A Baptist tradition that emphasizes God's grace is freely available to all and that believers can freely choose — and freely fall from — salvation.
Free Will Baptists trace their American roots to the late 18th century, when Paul Palmer organized the first Free Will Baptist church in Chowan County, North Carolina, in 1727 — making North Carolina the birthplace of the American Free Will Baptist movement. The tradition takes its name from its core theological conviction: that God's grace is freely offered to all people (not just a predestined elect), and that individuals have genuine free will to accept or reject that grace. Crucially, Free Will Baptists also believe that a saved person can choose to fall away from salvation — a position that distinguishes them from both Calvinist Baptists and many other evangelical traditions.
The National Association of Free Will Baptists (NAFWB), founded in 1935, is the primary national body for the tradition. In North Carolina, the North Carolina State Convention of Free Will Baptists maintains an active network of churches. Free Will Baptist churches in Fayetteville reflect the tradition's working-class roots and its emphasis on personal holiness, evangelism, and congregational community.
Free Will Baptists are distinguished from Calvinist/Reformed Baptists and Southern Baptists by their Arminian theology — particularly their belief in the possibility of apostasy (falling from grace). They share believer's baptism and congregational governance with other Baptist traditions but hold a distinct position on the security of salvation.
Traditional and earnest, often featuring hymns, expository preaching, and altar calls. Services tend to be straightforward and community-oriented, with an emphasis on personal conversion and holy living.
Chowan County, North Carolina, 1727, by Paul Palmer.
Being the oldest Baptist tradition with roots in North Carolina, and for their strong emphasis on evangelism and personal holiness.