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25-753: California Christian College ( CCC ) is a private Free Will Baptist Bible college in Fresno, California . This is one of several higher learning institutions associated with the Free Will Baptists. It was founded in 1955 by 48 Free Will Baptist Churches who perceived a need for trained pastors in the western part of the United States. The first classes were held in the First Free Will Baptist church of Richmond, California . The college then relocated to 4 acres (16,000 m) on

50-592: A Quarterly Meeting . In 1792 a Yearly Meeting was organized. The "Randall" line itself split into two groups in 1835: The Bullockites, mostly under the name "Freewill Baptists", continued in Maine into the early 20th century, while the Buzzellites disappeared shortly after their founding. In 1841, Randall's Free Will Baptists merged with a similar group, the Free Communion Baptists, to form

75-571: A new campus. CCC offers both associate's and bachelor's degrees, ranging from liberal studies to Christian ministry. CCC is owned and operated by the California State Association of Free Will Baptists. The president functions as the administrative officer of the college under the direction of the Board of Trustees. The college's library contains resources with volumes printed from the 1800s to present. Students are from all over

100-578: A prominent General Baptist theologian and writer, and had signed the 1663 edition of the General Baptists' Standard Confession of Faith. The earliest Free Will Baptists in America developed from English General Baptists in Carolina, who were dubbed "Freewillers" by their enemies and later assumed the name. Two distinct branches of Free Will Baptists developed in America. The first and earliest

125-824: A request for help to the General Baptist Association in England. Though no help was forthcoming, Paul Palmer , whose wife Johanna was the stepdaughter of Benjamin Laker, would labor among these people 25 years later, founding the first "Free Will" Baptist church in Chowan, North Carolina in 1727. Palmer organized at least three churches in North Carolina. His labors, though important, were short. Leadership would descend to Joseph Parker, William Parker, Josiah Hart, William Sojourner and others. Joseph Parker

150-532: Is not of someone sinning occasionally and thus accidentally ending up "not saved," but instead of someone "repudiating" his or her faith in Christ. Thus " once saved, always saved " is rejected by the denomination. On Perseverance of the Saints from the official Treatise: "There are strong grounds to hope that the truly regenerate will persevere unto the end, and be saved, through the power of divine grace which

175-505: Is pledged for their support; but their future obedience and final salvation are neither determined nor certain, since through infirmity and manifold temptations they are in danger of falling; and they ought, therefore, to watch and pray lest they make shipwreck of their faith and be lost." Free Will Baptists observe at least three ordinances: baptism , the Lord's Supper , and the Washing of

200-624: Is the condition for salvation; hence, Free Will Baptists hold to conditional security . An individual is " saved by faith and kept by faith." In support of this concept, some Free Will Baptists refer to the Greek word translated "believeth" found in John 3:16 in the King James translation. This is a continuous action verb and can thus be read, "that whosoever believes and continues to believe shall not perish, but have everlasting life." The concept

225-612: Is the largest of the Free Will Baptist groups. Other major Free Will Baptist groups include: Paul Palmer (minister) Paul Palmer (died 1747) was the founder of several Baptist churches that became affiliated with the General Baptists . Palmer started several early Baptist churches in North Carolina , including the first known Baptist church in the state. He was an Arminian baptist and founder of

250-573: The Church of England , followed Brownist notions of self-governance of local churches . The notion of free will was a systematic rejection of the Puritan movement , due to its overall religious beliefs and lack of social mobility. Free Will Baptists can be traced to General Baptists from England who settled in the American colonies in the late 17th century. The first Baptists, who originated with

275-806: The 19th century. While the movement in the South was struggling, a new movement rose in the North through the work of Benjamin Randall (1749–1808). Randall initially united with the Particular Baptists in 1776, but broke with them in 1779 due to their strict views on predestination . In 1780, Randall formed a "Free" or "Freewill" (Randall would combine the words "free" and "will" into a single word) Baptist church in New Durham, New Hampshire . By 1782 twelve churches had been founded, and they organized

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300-820: The Free Baptists. The "Randall" line of Freewill Baptists grew quickly. However, in 1911, the majority of the Randall Line churches (and all the denominational property) merged with the Northern Baptist Convention . Those churches that did not merge and remained Freewill Baptist joined with other Free Will Baptists in the Southwest and Midwest to organize the Cooperative General Association of Free Will Baptists in 1916. Fraternal relations had existed between

