James White (Baptist) In Debate With Bill Sisko (Presbyterian) Regrding Baptism


BAPTISM FOR BELIEVERS ONLY? (A Baptist vs. Presbyterian Debate)DATE & TIME: Thursday, Oct. 19, 7:30pm

PLACE: Full Gospel Christian Center(For DIRECTIONS ONLY call 631-928-6100)415 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station, Long Island, NY ADMISSION: FREE!!!

For more details call1-866-DEBATE-1

For centuries, Baptists and Presbyterians have shared in common nearly identical core doctrines and practices, which both have faithfully drawn from the same well of Holy Scripture. Particularly foundational to both traditions are the glorious truths of Free and Sovereign Grace, which both groups have guarded tenaciously and preached passionately, even when it cost them their very lives. In recent history, Baptists and Presbyterians have enjoyed an increasingly richer and deeper level of friendship and fellowship with one another. Today, seeing Baptists and Evangelical Presbyterians exchanging pulpits, co-authoring books and cooperating in evangelistic and scholastic efforts with one another is, thankfully, commonplace. There are, however, a few teachings and practices that always have and continue to separate these two Christian groups to this day, whose members have long labored side-by-side in Christ's vineyard. Chief among these differences involves the biblical ordinance of BAPTISM.


We cordially invite you to witness two friends and brothers in Christ, one a Baptist and one a Presbyterian, engage in a fraternal and collegial debate over the question of who are the proper candidates for SCRIPTURAL BAPTISM.

THE BAPTIST POSITION: "Baptism is ONLY for those who have personally repented & believed in Christ."


JAMES WHITE is the director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, a Christian apologetics organization based in Phoenix, Arizona, and is an elder of the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church. He is a professor, having taught Greek, Systematic Theology and various topics in the field of apologetics. He has authored more than twenty books, including The King James Only Controversy, The Roman Catholic Controversy, The Same Sex Controversy, The Forgotten Trinity, The Potter's Freedom, The God Who Justifies, Dangerous Airwaves: Harold Camping Refuted & Christ's Church Defended and the soon-to-be-published Pulpit Crimes: The Criminal Mishandling of God's Word. He is an accomplished debater, having engaged in more than fifty moderated, public debates with leading proponents of Roman Catholicism, Liberal Protestantism, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, Oneness Pentecostalism and Mormonism.

THE PRESBYTERIAN: "Baptism is NOT only for those who have personally repented & believed in Christ."


BILL SHISHKO has served as Pastor of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Franklin Square, NY, for over 25 years. During his time as pastor there the church has been blessed with significant numerical growth, and has overseen the formation of 2 mission churches (Mount Vernon & Bohemia, NY). He is also one of the instructors for the Ministerial Training Institute, OPC, and an Adjunct Faculty member of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Taylors, SC, where he teaches in the dept. of Applied Theology. He has written numerous articles for the OPC publications NEW HORIZONS and ORDAINED SERVANT, as well as magazines such as The Banner of Truth. His public ministries have taken him to such foreign mission fields as Suriname, Cyprus, Egypt, Uganda, China, Eritrea, and Wales, and his conference ministries have been carried out in a number of states in our own nation.


NOTE: For growth and a good debating experience as well as to be prepared for this debate in order to more fully grasp the information you will hear in the debate I suggest you read the following :

1. Baptist theology sites regarding Baptism (there are many)

2. The Baptism of our Sinless Savior at: http://christianthotsataglance.blogspot.com/2005/12/baptism-of-our-sinless-savior.html

3. Infant Baptism, Does the Bible Teach It at: http://christianthotsataglance.blogspot.com/2005/12/infant-baptism-does-bible-teach-it.html

4. Baptismal Exhortation at:
http://christianthotsataglance.blogspot.com/2005/11/baptismal-exhortation.html