Synopsis: The methods of Charles Grandison Finney are well-documented. How his methods infiltrated Baptist churches is less-well known. In the 1830s and 40s, itinerant Baptist pastor Jacob Knapp adopted Finney’s methods and travelled extensively spreading his revivalist methods among the Baptists. What emerged was “Finney with a Twist”—an amalgamation of Finney-ism specifically modified to the Baptist context. To Finney’s protracted meetings, anxious bench, and anxious room, Knapp added two features that continue as standard-bearers of revivalism in Baptist churches today: spontaneous baptisms and child baptisms. Each of these innovations constituted a departure from Baptist norms and charted a course that continues to influence Baptist life today.
INTRODUCTION
Spontaneous baptisms have been all the rage in the SBC during the past decade. Since Elevation Church made headlines for baptizing people on the spot, the practice has had its share of supporters as well as detractors.[1] Today, many prominent SBC voices and churches commend the practice, some even arguing that it’s the key to reversing declining baptismal statistics and to foment revivals in our churches.[2] As baptisms have become more spontaneous, their subjects have grown younger and younger. At the Southern Baptist Convention in 2021, then-SBC Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd called
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