Perhaps the most well-known Independent Fundamentalist Baptists today are the Duggars, the quiverfull family made famous by the reality show19 Kids and Counting. I surrendered to preach, and was called to the Lord's ministry as a result of growing up in an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist. Many say baptism is required for salvation and I have been pushed to do so. You brought the goods to the table. You loved when the cost of that love was to negate the best parts of yourself. - Truth and Song I recently read an article essentially asking this same question, What's Wrong With the Independent Fundamental Baptists? Where you write the rules. May 27, 2011 -- Ernest Willis, a New Hampshire man accused of raping and fathering a child with a 15-year-old girl . However there has been quite a problem with some fundamental Baptists. Copyright 2023 The Life and Times of Bruce Gerencser Powered by Flywheel, Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Lingo, A Guide to IFB-Speak, Black Collar Crime: Pastor Eddy Noelsaint Accused of Rape, Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Youth Pastor Josh Henley Sentenced to Forty-Five Years in Prison for Sex Crimes Against Children, Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Student Ministry Leader Vernon Willis Accused of Inappropriately Touching Church Girls, Evangelicals are an Existential Threat to the United States, Some Atheists Think I was Stupid for not Deconverting Sooner, Black Collar Crime: Catholic School Teacher Verity Beck Accused of Murdering Her Parents, Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Evangelist Chris Brooks Accused of Assaulting His Wife, Why I Write The Black Collar Crime Series and Will Continue to Do So Despite Criticism from Evangelicals, Dr. David Tee Thinks Everyone Who is Not a Christian is an Atheist, Bruce, I Pray You Will Have Your Eyes Opened and the Truth will Guide You, Dont Dress Like a Whore if You Dont Want to Get Sexually Assaulted Says Lori Alexander, Thou shalt obey all adults at all times if you are a child or teenager, Thou shalt obey your husband at all times if you are a woman, Thou shalt obey your parents at all times, Thou shalt obey the police and government unless the pastor says it is a sin against God to do so, Thou shalt give a faith promise missionary offering, Thou give an offering any time the pastor says God is saying to collect a special offering, Thou shalt attend church every time the doors are open, Thou shalt pray for every meal, but ice cream at Dairy Queen after church requires no prayer, Thou shalt only use the King James Bible 1611 edition which is really the 1769 revision, Thou shalt only use the Scofield King James Bible, Thou shalt not have long hair (over your ears, collar) if you are a man, Thou shalt not have a block cut hairstyle if you are a man, Thou shalt not have facial hair if you are a man, but if you are a woman you can have facial hair, Thou shalt not have tattoos unless you have prison tats from your life before Christ, Thou shalt not take the hem out of your Levi jeans or alter your clothing in any way so that you look worldly, Thou shalt not wear pants (britches) if you are a woman, Thou shalt not wear shorts, but a woman can wear Baptist shorts also known as culottes, Thou shalt not expose any flesh if you are a woman, especially your thighs, breasts, or back, Thou shalt only wear dresses with hemlines below the knees if you are a woman, Thou shalt not have any physical contact with the opposite sex if you are unmarried, Thou shalt not have more than one hole in each ear if you are a woman, Thou shalt not pierce any body part except your ear, and then only if you are a woman, Thou shalt not watch TV, but if you are a carnal Christian and must watch TV thou shalt only watch, Thou shalt not go to the movie theater, but using streaming services is okay, Thou shalt always have tracts in your shirt pocket or purse, ready to evangelize at a moments notice, Thou shalt drive a car with church advertising stickers, IFB cliches, or Bible verses attached to the bumper, Thou shalt park down the street when visiting the local strip club or whore house lest the pastor know you are there and stay away, Thou shalt not listen to secular music, especially rock music, which is from the pit of hell, Thou shalt not listen to contemporary Christian music (CCM), Thou shalt not drink fermented alcohol after all, Jesus drank Welchs grape juice, Thou shalt not cuss, but saying darn, shoot, crap, freaking, and fudge are okay, Thou shalt not date non-Independent Baptist girls or boys, Thou shalt not have any non-Independent Baptist friends, Thou shalt home school your children or send them to a Christian school, Thou shalt only read pastor-approved Christian books, Thou shalt only believe what the pastor says you are to believe, Thou shalt say you have victory over sin, even if you are lying, Thou shalt adhere to the perception is reality rule, Thou shalt send your kids to the same Christian college the pastor went to, Thou shalt leave the church if you commit adultery, get a divorce, or get pregnant outside of marriage, Thou shalt believe everything the pastor says even when you are certain he is lying, speaking evangelistically, or embellishing his illustrations, Thou shalt wear a bra if you are a woman, and it can only be a white, underwire bra, Thou shalt not mix bathe (Baptist for swimming with the opposite sex), Thou shalt not go to amusement parks unless the youth group is going, Thou shalt not show emotion unless praising Jesus from 10:00 am to noon on Sunday or giving a testimony during Sunday evening service, Thou shalt say AMEN during at the appropriate