What does the description of an “Independent Fundamental Baptist” Church
mean?
Firstly, I agree with Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) that there's no such thing as “The Baptist Church.” The Body of Christ is composed of believers from Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist and numerous other Christian denominations. In fact, most Christian believers AREN'T part of any denomination.
Billy Sunday was a mighty Presbyterian minister in his time. J. Vernon McGee also was a faithful man of God within the Presbyterian denomination and a great Bible scholar during his lifetime. Thank God for these great men.
Also, within the Methodist denomination are many faithful Christians today who love the Lord and are serving Christ.
Howbeit, I am an Independent
Fundamental Baptist. I am first and foremost a born-again believer, but I
believe that the Baptists, particularly Independent Fundamental Baptists,
come closest to following the Scriptures in their churches. Look at the
churches today who are winning the most souls to Christ and baptizing the
most converts—Independent Fundamental Baptists. What do these terms mean?
INDEPENDENT
This simply means that the church
stands alone, free of any governing denomination, convention or council. A
prime example of the dangers of belonging to a convention is seen in the
apostate Southern Baptist Convention. Thousands of Southern Baptist
Churches didn't baptize a single convert last year. Many such churches have
adopted a false gospel of Lordship Salvation. After an 8-year ban against
Walt Disney's hideous “Gay Day,” leaders at the Southern Baptist
Convention gave in to pressure from member churches to lift the ban, so
their members could attend Disney World. This is where Christianity is at in
America today, and it's a sad commentary.
The church which Jesus Christ founded in His earthly life and ministry is commonly referred to as the “New Testament Church.” The Book of Acts gives us an example to follow concerning how to run the church today. They were a soulwinning church, doing public visitation (Acts 20:20). There was no convention to pay dues to, or answer to, or to rely upon for spiritual guidance while making crucial decisions. I'd be embarrassed if I were a pastor who needed approval from a convention on the workings of my ministry. Phooey on governing bodies! Every church ought to be independent, answering to God alone, hopefully pastored by a genuine man of God who walks with God.
In the purest sense of being independent, each Christian stands alone for Christ in this world. God wasn't seeking a group nor a team in Ezekiel 22:30; but rather, one man, an individual. Ezekiel 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” God always raises up one man, and then that man inspires a group to do great things for God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Zechariah 4:6, “Then he
answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto
Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith
the LORD of hosts.” It's not the sermon that gets the job done, it's
the depending on God. It's none of my business what I preach. It's God's
business what He lays upon my heart to preach! No pulpit committee is going
to tell me what I can or can't preach. Shame on any preacher who bows to a
pulpit committee. Pulpit committees are unbiblical. I stand alone as an
individual Christian for God—being independent, unique and refusing to
conform to accepted culture and traditions. We all need to be like John the
Baptist, who wasn't concerned with the latest fashions, trends nor political
correctness. What saith the Scripture? (Romans 4:3).
FUNDAMENTAL
This simply means that the church
abides by the Fundamental teachings of Christianity, i.e., the Doctrine of
Christ . . . “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath
both the Father and the Son” (2nd John 1:9). This includes the Deity of
Christ, the Godhead (Trinity), the Virgin Birth, the Physical Blood
Sacrifice of Jesus, His Sinless life, Christ's Death upon the cross, His
Burial and Bodily Resurrection, Salvation by grace through faith Without
Works, a Hell that burns with fire, a Literal Heaven, the Eternal Punishment
of the Damned and other fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.
“Fundamental” means avoided new and strange doctrines that are foreign to the Historical Christian faith. Many authors today are claiming new insights into the Scriptures, the alleged discovery of missing books of the Bible, and other bogus claims against the Christian faith. A prime example is the blasphemous DaVinci Code which portrays Jesus Christ as a failure who had an adulterous relationship with Mary Magdalene. Other frauds are the Gospel of Judas and the Book of Enoch. Benny Hinn teaches strange doctrines. One such teaching of Hinn's is that each member of the Godhead is subdivided into three more persons, totaling NINE. These are weird and unscriptural doctrines.
By attending an Independent
Fundamental Baptist Church, you're not likely to hear strange new doctrines;
but rather, the fundamental teachings of the Word of God.
BAPTIST
As mentioned earlier, there is NO such thing as “The Baptist Church”; however, I am personally convinced that Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches—who use only the King James Bible—and go door-to-door soulwinning regularly—and the pastor preaches against sin—and the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word are uplifted—come closest to the New Testament Church as taught in the Scriptures.
