Are you willing to take a stand for what you believe to be true? The US is what it is today because of men and women from our past who had the courage to do just that. Now, at a time when political correctness often supersedes personal conviction, we need to ask ourselves that question.

The Courage of Your Faith is a collection of twelve short stories from our Baptist history. Each story sets the stage for a Bible study on an issue as relevant today as it was then. You will be challenged and you will be surprised by what stands our forefathers took and by the impact they had.

Today, "denomination" has lost significance. "Christian" seems more appropriate as we seek to minimize differences. Yet looking at Baptist History, as in this study, teaches us something of what it means to be a Christian and the role Baptists had in making the world what is today. "Baptists are indeed a peculiar people." The collection consists of two volumes.

Volume 1
1. Do you believe a person has the right to search the Scriptures and determine how he/she should therefore live? How strongly do you hold that conviction? In 1555, William Hunter, a young man of 19, is burned at the stake in Brentwood, England, because he refused to deny that right.
2. What is the purpose of baptism? In 1608 England, to withhold baptism from a baby was to condemn that child to hell should he die. Baptism of children was a traditional truth. Thomas Helwys left his family and, with a handful of other believers, went to Amsterdam to develop a vision of what God would have of them. Among other points, they determined that baptism was only valid when performed on a person who has confessed faith in Christ. They returned to England and established the first identifiable Baptist Church.
3. Is our salvation a matter of our choice or is it based upon God's choosing of the Elect? What are the implications of each view? In 1638, during the English Civil War, Colonel John Hutchinson and his wife Lucy, become convinced of the truth in Baptist beliefs. Turning their backs on tradition and friends, they chose to accept the teachings of Particular (Calvinistic) Baptists.
4. Who is responsible for what you believe? The year is 1650. In the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Puritan settlers outlaw Baptist meetings. Obadiah Holmes is so convinced of the injustice of that law that he openly participates in a small church service at the home of a Baptist in Lynn, Massachusetts. When arrested and given the choice of paying a fine or facing physical punishment, he even refuses to let others pay his fine. Instead he was "well whipped." As he is helped from the whipping, he says that it is as if he had been struck with roses. What is God's Grace? Does it just cover sin...or does it also provide victory over sin?
5. What do you think about the consumption of alcohol? In 1718, Baptists have established a church in Charles Town, South Carolina. Because the water is so brackish, various liquors are used to improve the palatability; and drunkenness became a problem. During this time, pirates raid the city; and Indians threaten the outskirts of the settled areas.
6. Should a radical new birth be required before allowing someone to become a member of a church? In 1745, people experience such a rebirth during the preaching of Whitefield, Edwards, and others. They must choose whether to remain in old fellowships or start new ones. Ultimately, many became Baptist. This Great Awakening affects many aspects of society and prepares the colonies for the coming revolution. This study addresses how Christianity has affected the world.

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