The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC), established in 1932 is an
Independent Baptist Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worsh ...
in
United States, retaining the name "
Regular Baptist
Regular Baptists are "a moderately Calvinistic Baptist sect that is found chiefly in the southern U.S., represents the original English Baptists before the division into Particular and General Baptists, and observes closed communion and foot washi ...
". The association's home office is located in
Arlington Heights,
Illinois.
History
The impact of
modernism on the
Northern Baptist Convention (now called the
American Baptist Churches USA) led to the eventual withdrawal of a number of
conservative and
fundamentalist churches. The
Baptist Bible Union
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
(BBU) of 1923 was the forerunner to the GARBC. The final meeting of the BBU in 1932 in
Chicago was the first meeting of the GARBC.
The Association publishes Regular Baptist Press, a church education curriculum and the association's bimonthly magazine, the ''Baptist Bulletin''.
In 2018, the GARBC had over 1,200 member churches.
According to the 2008 ''
Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches'', the GARBC reported having 1,383 churches and 132,900 members in 2005. Membership is concentrated in the Midwest. The states with the highest membership rates are Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio.
Data from the 2000 Religious Congregations and Membership Study
Organization
The GARBC follows a " wikt:fellowship, fellowship" model rather than a denominational model. Each member church is free to act independently in all matters. The home office of the GARBC holds no controlling power over member churches. The purpose of the association is for fellowship between churches of like faith and practice.
See also
* Baptist Distinctives
Sources
*''Baptists Around the World'', by Albert W. Wardin, Jr.
*''Dictionary of Baptists in America'', Bill J. Leonard, editor
References
External links
GARBC Web SiteProfile of the GARBC on the Association of Religion Data Archives website
{{US baptist denominations
Independent Baptist denominations in the United States
Organizations based in Illinois
Christian organizations established in 1932
Baptist denominations established in the 20th century