All Christian churches together are part of the worldwide body of Christ. No church can claim to be the only one that saves.
On the one hand, we as Baptists suffer from the separation of Christian churches. On the other hand, separate churches also leave room for the diversity of Christian traditions. Together as diverse churches we are able to reach different people with different needs. Our reconciled diversity also reflects something of the colourful grace of God, which is already evident in the New Testament, in the diversity of the early churches.
With all Christian denominations we share the conviction that Jesus Christ is the center and the Bible the basis of our faith. One way this is expressed is in the fact that we confess the Apostles’ Creed in common with all Christians.
Our commonality finds concrete expression in our cooperation in the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Austria, in the Evangelical Alliance, in the Roundtable for Reconciliation and in the Working Group of Evangelical Churches in Austria. It is perhaps worth noting that we as a small free church are the only denomination that is represented in all four areas. We know that we can and must learn from each other.
Internationally we are part of the worldwide Baptist family of the Baptist World Alliance.
We are critical of the fact that churches often give answers to questions that people don’t have (anymore). So it is important to us to ask: Does God reach people through our actions? Despite our mistakes, do we reflect the character of the God who reconciled the world to Godself? Are we helping people in Austria to encounter God? As a Church, we want to be there for people unconditionally because God’s love is unconditional.
