What makes Baptists Baptist rather than Lutheran, Catholic, or Presbyterian?

they're a bit more Christ-like------in the same vein of Evangelism--

All words have a historical context. Baptists were first called Baptists by nonbaptists. Actually called Ana-baptists which means to baptize again because they did not believe in infant baptism. By the way Lutherans where called Lutherans first by non Lutherans etc. Presbyterian is Greek for ruled by a group of elders. Well only baptists ,of the groups you listed, do not practice covenantal/infant baptistism. I personally am not a baptist but my name is John. Haha John the Baptist get it.

There are hundreds of different (and very distinct) denominations of Baptists, so there's not a short summary of belief that applies to all of them across the board. You could go to the Southern Baptist's web page (SBC dot something, I think) and read their statement of faith, and have a pretty good idea of what the largest Baptist denomination believes. But that probably leaves out the little Baptist church down the street, not to mention hundreds of independent Baptist congregations.

Added: As the pastor above stated, one thing almost all of them have in common is full-immersion baptism.

They were raised by Baptist parents. They probably live in the South. Everybody here's basically Baptist. Whereas, in the Midwest I've seen mostly Catholic and Lutheran churches.

The big difference is that Catholic and Lutheran churches believe in infant baptism, whereas Baptists believe in baptism on confession of faith.

Baptists are all wet.

If you doubt me, just ask one what they had to do to become a Baptist.

And that really is the difference.

Baptists believe that baptism should only be done by immersion and only done after someone old enough to decide to become a Christian actually decides to convert to Christianity.

I know because I am a Baptist, but I was raised Lutheran and led to Jesus by a Presbyterian Seminary student who was also a penteocostal.

In addition, most Baptists are Evangelical as well.

"Baptist" includes a whole grouping of Protestant sects with **widely** varying beliefs. The few beliefs that they hold in common actually cause them to differ from each other even more! Here they are

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptist#Baptist_belie...

I think that the primary difference between Baptists and other Christian sects is the idea that adopting an individual (personal) bible interpretation is "essential".

Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

You mean what differentiates them from those other denominations? It's mostly a belief in adult, total immersion baptism. The others you mention practice infant baptism.

Its the dunkin' ! Big tank- wearing a white robe - with clothes underneath of course! total immersion, soaking wet. A friend of mine did it and there was a microphone afterwards so the baptized could give their testimony - he could feel the current sizzling at his feet and was almost electrocuted

I am an Independent Fundamental Baptist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Fundament...

That is the easiest way to tell you what that means.

Religion is strongly effected by social changes over time, but all these different sects of Christianity are trying to justify "there is only one way" and "unchanging word of god" with a world of change.

They believe that baptism should be restricted to believing adults, which the other three don't.