time during the pastors sermon, especially when he shouts, pounds the pulpit, or performs gymnastics, Thou shalt not be angry even though the pastor is allowed to be angry, but thats because his anger is righteous anger, Thou shalt be for what the pastor is for and against what the pastor is against, because if you dont, a bear might come out of the woods and eat you, Thou shalt ignore any science that contradicts the Bible, Thou shalt never try to fix your own problems because the pastor is the official fixer of all problems, Thou shalt takes notes on the sermon even if the rabbit wanders five miles off the trail or the sermon is incoherent, Thou shalt always tell the pastor what a wonderful sermon he preached, even when you have no idea what he was talking about, Thou shalt always tell Sister Bertha what a wonderful job she did with her off-key rendition of, Thou shalt not use canned (taped) music for music specials. Jackson filed a police report. Both times, people knew about his would-be abusers behavior and did nothing to stop it. Much of what we think of as the religious right would fall into that murky space in between old-school fundamentalism and the mainstream evangelicalism of Billy Graham et. However, many of these churches have affiliations through theological colleges or pastoral friendships. We were, I suppose, fundamentalist with evangelical highlights. At least three other teen girls would accuse Hyles of sexual misconduct, but he never faced charges or even sat for a police interview related to the accusations. Thou shalt leave tracts in various and sundry places: the aisles of Walmart, in library books, at the doctors office, so that all may know the Good News of the Gospel. Thus the words "Independent" and "Fundamental . Then Hyles would yell from the pulpit that If the barn needed paintingand the men would hoopla with their Bibles waving in the air. Your word is final. But Black Baptists reject the MAGA revolution that has taken the GOP, and the SBC, by storm. 4.) And because of your trusting love for them, you let them. Can same-sex couples be married in your church? I grew up with kids who were in churches like that one. Look at homosexuality within the priesthood. They didn't sink deep enough. But if you think most of the people in your church would do that, or stand by those who did, your optimism is unwarranted. You are a lying snake and lost as Hogan's goat." Pastor Tom Cassidy, First Baptist Church, Spring Valley, CA What does the description of an "Independent Fundamental Baptist" Church mean? If the crying turns to a true, wounded, submissive whimper, you have conquered; he has submitted his will. Henry, John Harold Ockenga and others sought to separate themselves from the label fundamentalist and seek out a more irenic, culturally-engaged version of conservative Protestantism, some descendants of the original fundamentalist movement of the 1920s were not very happy about it. Even though its hard to get much farther on the theological spectrum from Catholicism than an independent fundamental Baptist church, this is exactly what happened in the Catholic Church. Single. It wasnt long before I traveled the road to liberal Christian to agnostic atheist. The church I grew up in dwelt somewhere in that space. 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. These other distinctions, distinctives and emphases all serve, in varying degrees, as proxies for that.). I thank God for that newspaper and what it has done for His children. Most of those victims dont live in Fort Worth. (The mind of an 18 year old girl that had been sort of bad with many boys in high school, shame on me) IFB takes the "I" in its title extremely seriously; they are nothing if not independent. A veteran of three decades of magazine and newspaper journalism, hehas also written three New York Times bestsellersLive Not By Lies, The Benedict Option, andThe Little Way of Ruthie Lemingas well asCrunchy ConsandHow Dante Can Save Your Life. As I once told a liberal congregation, the IFB church I grew up in had an eleventh commandment in their Bibles, Thou shalt not [fill in the blank]. Sarcasm, yes, however, I swear they half the time they invented it as they went along. This is 100% the independent Baptist school I attended. Jesus gave us the command to preach the Gospel and also to baptize those who have believed on Jesus. Brightseat Rd + Third St. $43,000 - $55,000 a year. Let me stress here at the beginning that this is not about churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention; those Baptist churches are thought to be too liberal by the independent fundamentalists. 2. Especially about another member of the church, said Josh Elliott, a former member of Vineyards Oklahoma City church. It was beyond comprehension in my little brain back then. I've heard of Dan Souza, but that's about all. Okay I'd like to say I am a fundamental Baptist and I am attending a local Baptist church, yes that's the name of this site. I pray for all of you. So, down through the centuries, the . Thou shalt not look at pornography, and if thou dost thou shalt delete thy browsing history so thy wife of thy youth dost not find it, and thou shalt confess thy sins at the alter on Sunday morning.Thou canst repeat this cycle each week for the lord hast made provision for modern man if he dost confess his sins before god each day and every Sunday. It was an independent church, and it was fundamentalist, and Baptist, but it was not an IFB independent fundamentalist Baptist church. If you spend any time covering sexual abuse story, any belief that congregations are never complicit in abuse and cover-up goes evaporates quickly. 