Baptist Convention of Haiti

The Baptist Convention of Haiti is a grouping of local Baptist churches from various missionary backgrounds, including the American Baptist Churches and the Southern Baptist Convention. It became an autonomous body in 1964. According to its statement of faith the Baptist Convention of Haiti believes in the holy scriptures as the sole authority in matters of faith, the Holy Trinity, the personal regeneration of the believer by the Holy Spirit, the purification from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ, the resurrection and imminent return of Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the dead. The member churches of the Convention practice the sacraments of baptism (believers' baptism by immersion) and holy communion. The Convention is organized according to the Baptist tradition. The highest governing body is the general assembly at which all the local churches are represented. The Convention has a university with a theological faculty, a conference centre, a hospital and an opthalmological clinic, two secondary schools and a youth centre. It is mostly concentrated in the northern part of Haiti.

Besides its membership in the Protestant Federation of Haiti, the Baptist Convention is also a member of the Council of Evangelical Churches of Haiti. It shares the conservative heritage of most of the churches of the Evangelical tradition in Haiti. It is involved in an intentional and on-going effort of formation and education to promote openness among its members and pastors. The first woman pastor was ordained in 1998.