What is a Baptist Church?

A lot of people don’t have the slightest clue as to what ‘Baptist’ means.  Many think it’s about dunking people in water, and that’s pretty much what we get up to.

Baptist churches are the best kept secret in Australia!  We have values that typical Australian’s identify with very strongly:

·        No hierarchy

·        Informal

·        No pomp and ceremony

·        Congregational involvement in decision making

·        Pastors are just normal people and dress normally

Baptist History and Distinctives

 Perhaps the best way to introduce what makes Baptist churches distinct is to look briefly at their history since it is out of a historical context that the distinctives came about. The Baptist denomination was birthed in the aftermath of what is known as the Protestant Reformation that began a whole new era in Christianity. The primary concern of the reformers was to reform the doctrine and practice of the church. Since there was a wide conviction of how far the reformation should go there were any number of variations from the very Catholic form of the Church of England to the starkness of the Swiss Reformed Church and everything in between. The story of the Baptists is tied in with the Puritans who felt that the reformation in England hadn’t gone nearly far enough and sought to further purify the church. A more radical group within the Puritan movement, the Separatists, felt that reform from within was impossible and sought to create a new church, an action that led to their persecution.

Though the Baptist movement has no giant founder such as a Martin Luther or John Calvin, many consider John Smyth to be the first Baptist (the most famous Baptist is probably John Bunyan who wrote Pilgrim’s Progress while in prison for preaching without a licence). Smyth, an ordained Anglican priest, was sympathetic to the Puritan movement before casting his lot with the Separatists. He soon became the leader of a group of ministers who were in trouble for their Puritan beliefs. When James VI of Scotland became James I of England he resolved to make the Puritans conform to the Church of England. Smyth and his little flock fled to Holland where they continued to study the Bible and were finally led to the belief that adult baptism was the true biblical model. They acted upon this discovery and re-baptised themselves in late 1609. It is at this time that Thomas Helwys arrived on the scene. It was Helwys who would do as much as any other to mould Baptist beliefs. He was also one of the first to die for his beliefs when he died in prison in 1616 after returning to England. The congregation he left was known as the first General Baptist Church. 

Though the first Baptists held many of the common beliefs of other Reformers, such as the primary authority of the Bible for determining belief and practice, the priesthood of all believers (to which we will refer again later), and the importance of preaching, they also held a number of beliefs that made them distinct. Apart from their belief in adult baptism by immersion, in which they differed from the main reformers, the doctrine that got them into the most trouble was their assertion of total religious liberty through the total separation of Church and State. Since the Christian emperor Constantine in the fourth century Church and State had been inseparably entwined and the separation which the Baptists advocated was considered as treason. Other doctrinal distinctives were the need for the individual to respond in faith to the work of God in order to be saved (not just become part of the church) and the general atonement of Christ (in which Jesus died for all humanity not just the elect).

One final distinctive that gave the Baptist movement its own unique flavour was their belief in local church autonomy; each local church was free to use and develop its own style, language, and ministries. Autonomy soon led to Baptist churches that held to the particular atonement of Christ (in which Jesus died for the elect only) and to debates over open or closed communion (who can partake of communion - all who profess to believe or only accredited members).

Understanding the historical birth of the Baptist church is helpful when we come to look at Baptist distinctives that we still hold today. Today when you enter a Baptist church in Australia you will find many of the same distinctives:

1) The priesthood of all believers

 We believe that all are equal before God; equally sinful, equally saved. This equality denies that there is any spiritual difference between the priesthood and the laity. All Christians are filled with the Spirit, all Christians are called to live lives of holiness, all Christians are ministers. There may be different levels of Christian maturity but there are not different levels of Christians.

This understanding influences the organisational form of Baptist Churches. All Baptist Churches are governed congregationally; in other words, since we stand as equals before God each of us has a responsibility to listen to God for his direction in our lives and in our church.

It is the belief in the equality of all believers before God that also guides how the church ministries are run. Individuals who are gifted by God to provide leadership to his church are empowered by the members of the local church to do so. This is equally true of pastors as it is of elders, deacons, and any other position of leadership.

2) Individual faith

 We believe that each individual must make a faith decision to follow Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

3) Believer’s baptism

We believe that each and every Christian is commanded by our Lord to make a public profession of faith in the act of baptism by immersion. This is called believer’s baptism. Therefore, children, whose parents are committed to raising them in a Christian manner, are not baptised but dedicated to the Lord in the hope and belief that they will one day make an individual profession of faith and be baptised.

4) Open communion

We believe that Jesus instituted a way of remembering him in the sharing together of the bread and wine; symbols of his sacrifice for us. We encourage all who profess Jesus as their Lord and Saviour to share in the Lord’s Supper regardless of church background.

5) The authority of the Bible

We believe that the Bible is God’s inspired and authoritative word to his people. By inspired we mean that the words that the biblical authors wrote were the words of God and as such can be considered authoritative. The Bible has the right, therefore, to command how we are to live and act in relationship to God and others.

