The Main Differences (& Similarities) Between Methodists & Baptists

Ever wondered what the differences between the Methodist and Baptist denominations are? Both are considered branches of the Christian tree but have their own unique worship and organizational practices.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Olivia Woodford
Holy Bible Expert

Expert Interview} The main difference is that Baptists only practice immersion baptism for adults and youths who can declare their faith, while Methodists do sprinkling, pouring, and immersion baptisms for infants, adults, and youths. Keep reading for the differences, similarities, core beliefs, and notable people of each church.

Methodist vs. Baptist Churches

Methodists allow the baptism of adults and infants, while Baptists reject infant baptism and believe that the rite is only for individuals who can personally declare their faith.^{[2]
X
Expert Source

Liz Cooledge Jenkins
Christian Theology Expert

Expert Interview} Methodists also practice open communion and have a church hierarchy, and Baptists have closed communions and independently-run congregations.

Section 1 of 7:

Main Differences Between Methodists and Baptists

Download Article

1
Methodists baptize infants and Baptists don’t. Methodists allow the baptism of adults, youths, and infants. Baptists, however, reject infant baptism because they believe that baptism is only for individuals who can truly understand their faith and personally declare Jesus as Lord.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- This is also one of the biggest differences between Baptism and other Christian denominations.^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Olivia Woodford
  Holy Bible Expert
  
  Expert Interview}
2
Baptists only do immersion and Methodists use other baptism methods. This means the Baptist minister lies the person back in the water so they’re totally immersed, then brings them back up again.^{[5]
X
Research source} Methodists, however, accept sprinkling, pouring, and immersion as a sign of regeneration or new birth.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Baptists believe that total immersion aligns with New Testament baptism as carried out by John the Baptist.
- Methodists believe that the method of baptism doesn’t matter—what matters is that you were baptized in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit by an authorized person.
Advertisement
3
Methodists let all join communion and Baptists only allow Baptists. The Methodist church believes in “open communion,” which means that all baptized Christians of any age or denomination are welcome to join the Lord’s table.^{[7]
X
Research source} Meanwhile, Baptists typically restrict communion to only baptized Baptist church members.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Baptists practice “closed communion” because they believe that only people who are saved, properly baptized (immersed in water), and members of the local Baptist church can sit at the Lord’s table.^{[9]
  X
  Research source}
4
Methodists have a hierarchy while Baptists have independent churches. Each local Methodist church has a Church Council that works with the minister, but the entire denomination has groups of leaders who act and make decisions for all the churches.^{[10]
X
Research source} Meanwhile, every baptist congregation is self-governing and doesn’t have a hierarchy of bishops or priests.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- The umbrella organization for all Methodist churches is the World Methodist Council, which meets every 5 years in different locations around the world.
- In the U.K., most Baptist churches belong to the Baptist Union. This isn’t an authoritative organization, but instead, it’s a central resource that assists churches.
5
Methodist bishops assign pastors while Baptists choose pastors. Unlike Methodist churches, Baptist churches have no hierarchy of bishops or priests that exercise authority over members.^{[12]
X
Research source} Instead, church members meet to appoint ministers, elders, deacons, pastors, and other leaders.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- Methodists don’t have a central headquarters or a leader of the entire faith. Instead, leadership is divided between three powers that work together: the General Conference, the Council of Bishops, and the Judicial Council.^{[14]
  X
  Research source}
  - This means that each bishop is elected by the other clergy leaders.^{[15]
    X
    Research source}
6
Baptists believe salvation is only through faith and Methodists don’t. Baptists believe that you can be saved through faith in God’s grace and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.^{[16]
X
Research source} Methodists, on the other hand, believe that salvation is a lifelong process. Baptism, good works, church membership, and communion are all part of that process.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- Methodists don’t believe that God predestines some people to salvation and others to condemnation.^{[18]
  X
  Research source} Baptists tend to not take a stance on predestination.
- Baptists believe that baptism, church membership, communion, and good works are important, but are not necessary for salvation.

Section 2 of 7:

Similarities Between Methodists and Baptists

Download Article

1
Both affirm the Holy Trinity, Christ, and the resurrection. Like Baptists, Methodists believe there is one true God who reveals Himself as the Holy Trinity: the Father (God), the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.^{[19]
X
Research source} As Christian denominations, both also affirm belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- However, Baptists might disagree on whether the physical body of Jesus Christ or the spiritual body was resurrected (this divide is called the fundamentalist-modernist controversy).^{[20]
  X
  Research source}
  - Methodists tend to believe that this resurrection was spiritual, not physical.^{[21]
    X
    Research source}
2
Both denominations emphasize the authority of the Bible.^{[22]
X
Expert Source