2.) This bit from John Fea is particularly helpful: While neo-evangelicals read periodicals likeChristianity Today, fundamentalist Baptists read John R. RicesThe Sword of the Lord. No compromise. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. When he spoke out, other pastors condemned him. If you're unfamiliar with the beliefs and practices of the Independent Fundamental Baptists, some of them are: IFBs also generally believe that the will of a child must be broken before it ever has a chance to develop: a fussing or crying baby is exerting its selfish will. Here are some quotes from the book: Wake up to the day's most important news. This is why I love Jesus. Some of the best godly preachers like Jonathan Edwards and Charles Haddon Spurgeon were Baptists. And not to tell anyone. But I find it believable (which is not to say that I believe it, if you appreciate the distinction). Oh, did I mention we were homeschooled and socially retarded. Thousands have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because one man followed in obedience where the Lord led. Note how Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University no longer identify as fundamentalist, but as evangelical and note how this assertion is accepted, unquestioned, by other evangelicals. Part 2: Southern Baptist churches hired ministers accused of past sex offenses. For one, they lack a unified presence since individual churches largely operate on their own. This is especially important, since the pastor needs his bodyguard detail rotated every so often. ? Yes, Jesus. The one thing I do want to say for anyone just making their way out of the darkness of IFB is this: that you once so thoroughly bought into IFB is a sign of your strength, not your weakness. I have no research or data to support this, but my sense is that this space between is growing and becoming ever more the center of gravity for white evangelicalism as a whole. Generally speaking howe. It was they who lied -- first to themselves, and then to you. The Problem Among Independent Baptists with the Gospel By TylerR Jan 25 2016 We've got to get more serious about the gospel, what it is and what we say that it is or what we will allow to be called the gospel. Thou shalt be baptized by full immersion in this particular denomination of church, preferably this specific church, otherwise it might have been a false baptism that didnt take. I have tried to overlook them, but they won't go away. The Star-Telegram counted 187 independent fundamental Baptist churches and affiliated institutions that had been affected by sexual abuse allegations. She gave me a five-minute counseling session and told me she would have to tell Pastor Schaap and the nurse, inform the doctor. We were in that same space somewhere between fundamentalism and CT-style evangelicalism that Jerry Falwell Sr. found himself in. concerned about creeping liberalism in that association, it opted to go it alone. More importantly, its disrespectful to the victims who bravely came forward to share their stories with reporters from the Fort Worth paper. You did what you were supposed to do: you sacrificed yourself. Rod Dreher is a senior editor atThe American Conservative. Thou can sleep at 11 on Monday night; everyone knows sleep is for fags & queers, not real men. If you're unfamiliar with the beliefs and practices of the Independent Fundamental Baptists, some of them are: The King James Version is the only true Word of God; all other translations of the Bible are the work of the devil. The Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life puts IFB members at 2.5 percent of Americans. God has greatly blessed this ministry, which now averages nearly 3,000 a week in attendance. Women need not apply and should not study martial arts. Why? The primary function of a woman is to have children, who then become her mission field. Im not. You dont report to police because the pastor is the ultimate authority, not the government.. If fundies really understood this, it would probably scare the shit out of them. There are other problems among fundamentalist Baptists as well as Homophobia : "I told her that I was raped and how violent it was and how I was terrified it would happen again. A friendly fellowship group for members of local New Testament Independent Baptist churches. One of my other professors did allow that saying shoot was okay, as she was used to people from Ohio saying it! Thou shalt study various martial arts disciplines, as these are masculine. They kept what they wanted. You were right; they were wrong; and no sane person in the world would say otherwise. Later that afternoon, thou shalt go to work. Transportation Services Coordinator. They might as well be Mormons.Sense they add their own rules and Bible.They are acting as a cult its not biblical.Gal1:8 They are teaching false teachings,And not the doctrines of the Bible.They are Just adding their own rules. He speaks for God, and God alone may judge him. This group is for fellowship, sharing of resources, devotional thoughts, posting of sermons, news of interest, ministry ideas, missionary/church links, KJV verse photos, and general edification. Are you saying Paul and Jesus are legalists? (Not the liberal InterVarsity, mind you, Campus Crusade.). For the under one year old, a little, ten- to twelve-inch long, willowy branch (striped of any knots that might break the skin) about one-eighth inch diameter is sufficient. My question is: Are you judging all IFB pastors and deacons by the standards you kept for yourself in the pulpit for forty-five years? Her community turned on her, even though she was defending their health; most of the people in the community worked at local chemical plants, and they feared that the pharmacists allegations would cost them their jobs. They controlled the process except for the final approval. Much of this movement was a response to the so-called neo-evangelical movement. 