325-578: The Free Will Baptist Church of Chowan . Many Calvinists became Free Will Baptists in the 19th century. With the establishment of Free Will Baptists in the South, Benjamin Randall developed the movement in the Northeastern United States , specifically Maine , Massachusetts , and New Hampshire . From their beginning, Free Will Baptists, in common with many groups of English Dissenters and Separatists from

350-572: The General Baptist persuasion. By the end of the 18th century, these churches were commonly referred to as "Free Will Baptist", and this would later be referred to as the "Palmer line of Free Will Baptists". The churches in the Palmer line organized various associations and conferences, and finally organized a General Conference in 1921. Many Baptists from Calvinistic Baptist backgrounds, primarily Separate Baptists , became Free Will Baptists in

375-700: The General Baptists, and was actively engaged in the work of the ministry for many years in this State, traveling over a large portion of Eastern Carolina, winning converts wherever he went. While in Maryland, Palmer served the First Baptist Church in Baltimore County . Around 1727, Palmer founded North Carolina's first Baptist church at Perquimans (present day Shiloh ) in Camden County . Palmer and his wife Joanna were indicted by

400-892: The Northern and Southern Free Will Baptists, but the question of slavery , and later the Civil War , prevented any formal union until the 20th century. On November 5, 1935, representatives of the General Conference (Palmer) and the Cooperative General Association (a mixture of Randall and Palmer elements west of the Mississippi) met in Nashville, Tennessee , to unite and organize the National Association of Free Will Baptists . The majority of Free Will Baptist churches organized under this umbrella, which remains

425-527: The Saints' Feet , a rite occurring among some other evangelical groups but not practiced by the majority of Baptist denominations. Free Will Baptist congregations hold differing views on eschatology , with some holding premillennial and others amillennial views. Churches advocate (voluntary) tithing , totally abstaining from alcoholic beverages , and not working on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath . The National Association of Free Will Baptists

450-454: The corner of University and Winery. Since its founding, the college has operated continuously except for years 1985–86, when the governing board re-evaluated the college's needs and mission. In 2015, Cal Christian College moved to a temporary location at 5364 E. Belmont Avenue, the campus of Harmony Freewill Baptist Church in Fresno, as the board and administration prepare to begin construction on

475-457: The largest of the Free Will Baptist groups to this day. Free Will Baptist congregations believe the Bible is the very word of God and without error in all that it affirms. Free Will Baptist doctrine teaches that God desires salvation for all and sent Jesus to die for everyone. Still, Free Will Baptists believe God has given man the freedom of choice to accept or reject Christ's sacrifice. Faith

500-480: The ministry of Thomas Helwys near London in 1611, were General Baptists. That is, they believed that the atonement of Jesus Christ was "general" (for all) rather than "particular" (only for the elect). It shares a common history, name, and an acceptance of the Arminian doctrine . Benjamin Laker was an English Baptist who arrived in colonial Carolina as early as 1685. Laker had been associated with Thomas Grantham ,

525-489: The movement Free Will Baptist with Benjamin Randall . His home church was Delaware's Welsh Tract Baptist Church , which was Calvinist . Palmer's wife Joanna was the stepdaughter of Benjamin Laker, who emigrated to the Carolinas in the 1680s from England where he had been an associate of English General Baptist theologian Thomas Grantham , a signer of the 1663 General Baptists' Standard Confession of Faith. Grantham

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550-566: The world, with many denominational backgrounds. Cal Christian is accredited by Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), is a member of the National Association of Christian College Admissions Personnel (NACCAP), and endorses the Principles of Good Practice approved by NACCAP. Free Will Baptist In 1702, Paul Palmer would go on to establish the movement in North Carolina and in 1727 formed

575-642: Was part of the organization of the Chowan church and ministered among the Carolina churches for over 60 years. From one church in 1727, they grew to over 20 churches by 1755. After 1755, missionary labors conducted by the Philadelphia Baptist Association converted most of these churches to the Particular Baptist positions of unconditional election and limited atonement. By 1770, only four churches and four ministers remained of

600-463: Was the General Baptist movement described above, known as the Palmer movement in North Carolina, from which the majority of modern-day Free Will Baptists have their origin. The later movement was the Randall movement, which arose in the late 18th century in New Hampshire. These two groups developed independently of each other. In 1702, a disorganized group of General Baptists in Carolina wrote

625-603: Was the chief apologist and theologian of the General Baptists in the later seventeenth century. He was both anti-predestinarian and orthodox all his days. According to Elder John T. Albritton: [Palmer] was said to have been a native of Maryland , was baptized in Delaware , and ordained in Connecticut . He was some time in New Jersey , and removed thence to Maryland, and thence to Perquimans County, N. C. He belonged to

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