BAPTIST DISTINCTIVES (by Dr. Harold Sightler, 1914-1995)
The Baptist Church
By David J. Stewart
I
recently heard a preacher criticize other preachers who are overzealous of
the Baptist denomination. The man is sincere and I respect his opinions. He
is simply saying that being a Christian is the most important thing and we
ought not shun genuine Christian brothers and sisters from other
denominations (or no denomination). There are some good Christians within
the Presbyterian, Methodist and certain other groups.
Granted, we know that most denominations are of the Devil; such as Roman Catholicism, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Churches of Christ, Lutherans and Seventh Day Adventism. I call them religious deformations!!! Jesus never founded any particular denomination.
Acts 7:38 speaks of “the church in the wilderness...” The first Christian family was the first church.
I don't believe that the New Testament church began at Pentecost. Acts 2:47 says that the thousands of people saved were “added” to the church. You can't “add” to something unless it already exists.
The Body of Christ is not the Church. All born-again believers are members of the Body of Christ, which will assemble for the first time at the Rapture when Christ returns for His own. Until then the Bible teaches that where two or more are gathered in Jesus' name, He is in the midst (a church, ekklesia, “a calling out, a popular meeting”). There is no “universal church,” which is what the word “Catholic” means. Instead, the Bible teaches local New Testament churches all around the world.
May I say, I am proud to be an independent fundamental Baptist.
“Independent” simply means that I stand alone and am not a member of some apostate convention. Groups never serve God, individuals do (and then they lead a group). Every Christian should stand alone for God, instead of following a group pf men who may lead you away from God.
“Fundamental” simply means that I take the Bible literally, every Word, and I believe the fundamentals of the Christian faith (which include the virgin birth, sinless life of Christ, Jesus' deity, the Godhead, Jesus' death, burial and bodily resurrection, Christ's literal return at the Rapture and Second Coming, and so forth). I also believe in a Pretribulation Rapture as taught in the Bible.
Having said that, whether we like it or not, people are caught up into denominations. Even when people say they are not in a denomination, I can quickly identify their beliefs with a mainstream religious denomination. Although I am first and foremost a born-again Christian and child of God, I don't hesitate to tell people that I am a Baptist, because that gives them a direction to pursue if they decide to join a church. Despite the apostasy in our churches these days, and the sad fact that few Baptist churches are considered good, Baptist churches are still 1,000 times safer than Roman Catholic or Lutheran churches. I believe that there are still some godly Christians attending Presbyterian, Methodist, Salvation Army, Non-Denominational and other churches today. I don't think that a person has to be a Baptist to get to Heaven, nor do I think that only Baptists are right with God. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be caught dead in some Baptist churches.
That being said, I tell new converts that I lead to the Lord that I recommend a Baptist church if they can find one. The reason why is because most Baptists adhere to the Biblical tenets of the Christian faith, that is, the Doctrine of Christ.
I sat next to a man on a jet airplane in 2010 while going for surgery. The man said he was non-denominational. He was reading from a New King James Bible. He seemed nice at first—clean-cut, well-mannered, wearing men's cologne, professional looking. I found out that he had retired from being a commercial jet pilot for 20-years. As we began to share views concerning salvation, at first we agreed for the first few moments. However, he then said that he believed a person could lose salvation, that speaking-in-tongues was evidence of being filled with the Spirit, and he had witnessed healing services in remote places in Mexico. I knew immediately that he was a follower of the Charismatic movement. He said his pastor is a Korean woman in Colorado, who receives prophetic visions from God. This is VERY different than any church I've ever been a member of, nor would I join such a cult.
The Authority of any church ought to be the Holy Bible. When men are in charge, you have a cult.
Also, I am leery of the idea of an internet church. Although Christian websites can be excellent resources and tools to help start home-based local churches worldwide, nothing can substitute for a local New Testament church. Here is an excellent book titled, THE CHURCH by Dr. Jack Hyles...
THE CHURCH AS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST (by
Dr. Jack Hyles,
1926-2001)
THE SUBSTITUTES FOR THE CHURCH (by Dr. Jack Hyles, 1926-2001)
CHRIST AND HIS COWORKERS (by Dr. Curtis Hutson, 1934-1995)
The Authority Of The New Testament Church Is The Word Of God
The King James Bible Is Inspired! | Words Of Life | You're Fired!
