 55,081 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, are affiliated with the Association.
Theology
The churches of the National Association of Free Will Baptists are theological conservativesConservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
who hold an Arminian view of salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
and eternal security. The differ from the larger body of Baptists in holding three ordinances
Ordinance (Christian)
Ordinance is a Protestant Christian term for baptism, communion and other religious rituals. Some Protestants, like the Mennonites, do not call them "sacraments" because they believe these rituals are outward expressions of faith, rather than impartations of God's grace.While a sacrament is seen...
rather than two, namely: Believer's Baptism
Believer's baptism
Believer's baptism is the Christian practice of baptism as this is understood by many Protestant churches, particularly those that descend from the Anabaptist tradition...
, the Lord's supper, and the washing of feet. Anointing with oil is also practiced in some churches.
Membership
Since the middle of the twentieth century, membership has remained near 200,000. In 2005, the Association reported having 2,425 churches and 198,924 members. Membership is concentrated in the South. The states with the highest membership rates are Arkansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Alabama, and Kentucky.External links
- National Association of Free Will Baptists
- Randall House Publishing
- ONE Magazine: The Magazine for Free Will Baptists
- A Treatise of the Faith and Practices of the National Association of Free Will Baptists
- Profile of the National Association of Free Will Baptists on the Association of Religion Data Archives website