"B" is for Baptist

The Amsterdam 400 conference started today with a some flair! After yesterday helping set up the EBF headquarters in preparation for the meetings today. A conference like this is unique as I have discovered and I found myself tearful and moved as the stories of the early Baptist believers faces such terrible persecution as they stood for the beliefs that they held which paves the way for for 1 million Baptists believers today. We take freedom for granted. We have at least 4 (and there are more) countries that are facing religious persecution in the EBF family nations. Tomorrow we will visit the historic location that was once a bakery that housed the first religious refugees that were considered the first Baptists to meet. Speakers on a range of topics will encourage us and enlighten us. I think we in North America have lost the sense of importance of what it means to be "baptist". Here in Europe sometimes the lable or identity as being Baptist helps distiguish one from the dominant state church or oppressive governments. In a post denominational age its easy for people to dismiss being of one particular denominational stripe like its a sin or shameful or something. Yet, here to be Baptist is like the days of old gives people a voice to say that they want to stand out from the accepted norms from people or nations that are not sympathetic to evangelical believers.