SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Fernwood Baptist Church in Spartanburg may join a growing list of South Carolina churches kicked out of local associations for accepting members who have not been baptized by immersion. The 500-member church was notified by letter Nov. 21 that the Spartanburg County Baptist Network, an association of Baptist churches, considered Fernwood’s baptism practices to be a “breach of fellowship.” In the past three years, similar disputes have resulted in splits between two South Carolina Baptist churches and their local associations.
Since 1990 Fernwood Baptist has accepted 27 Christians into membership who were baptized in other denominations, even though that previous baptism didn’t involve total immersion under water. Only in October did the church’s practice become an issue, said Randall Wright, Fernwood’s pastor for 18 years.
Many Baptists believe that, while believer’s baptism is not a requirement for salvation, it is a distinctive practice observed by Baptists and is a non-negotiable doctrine.
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