General Association, but Ambraw withdrew in 1991 and Northern Indiana in 1992, each now independent associations. This division was precipitated by the General Association's adoption of an article which rejected premillennialism: "ARTICLE 12. We believe that, at Christ's coming in the clouds of Heaven, all Christians will be gathered with Him in the clouds and that time shall be no more, thus leaving no time for a literal one thousand year reign." Separate Baptist in Christ Ordinances Separate Baptists hold a standard orthodoxy in common with many other Baptists. They hold five ordinances, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, the anointing with oil and laying on hands for the sick,, right hand of fellowship, and feet washing. Separate Baptists hold many of these in common with Free Will Baptists, General Association of Baptists, Christian Baptist Church of God, Primitive Baptist, Pleasant Valley and Jasper Baptist Association, United Baptists, Union Baptists, Old Regular Baptists and many Independent Baptist Associations. Separate Baptists are Arminian in persuasion, believing "that he who endures to the end, the same shall be saved" rather than eternal security. Separate Baptist believe that a "saved" person can choose to turn from God to a life of sin. This is called "backsliding." The Separate Baptist believe a backslider must ask God for forgiveness of their sin. Separate Baptists hold this in common with Free Will Baptists, General Baptist, the General Six-Principle Baptists and some United Baptists. In 1999, the churches of the General Association numbered 80, with about 7500 members. The Ambraw and Northern Indiana Associations consist of approximately 1500 members in about 20 churches. This makes the total membership of all Separate Baptists about 9000 in 100 churches. International Separate Baptist in Christ Missions There also are some Separate Baptists in Christ in the Ahmednagar district of India. These churches are not in association with the General Association. In 1993 Separate Baptist Missions, Inc. began contributing to missionaries Lonnie Palmer and Steve Palmer in their work among the Koulango in Ivory Coast, Africa, and have since began supporting Bro Jerry Ridge in the same mission. Sources Minutes of the General Association and local associations Baptists Around the World, by Albert W. Wardin, Jr. Dictionary of Baptists in America, Bill J. Leonard, editor Handbook of Denominations, by Frank Mead, Samuel Hill & Craig D. Atwood External links General Association of Separate Baptists Home Page Separate Baptist Census from RCMS 2000] Religious