In the early 1830’s there was a major division in the Baptist family. Those who continued to hold to original Baptist doctrine and practice came to be known as "Primitive Baptists". At that time, the word "primitive" was commonly understood to mean "first of a kind" or "original". Most of today's Missionary or Southern Baptist Churches, constituted prior to the 1830's, were founded upon the same doctrines that Primitive Baptists continue to believe today. The Primitive Baptists are not a denomination. In other words, each individual church is independently governed by the members of the local congregation. We retain the name for the purpose of solidarity so that our congregations may identify themselves with other congregations who believe the original Baptist doctrines. To learn more about the differences between the Primitive and other Baptists, see What We Believe.