About the General Association of Six‑Principle Baptists

Who We Are

The General Association of Six‑Principle Baptists is the reorganized continuation of one of America’s earliest Baptist traditions, tracing its origin to the ministry of Roger Williams in the 1600s and the first Six‑Principle Baptist congregation organized in 1652 at Providence, Rhode Island.

We are sometimes called the Old or General Six‑Principle Baptists, emphasizing our historic roots and our belief in the general atonement of Christ for all people, our adherence to believer’s baptism, and our commitment to the Six Principles of Hebrews 6:1–2: Repentance, Faith, Baptisms, Laying on of Hands, Resurrection, and Judgment.

Our Core Convictions

• Bible as Supreme Authority We hold the Bible as the supreme written authority for faith and practice, with genuine liberty of conscience in matters of interpretation and worship. We have no ecclesiastically binding creed, though historic creeds such as the Apostles’ Creed may be used as general statements of Christian faith.

• Unity, Liberty, Love Our guiding motto is: “In essentials, Unity; in non‑essentials, Liberty; in all things, Love.” We believe there can be unity in diversity and diversity in unity within the body of Christ, so long as the foundational truths of the Gospel are upheld.

• Six Principles & Spiritual Maturity The Six Principles of Hebrews 6:1–2 are viewed as foundational concepts of the Christian faith, and we affirm that Christian perfection (maturity) builds on, but goes beyond, these basic principles as believers grow in Christ.

Distinctive Practice: Laying on of Hands

• We give special emphasis to the laying on of hands as a biblical ordinance:

  • At baptism, as entrance into the priesthood of all believers and the general ministry and witness to which all Christians are called.

  • At ordination of ministers and deacons, as a sign of authority, blessing, and empowerment for service.

  • When receiving members into the church, as a sign of the reception of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

• Historically, this practice distinguished Six‑Principle Baptists from other Baptist groups, being held “in connection with, and of equal authority with baptism and all the other principles of Christ's doctrine.”

Liberty of Conscience & Separation of Church and State

• We stand firmly in the historic Baptist principle of liberty of conscience, rooted in the legacy of Roger Williams and the 1663 Rhode Island Charter, which declared that no person should be “molested, punished, disquieted, or called into question for any differences in opinion in matters of religion” so long as civil peace is not disturbed.

• We affirm the separation of church and state as essential to protecting religious liberty and the freedom of the soul before God.

• With John Wesley, we affirm: “…as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think.” And, “if your heart is with my heart, give me your hand.”

Fellowship, Faith, and the Wider Church

• We recognize the unity of the Church of Christ in all the world, knowing that we are but one branch of Christ’s people, and we extend the hand of Christian fellowship to all believers who hold to the great fundamental truths of the Gospel.

• Together with all Christians, we confess:

  • One God, whose nature is love

  • Revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ

  • By one Holy Spirit of grace We believe that Jesus came in the flesh, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.

Moral and Ethical Commitments

• We hold to traditional Christian moral and ethical values, which are not subject to vote or majority opinion. “Ageless truths cannot be altered by whims of popular culture.”

• We affirm:

  • Outward sacraments are not required for salvation.

  • Abortion as a means of birth control is murder.

  • We do not discriminate against divorced and/or remarried people.

  • We believe in the communion of saints and the “great cloud of witnesses.”

  • We believe in the stewardship of the earth.

• On sexual ethics:

  • Homosexual acts are understood as sin, alongside other sexual sins such as adultery, fornication, and lust.

  • We love sinners while rejecting their sins, seeking their repentance and restoration in Christ.

  • The General Association does not license or ordain practicing homosexuals, does not perform same‑sex unions, and does not endorse jurisdictions which do so.

Afterlife and Salvation

• We affirm that God, who is infinitely just, merciful, and loving, provides a way of salvation for those who have never heard of Christ, in harmony with the teaching of Romans 2 and other Scriptures.

• We recognize that the word translated “eternal” in relation to hell in the New Testament means an “eon” or “age”—a long, indefinite period of time—rather than endless duration. Consequently, we do not affirm:

  • Unconditional universalism

  • Unconditional eternal hell

  • Annihilationism

• Instead, we allow freedom of conscience on details of the afterlife.

Governance, Ministry, and Credentials

• Polity & Oversight

  • Polity is congregational, but conferences retain specific powers.

  • A council of ordained ministers approves all ordinations.

  • The General Association provides Episcopal oversight of ministers’ ethics and conduct but assumes no legal responsibility for them; each minister and ministry is self‑supporting.

• Priesthood of All Believers

  • We hold to the priesthood of every believer, recognizing that God calls all members of the church to be ministers and witnesses to the Gospel in their lives and in society.

• Autonomy of the Local Church

  • Local churches may own their property, call and ordain ministers and deacons.

  • For direct affiliation with the General Association, ministers must apply for and receive license or ordination credentials from the General Association.

  • The General Association licenses and ordains women to all levels of ministry.

  • The General Association does not require re‑ordination of clergy previously ordained with a laying on of hands.

• Ministerial Credentials

  • Licensed Minister:

    • Entry‑level, intern/apprentice minister.

    • Approved by the Credential Committee and mentored by the Director of Licensed Ministers or other General Association Elder.

  • Elder (Ordained Minister):

    • Requires Credential Committee approval.

    • Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in theology or related field, or 5 years of proven ministry experience plus theological training.

    • Must have been ordained by laying on of hands, or arrange such ordination by a General Association Elder or other duly ordained minister.

  • Baptism Requirement:

    • All applicants must have received believer’s baptism, preferably by immersion; pouring is acceptable when immersion is not possible.

• Church Charters

  • The General Association issues charters for churches wishing to affiliate.

  • The Senior Pastor must be licensed or ordained by the General Association for a charter to be granted.