American Baptist Association (ABA) is an international organization of self-governing Baptist churches. Members work together in charitable, educational, evangelical, and missionary activities worldwide. The ABA includes congregations in many countries. Local churches sponsor a number of seminaries and support missionary work in many parts of the world.
ABA members believe in member churches’ equality and independence. They do not accept baptism by non-Baptist churches or take part in shared services with other denominations. They believe in a direct line of Baptist churches from the time of Jesus Christ to the present. Their social positions generally are conservative.
The ABA originated in the southern United States with the Landmark movement of the 1850’s. This movement stressed the role of individual congregations. In 1924, two Landmark associations joined to form the ABA. The group has offices and a publishing house in Texarkana, Texas.
