The Baptist Faith is a branch of Protestant Christianity that emphasizes the authority of the Bible and the importance of personal faith in Jesus Christ. Baptists believe in the practice of baptism by immersion, symbolizing the believer's identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. They hold that baptism should only be performed on individuals who have made a conscious decision to follow Jesus. Baptists also advocate for the autonomy of the local church, meaning each congregation governs itself independently. They emphasize the priesthood of all believers, which means that every Christian has direct access to God without the need for a mediator. This faith tradition values religious freedom and often engages in missionary work to spread their beliefs.