THE BAHAMAS BAPTIST UNION 1892 – 2009 A perspective by Rev. Dr. Sir Baltron B. Bethel, KCMG
The Introduction: Who We Are
We are dealing with one hundred and seventeen years of history, a journey of struggle and Faith in an eventful walk with God, an amazing venture of Kingdom building, a glorious assignment of the faithful proclamation of the good news of the Gospel of the Grace of God in the good times and in the bad times, an enduring fellowship of congenial, true-hearted believers working for the glory of God and the good of humanity.
These lines of the Negro national anthem well describe our Union’s epic journey:
Lift every voice and sing, till earth and Heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise, high as the list’ning skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
Stony the road we trod, bitter the chast’ning rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn has died;
Yet with a steady beat, have not our weary feet, Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path thro’ the blood of the slaughtered, Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
Today, we celebrate the past, thank God for the present, and trust Him for a glorious future, know- ing that we have the wonderful assurance of a great reward. We praise God for who we are, whose we are, and the certainty that the best is yet to come. We are encouraged by the matchless promise of God’s Word in 1 Cor. 2:9, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for them that love Him!”
Some may ask, why take precious time to look at our history. The simple answer is, that in order for us to appreciate who we are, and to understand the present, we must know the past. In order to properly plan for the future, we must also learn from the past. History is a continuing story of the past, present and future.
It is essential to observe that the Union is a cooperating fellowship of churches and individuals.
There are certain historical distinctives which place the Union in the mainstream of Baptist Doctrine, polity, practice and strict adherence to the teachings of the Holy Bible, aided by the Holy Spirit. At the same time, we are tolerant and diversified in aspirations, ritual and order of worship while striving for understanding and perfection. Our motto as expressed by our founding fathers in Ephesians 4:13; “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Bahamas Baptist Union Organized April 5, 1892
The Bahamas Baptist Union was organized on April 5, 1892 and comprised Baptist Churches drawn from New Providence, Eleuthera, Cat Island, San Salvador, Long Island, the Exumas, and Andros. Churches from other Islands joined at a later date. From the very beginning up to the present time, the Union has never been an organization of complex rules and regulations. However, common ideals have been clear and concise, which were identified as follows at the start:
The Object
The building up of Baptist churches on a self-supporting basis for the spreading of the Gospel and the furtherance of the Kingdom of Christ in these islands.
The Motto
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” Ephesians 4:13.