If you're looking for the distinctives of Baptistic believers you will find all the explanation for beliefs, practices, and structure in Scripture. They model the Apostolic era churches and the churches that existed in the first half of the second century.
They don’t just appear fully formed.
This opinion may be rooted in the search for a man made construct with a hierarchy. Baptist churches have always been decentralized.
Yes, unfortunately everyone thinks that their beliefs are grounded in Scripture.
This opinion may be rooted in the search for a man made construct with a hierarchy. Baptist churches have always been decentralized.
I'm searching for a hierarchy? Is that your opinion? :) Look, Baptist churches are decentralized yes. But they are not isolationist. Baptists do talk to one another. They are influenced by thoughts and theories and theology. Perhaps not as much as hierarchical churches, where new procedures can be imposed, but they are influenced. Zwingli did not develop theology instantaneously. No one does. Are you saying that the beliefs and practices of Baptist churches have not changed at all in the four hundred years or so of their existence?