Baptists emerged as a separate denomination in England in the early 17th century. By that time English translations of the Bible were reaching the people. Out of careful Bible study, some earnest Christians discovered that baptism should be applied only to believers, not to infants.

Further study convinced them that the biblical way of baptism was by immersion, not sprinkling.

They determined also that the Bible taught baptism has no saving power. Rather, it is a symbolic expression of the salvation that a person has already experienced. Baptism is important as an act of obedience, but it is not necessary for salvation.

The name "Baptists" was first used as a derisive nickname by those who could not understand why they insisted upon immersing believers who had previously been sprinkled as infants.

Today, the name Baptist is a good name, made so by the courage and heroic witness of past generations.

There is more to being Baptist than merely being baptized, but the name does pinpoint a crucial conviction. People are saved not by being born into a church, but by God's grace through repentance, faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. Those who thus become "believers" should be baptized - immersed in obedience to Christ's command and as a public profession of their faith.

The Southern Baptist Convention was founded in 1845. Once located only in the southern United States, it now has 40,000 cooperating churches located in every state and all U.S. territories. We have 5,000 missionaries active in 122 nations around the world, baptizing one person every 50 seconds.