Olivia Woodford
Holy Bible Expert

Expert Interview} As a branch of Christianity, Methodism accepts the final authority of the Scripture.^{[23]
X
Research source} Baptists are also “people of the Book” and emphasize the Bible as the only authority on faith and practice.^{[24]
X
Research source}
- In Baptist and Methodist churches, no other writings have equal authority with the Bible and no one person has the right of final interpretation.^{[25]
  X
  Research source}
Both denominations have a variety of worship practices, including singing, prayers, receiving tithes and offerings, and listening to Scripture readings.^{[26]
X
Expert Source

Olivia Woodford
Holy Bible Expert

Expert Interview} Both also hold Bible studies and prayer meetings.^{[27]
X
Research source}
4
Both denominations came from the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a religious revolution that happened in the 16th century, when the Church of England broke away from the Catholic church, creating other Christian branches in the process.^{[28]
X
Research source}
- The Baptist church was strongly inspired by Calvinism, which was created by John Calvin, a leading Protestant reformer.^{[29]
  X
  Research source}
- The founders of Methodism shared the spirit of Protestant reformers, and some of the Methodist movement came out of Calvinistic ideals.^{[30]
  X
  Research source}

Section 3 of 7:

Which came first, Methodists or Baptists?

Download Article

The Baptist movement probably started before Methodism. Most historians think that the first Baptist congregation appeared in 1609 in Holland, where the Church of England minister, John Smyth, scandalously baptized himself and other church members.^{[31]
X
Research source} Church of England minister John Wesley created Methodist clubs starting in 1839.^{[32]
X
Research source}
- Methodism was typically more popular in urban areas, while Baptism was most popular in the rural American South.^{[33]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  Pew Research Center
  Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends
  
  Go to source}

Section 4 of 7:

Can Methodists attend Baptist church, and vice versa?

Download Article

While their worship styles and some of their beliefs may be different, both denominations share core Christian beliefs. However, Methodists might not be able to participate in closed Baptist communions.^{[34]
X
Research source}

Section 5 of 7:

What are the 3 core beliefs of the Baptist church?

Download Article

Baptist churches emphasize the Bible, true believers, and independence. Baptism founder John Smyth and reformer Thomas Helwys joined a group of separatists in England in 1606 and came up with the 3 core beliefs that later shaped the Baptist church.^{[35]
X
Research source}
- The Bible, not church tradition, was the guide for faith and practice.
- The church should only be made up of believers, not everyone who was born in the local parish.
- The church should be governed by believers, not by hierarchical figures like bishops.

Section 6 of 7:

What are the “4 alls” of the Methodist church?

Download Article

Methodists believe that all can and need to be saved completely. Methodists tend to follow the Protestant branch of the Christian tree, and their core beliefs align with Orthodox Christianity. These 4 core beliefs are sometimes known as the “4 alls.”^{[36]
X
Research source}
- All need to be saved (doctrine of original sin).
- All can be saved (Universal Salvation).
- All can know they are saved (Assurance).
- All can be saved completely (Christian perfection).

Section 7 of 7:

Famous Baptists and Methodists

Download Article

1
Famous Baptists include John Leland and Martin Luther King Jr. Baptism started in England, but many believers fled persecution to the American colonies. Because of this, most notable Baptist church members are either from England or the U.S., especially the American south.^{[37]
X
Research source}
- Thomas Helwys, joint founder of Baptism.
- John Leland, American Baptist minister and abolitionist.
- John Gill, English Particular Baptist pastor.
- John Bunyan, Puritan preacher and author of The Pilgrim’s Progress.
- Charles Spurgeon, highly influential English Particular Baptist preacher.
- Lottie Moon, American missionary in China.
- Martin Luther King Jr., American minister, activist, and civil rights movement leader.
- Billy Graham, American Southern Baptist minister and civil rights advocate.
- Timothy George, American theologist, professor, and editor for Christianity Today.
2
Famous Methodists include Richard Allen and Albert Outler. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a missionary in the American colonies in the 1700s. Methodism spread rapidly in America and broke away from the Church of England in 1797, which is why most of these famous Methodists are from the U.S.^{[38]
X
Research source}
- John and Charles Wesley, English Methodist movement leaders.
- Richard Allen, American freedman and Methodist preacher.
- E. Stanley Jones, American Methodist theologian and missionary in India.
- Albert Outler, American Methodist historian, theologian, and pastor.
- Thomas Welch, British-American Methodist minister and creator of Welch’s grape juice.^{[39]
  X
  Research source}
- Thomas C. Oden, American Methodist theologian and author.
- Richard B. Hays, American New Testament scholar, professor, and Methodist minister.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

What is the Baptist church's stance on same-sex marriage?

Brian Mendoza

Community Answer

Many Baptist churches, including the Southern Baptist Convention, hold to a traditional understanding of marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman. However, a growing number of Baptist churches and denominations, such as the Alliance of Baptists, have adopted an affirming and inclusive understanding.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0