Joint Pentecost service with Iglesia Misión Bautista Hispana de Westchester

We are a church in Westchester where people belong. People, no matter what they look like, what they wear, what they drive, who they know themselves to be, because they are children of God.

No matter what you’ve been called, or who the world says you are, you belong at First Baptist, first and foremost because you are a child of God.

​Jesus called people to follow him in groups. His ministry established a very close and diverse group of friends we know as the 12 disciples. We do our best to encourage friendships within our larger community. 

Jesus welcomes the stranger, the outcast, and his enemies to a healing relationship. We endeavor to do the same.

We are a diverse community of Christ nurturing loving, generous,
​creative and resilient disciples for God's changing world.

© 2021, Sergio Villatoro Photography
www.sergiov.net​

What Makes A Baptist a Baptist?

The first Baptists emerged out of the Puritan movement in England in the early 1600’s. They were negatively labeled, “Re-baptizers” for their unusual act of baptizing people who were making a public confession of faith. This was not customary for the times, as infant baptism was the norm. Yet for Baptists, it was a natural expression of what a noted church historian, Dr. Walter B. Shurden called “The Four Fragile Freedoms of Baptist Identity.” They are: 1) Bible Freedom, 2) Soul Freedom, 3) Church Freedom, and 4) Religious Freedom. Certainly Baptists are not the only Christians who adhere to these freedoms. Happily, many others do, but what needs to be stressed is that a Baptist cannot be understood without some connection to these four freedoms.
Bible Freedom means that one has the right and responsibility to interpret the Bible as one under the Lordship of Christ. This can often bring conflict and Jesus acknowledged as much when he began his interpretation of the Hebrew Scripture in his famous Sermon on the Mount by saying, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets” (Matt 5:17). We believe that it is our weighty responsibility to study and seek to understand the Bible the best that we can through the lens of Christ.
​Soul Freedom affirms the sacredness of personal choice. Jesus understood that  the public has many different opinions of him, but he was most interested in what his disciples thought. His questions, “But who do you say that I am?” (Matt 16:15) called for a free and personal response. We assert that this reflective of how God does not coerce humanity, allowing for freedom of choice. Soul freedom acknowledges that lasting conversion experiences come from personal convictions. That is why we practice believer’s baptism. As the person comes into the baptismal waters, they are freely and openly committing to follow Christ. 

Church Freedom means that each congregation is free, under the Lordship of Christ and within the Spirit of God to determine their membership, pastoral leadership, order of worship, ministry work, and to ordain whom they perceive as gifted for ministry. This means that there are no hierarchal structures or offices that dictate to the local church how it should be church. As an American Baptist Church, we do come together to cooperate on larger scale mission projects that no one church can do on its own. This allows for each church to determine their own mission that is relevant to their people and community and also be responsive to wider needs around the world.
Religious Freedom means that Baptists recognize that there must be a clear separation between the church and government. We recognize the need for civil government, but its scope must be limited. Jesus expressed this idea, in Matthew 22:15-22, when questioned about whether it was lawful to pay taxes, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When either government or religion asserts dominance over the other, coercion takes hold and limits the free expression of faith. We believe that this is not acceptable because it is not the intention of Christ. Therefore, we denounce any government action that limits the free expression of our or any faith, as well as weaponizing religion to force society to its norms. 
Being a Baptist means taking your faith seriously and yet also knowing  that we will not always agree. Augustine said it well, when he said, "In essentials, unity, in non essentials liberty, and in all things charity. So, what makes a Baptist, a Baptist? You do! With all of your authentic self. We adhere to these fragile freedoms and want to invite you to join your story of faith and freedom with ours!