The principles and beliefs of Baptist Christians set the denomination out as being distinctive. This is not to say that they are unique to Baptist Christians. But when drawn together they do create a distinctive picture.

Whilst it is important to understand what and why we believe as Baptist Christians - it is important to us that we ensure that we foster good Christian fellowship and understanding with Christian believers of other denominations. For this reason we are pleased to be active members of Christians Together in Paignton - our ecumenical grouping.

Listed below are seven basic Baptist principles of belief:

1. The Bible is Foundational
We base our preaching, teaching, discipleship and church government upon the authority of God's Word - the Bible.

2. Personal Conversion is essential
The Christian Church is the fellowship of Believers who have freely accepted God's wonderful offer of salvation through personal repentance and belief in Jesus Christ, God's only Son. This salvation cannot be earned but is God's gracious gift of grace. Consequently, Christians surrender their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ - no longer living to please self but to please their Lord. Every believer receives the promised Holy Spirit into their lives at the moment of conversion.

3. Believers Baptism is Scriptural
The New Testament clearly teaches that Believers Baptism should be the norm for those who have committed thir lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is an outward sign of an inward change of heart.

4. The Church is People
The Church exists through Jesus, for Jesus. The distinction needs to be made between seeing the people and not the building as the Church. The church is, therefore, a living organism, comprised of Believers living a communal life of faith.

5. The Holy Spirit is Active
It is the gracious work of the Holy Spirit of God to make the Bible real to us, and to interpret it to us. He is the One who lives within every Believer - acting as a'deposit' - guaranteeing our future eternal life with God. It is He who empowers us to live lives that please God, and who bestows upon Believers different gifts to be used for the benefit of God's people within the church and those yet to have received God's wonderful gift of salvation.

6. Church Government is Congregational
Because every Believer has God's Holy Spirit living within them, it follows that each member of the local church has a responsibility to be part of the process of discerning 'the mind of Christ' within the life and witness of each local Baptist church. This discerning process occurs at regular church meetings, but we also trust that 'the mind of Christ' is revealed through our living together too.

7. The 'Priesthood' is of All Believers
We have acknowledged that it is the Holy Spirit of God who bestows gifts upon every Believer, and the Bible makes it clear that every Believer has at least one gift for the good of the church and the world. It follows that every Christian has a part to play in the ministry of the local church. It is not the sole preserve of trained ministers to be the only 'ministers' within and without the local church. We therefore refer to every Christian as having a 'priestly' function before God.