6) Local autonomy

 We believe that each Baptist Church is a celebration of diversity and may differ from other Baptist churches in style, language, and ministry. Each church holds its own constitution, hires its own pastors and sets its own budget and direction. These differences, as long as they are within biblical guidelines, are to be appreciated and enjoyed.

What is the Baptist 'Union'?

Since local church autonomy is a Baptist distinctive it might seem odd at first that there is a denominational headquarters. The Baptist Union of QLD provides several services for the combined Baptist churches. Individual churches choose to work together with the Union in order to train leaders, to support missionaries (Global InterAction), and local ministries such as the youth shelters, aged care facilities, shelters for women, counseling services etc. Union connections also give the church one unanimous voice in local and state government. It is through the Union that we are connected with Baptists worldwide through the Baptist World Alliance.

The direction and activity of the Union is largely determined at the annual assembly meetings that are attended by delegates from each Baptist church.

Our History

In 1975, an associate from Albion Baptist Church, Pastor Peter Law, felt a real burden for the area of Albany Creek. After a doorknock campaign / survey of the area he began a Sunday School under the house of one of the interested couples contacted. It was during the doorknock outreach that our first resident from this area was led to Christ as her Saviour. After some months, and with encouragement from the Albion Baptist Church, a few families began to meet with a view to starting a local Fellowship. Such a Fellowship was soon established with Peter Law as Pastor.

The first meeting was held in the old chicken abattoir at Albany Creek with about twelve present. From this location, as growth required, the fellowship moved its meeting venue to the Albany Creek Pre-School on Albany Creek Road. Albany Creek itself had been an old farming area but was fast being overrun by rapid housing development for younger families. The Sunday School grew to an attendance as large as 110 at one stage. Around the 1983/84 period Sunday School was replaced with a Bible Club format held on a Monday afternoon. Mid-week Cell Groups had been commenced in 1983 also, as had a Youth Group for those of High School age and up to eighteen, together with a Young Adults Group for those in the eighteen plus bracket.

As the Church grew another move was required, with the destination this time being the Albany Creek High School on Old Northern Road. This relocation, in 1985, provided the Church Family with a lot more space for its various activities with fewer restrictions. Boys' and Girls' Brigades had commenced in 1983 and 1984 respectively, and were already meeting at this venue and so the move was universally regarded as a natural one. Almost from its inception the Church has been administering and staffing a very successful and much appreciated RE program at Albany Hills Primary School on Keong Road. A Friday morning prayer group began meeting in June 1989 and the Church has in the last few years been making a substantial contribution to the support of a High School Chaplain recruited by Scripture Union to work at the Albany Creek High School.

Slightly prior to the relocation to the High School, Pastor Law left to complete further studies at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary at Portland in the United States of America. The Church Family continued, for three years from 1982, to support Peter and his family while study and ministry were pursued in the U.S.A. Mr. Ray Meredith, a graduate of the Baptist Theological College of Queensland and already keenly involved in the leadership of the Church, was officially called to pastor the Church in 1985. In 1986, the Church was able to purchase land at Eaton's Hill, thus facilitating a wider vision of ministry going beyond the immediate Albany Creek area. This wider vision was one of the key reasons for the name change to "South Pine Community Church".

Towards the end of 1993 Pastor Ray Meredith moved with this family to Tasmania after 14 years of building and developing a strong foundation. Pastor Don McPherson was called as an interim Pastor and played a very special role in the life of the Church in helping the Church prepare for the future. Towards the middle of 1994 Don McPherson was called to the Enoggera Church and Pastor Neil Boyle from "Mission to Queensland" was called as interim Pastor of the Church. Neil and Danielle Boyle had special abilities in building and through their leadership the first worship service was held in the new premises at Eaton's Crossing Rd on the 31st of January 1994. On that day Pastor Neil Boyle handed over Pastoral responsibility to Pastor Rick Saul who with his family joined the Church the same day. 

Since this time the church has been steadily growing and in 1997 we welcomed Pastor John Anderson to lead the Ministry of "Caring for God's People".  Pastor Rick Saul completed his ministry here at the end of 1999 and Pastor John Anderson, 6 months later.  After a period of 12 months with Rev. Stan Solomon as Interim Pastor, Andrew Dawkins moved to Queensland from Sydney with his family and commenced ministry in January, 2001.  In September 2001 Stan Fetting joined as associate pastor, and in April 2002 was appointed as Senior Pastor following the conclusion of Andrew Dawkin's ministry here. During 2002 Merv Dunkin commenced as associate pastor, Corrina Steele as Children's Pastor and Steve Meharg as Youth Pastor, on a part time basis.  Greg Passmore joined in 2003 as full time Pastor of Care.

Corrina changed roles and became our Office Manager until the end of 2006, with Steve Meharg transitioning into an associate pastor role in 2006.  Greg Passmore and Merv Dunkin concluded their ministries here at the end of 2005. Helen Wood joined as Office Manager in early 2007. Steve Meharg transitioned into full-time ministry in January 2007 and changed role from Youth to Associate pastor in recognition of his wider responsibilities.

It is important that we remember and value the past. A wonderful foundation has been laid in the Church by the members, leaders and Pastors of past days. You can help write the new pages of our history.