An edited version of this article was published on Pneuma Review
In a time when division seems to define both our culture and even the church, it is worth asking a simple question: how wide is the divide between Baptists and Charismatics, really? The answer may surprise us.As we begin I will state the obvious: Both Baptists and Charismatics are very large and very diverse groups. Consequently it would be impossible to say anything that would be true of either group as a whole. Yet generally speaking, Baptists and Charismatics likely agree on 90 to 95 percent of doctrinal issues. At their best, both traditions are deeply committed to the authority of Scripture, the centrality of Jesus Christ, the urgency of the Gospel, and the call to holy living. On the core truths of the Christian faith, Baptists and Charismatics are not opponents we are allies. Pentecostal leader Jack Hayford once said:
Genuine spiritual fullness is bridge building. To be fully Pentecostal means being open to the fullness and breadth of the church. If you have a commitment to building the
kingdom of God, you have to be committed to the church beyond the sector you’re in.That insight cuts to the heart of the issue. If what we call spiritual maturity leads us into isolation, suspicion, or superiority, then something has gone wrong. True fullness of the Spirit should expand our vision of the church, not shrink it. ¹
The Real Divide
Yes, real differences do exist. The primary dividing line is not over salvation, the nature of Christ, or the authority of the Bible. It is over the ongoing role of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12-14. The Baptist Faith and Message states that “The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers so they can serve God through the church” but it does not elaborate what is meant by this. Since each Baptist congregation is autonomous, the understanding of spiritual gifts may vary significantly,. Many Baptists, particularly those influenced by cessationism, believe that certain supernatural gifts such as tongues, prophecy, and healing ceased in the early church. Charismatics, on the other hand, believe these gifts remain active today, just as described in Scripture. This disagreement is significant, but it is often overstated.
In practice, the lines are far more blurred than many assume. A rapidly growing number of active Baptists identify themselves as being charismatic, at least to some degree. Going back to 1986, it was reported that approximately 5% of Southern Baptist congregations identify themselves as charismatic at that time² Moving ahead to 2007, studies reported that over half of Southern Baptist pastors believe that tongues and other gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today.² In 2015, the Southern Baptist Convention lifted its long standing prohibition on missionaries who speak in tongues.³
Two Baptist Giants
Even the most famous Baptist of all, Billy Graham, has said that:
As we approach the end of the age I believe we will see a dramatic recurrence of signs and wonders, which will demonstrate the power of God to a skeptical world. ⁴
We see some surprising examples in the life of another famous Baptist. Charles Spurgeon. The “Prince of Preachers” was a staunch Calvinistic Baptist with no formal connection to charismatic theology. Yet accounts from his ministry include moments of remarkable spiritual insight resembling what many would call a “word of knowledge.” In his own autobiography, Spurgeon recounts interrupting a sermon to describe a man in the congregation as a shoemaker who had been working on Sundays, details the man later confirmed as true, leading to deep conviction. Spurgeon himself insisted he had no prior knowledge and could not explain how he came to say it, describing it simply as something that occurred unexpectedly in the moment.⁵ A second, widely circulated account tells of him confronting a man who had stolen a hat and urging him to return it, which reportedly led to repentance and restitution, though this incident is less clearly traceable to a primary source. Taken together, these accounts suggest that such moments of personal insight, whatever their precise explanation, did occasionally appear even in ministries outside explicitly charismatic traditions, and were consistently connected not to spectacle, but to conviction and transformation.
Christ Above Our Labels
Spurgeon further said, “I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist; but if I am asked what is my creed, I reply, ‘It is Jesus Christ.⁶” Similarly, I would say that I am, and make no apology for being, a Full Gospel Charismatic Christian. I speak in tongues. I lay hands on the sick and fully believe in the continuation of all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Yet if you ask what is my creed, I will also, without hesitation, say it is Jesus Christ. That perspective puts everything else in its proper place. When we elevate our distinctives above our shared foundation in Christ, we distort that vision. But when we recognize that the same Spirit is at work in different ways, we begin to see the beauty of the whole. When Charismatics lose sight of Christ, they risk drifting into excess and confusion. When Baptists lose sight of the experiential dimension of faith, they risk reducing Christianity to doctrine without life. Both dangers are real. Both require correction. And both are best addressed not in isolation, but in conversation.As with all Christian traditions, there is much we can learn from one another. Charismatics can benefit from the Baptist commitment to biblical clarity and theological discipline. Baptists can be enriched by the Charismatic emphasis on the active, present work of the Holy Spirit. The goal is not necessarily uniformity on every secondary issue. The goal is something greater: recognizing one another as members of the same body, pursuing the same Lord, and working toward the same mission.In the end, the question is not whether Baptists and Charismatics will agree on everything. That will likely not happen this side of Heaven. The question is whether we can recognize one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. If we can, then perhaps the divide is not as wide as we have imagined.
And in a divided world, that kind of unity may be one of the most powerful testimonies the church can offer.
A Final Word
Jesus Christ did not come merely to start a movement or define a denomination. He came to seek and to save the lost. He lived the life we could not live, died the death we deserved, and rose again so that we might be forgiven, restored, and brought into relationship with God. The Bible says that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.If you have never truly trusted Him, you can come to Him now, just as you are. Turn from your sin, place your faith in Christ, and receive the life He freely offers.
And if you do know Him, then let that same Gospel shape how you see other believers. The brother or sister you struggle to understand may be someone Christ has already received.
.Keep It Real,,
James
NOTES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Stafford, Tim. “Jack Hayford: The Pentecostal Gold Standard.” Christianity Today, July, 2005. P. 27
2. Cloud, David. Charismatic Southern Baptists. Way of Life Literature, Port Huron , MI. January 12, 2009.
3 Horton, Greg, and Yonat Shimron. “Southern Baptists to Open Their Ranks to Missionaries Who Speak in Tongues.” The Washington Post, 14 May 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/southern-baptists-to-open-their-ranks-to-missionaries-who-speak-in-tongues/2015/05/14/1fddd28a-fa7e-11e4-a47c-e56f4db884ed_story.html. Accessed 19 June 2026
4. Graham, Billy. The Holy Spirit: Activating God’s Power In Your Life. © 2000 (Reissue). Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN. Pp 217-218.
5. Spurgeon, Charles H. The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon. Vol. 2, edited by Susannah Spurgeon and Joseph Harrald, Passmore and Alabaster, 1898. The stolen hat incident, while widely circulated, is admittedly anecdotal.
6. Spurgeon, Charles H. “The First Sermon in the Tabernacle.” The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 7, Passmore & Alabaster, 1861.
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