Eastern European Baptist History: New Perspectives, 2007

p of Christ helped the church to influence society. This period of Polish history (1918-1939) was characterised by the rapid growth of the Slavic Baptist movement, which separated from the German Baptist Church. This separation was justified because of the multicul- turalism of the Polish nation. Serious differences existed between Poles, Russians, Germans and other Slavic minorities living on Polish lands. To the Baptists, Christianity was not a matter of cultural heritage or ideology, but took a personal form. Each person had to believe in Christ. Ones life had to be changed. Three elements were emphasised when people became Baptists: personal witness, personal relationship with Christ, and personal discipleship. The Gospel became more than a story about Jesus and the apostles, but included a divine question to which each person needed to respond with faith. Many times this was a question about a believer's life- style and actions. Baptist worship was inseparable from their missionary zeal. Also, the Bible had a central role. People called the Baptists “people of the Bible’.’? The Word of God changed their lives and through them, it affected others.’ Another important characteristic of this growing church was a deep fellowship among believers. The churches fully practised the priesthood of all believers. All members were responsible for missions. All were allowed actively to participate in worship, and to pray aloud during services. People sang together, and the songs were deeply meaningful to them. Believers used their talents during the services in various ways. It was not a priest who conducted their services. It was not a priest who read the Bible, but all of them read and interpreted it. From this brotherhood, the Baptists gained strength to resist persecution and grow in the new independent land. The Baptist Church at that time can be characterised by a single word - “movement’."* '? Krzysztof Bednarczyk, Historia Zboréw Baptystéw w Polsce do 1939 roku (Warsaw: Mis- jodruk, 1997), p. 147. 'S Bednarczyk, Historia Zboréw Baptystéw, p. 147. : ' Interview with Konstanty Wiazowski, —— Seminarium Baptystyczne, Warsaw, 20 March 2002. 168 Separation and Unity in Worship: the German and Slavic Baptist Unions When the Great War ended, people returned to their native lands and began to rebuild their lives. Many had become Baptists during the depor- tation or while held captive. The war’s repercussions made people sensi- tive to the Gospel and their sins. The Gospel had a revolutionary impact, particularly in eastern Poland. New converts joined small Bible groups that met in homes. The idea soon arose for these groups to join the recently founded Asso- ciation of Slavic Baptists. This gave the new groups of Slavic believers unity and security about what they were doing in Poland. As they established churches, Slavic people no longer needed to attend German churches. Small groups of believers