5.) I am far from perfect. It used to be that independent Baptists separated themselves from other Christians over important doctrines, such as the virgin birth of Christ or the inspiration of the Scriptures. The basic beliefs of this group is Anti-LGBT, Misogyny, Anti-Worldliness, KJV Bible only, anti-semitism, and more. BTW, I went to Carolina Baptist College, Reidsville, NC, (Reidsville Baptist Church, Pastor Jerry Carter,) 1998-2002. The submissiveness of women to their husbands can be found here which is not only present in churches, this is a cultural phenomenon which also impacts the faith. You have found True Christianity. Hope you have a good day. When the baby bit, she pulled hair (an alternative has to be sought for baldheaded babies). I started listening to country music, drinking beer, watching movies, and eventually joined the military. I cant for the life of me understand why, disgruntled as you are, you would go out of your way to take a personal hand in someones trip to eternal punishment. Twice in the New Testament, Paul gives long lists of human behaviors that preclude people from inheriting the kingdom of God. Other Christians who were once, or who would once have been, clearly a part of the fundamentalist camp Al Mohler, Ken Ham, David Barton, etc. We were you at one time. The Bible is filled with rules that have everything to do with salvation. I pastored Evangelical churches IFB, Southern Baptist, Christian Union, Sovereign Grace, and non-denominational for 25 years. Praise god amen we were unharmed.except for being fucked mentally for years. I vaguely recognize some of the standards that you mentioned, but not to the extreme that you have described them. A bit later can you guess where this is going? Stuart Hardy was a youth and music pastor at an independent fundamental Baptist church in Michigan. A case in which an adult woman publicly accused a prominent pastor of having manipulated her at age 16 into giving him oral sex and having an adulterous relationship: When Giovanelli resigned from Golden State Baptist College after the abuse allegation went viral, the chancellor of the college and the pastor of its affiliated church asked the congregation to pray for the church, the college, and the Giovanelli family. https://www.nakedpastorstore.com/blogs/news/adoring-pastors. This is the Christianity of millions of North Americans. The label can be used by a range of autonomous, Bible-believing Baptists (fundamentalbeing a reference to the core doctrines of the Christian faith). Get your act together, Star-Telegram senior staff. Amendment though shalt say amen during service but only if you are male. It uses the Bible to "treat" everything from porn addiction to drug addiction. Apr 26, 2017. Finally, now, it's time for you to dance to your own song. Thou shalt not have sex with other women in the church but thou canst eye fuck them when they sit in front of you in church, and can corner them after church and have awkwardly flirty conversations with them when they are trying to leave because youre a fucking awkward creep. Baptists are one of the few religious groups whose adherents dispute their own beginnings. The pharmacists priest even told her and her husband to leave the parish, because their presence was causing too much discomfort there. A bit later, concerned about creeping liberalism in that association, it split away to join the GARB (the General Association of Regular Baptists no, really, thats a thing). This means that God changed his mind, yes? KJV was the only Bible in English, and that is the stand I intend to die on. You arent any different than those of us who have been where you are Cathy. Most of us have seen situations in the workplace, or in our families, in which whistleblowers were despised and cast out for telling the truth about a situation that threatened people within the group. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! (2) Evangelical culture has a conference and lecture circuit with celebrities and quasi-celebrities who come to cities for weekend workshops and one-night lectures that provide opportunities to sin and go, leaving behind casualties. By David J. Stewart. The short answer is that going to the movies supported Hollywood. The independent fundamentalist Baptist movement emerged sometime in the 1940s as an attempt to continue the legacy of the fundamentalist movement of the 1920s. Fritts' church is affiliated with The New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement and is listed along with 29 others on the movement's website, which explicitly states that it is not a denomination. Another rule for students was that thou shalt not attend the roller skating rink upon threat of expulsion. And if they failed to treat that greatest of gifts with the sacrosanct respect it deserves, then shame on them. And despite all you've been through, here you are now! They used you as fodder in the war between themselves and everything they fear. If I do Ill comment on this comment with details. Human life begins at conception. (And yes, martial arts are ok, even though they originated from Asian sources; well win those yellow devils to Jesus, eventually). (1)"I put him on the "auto trash" list because he never offers anything that is edifying, or even Biblical, but just his snide remarks and liberal/protestant opinions!" (2) "You are not my brother. I appreciate being asked to offer you guys a word of support, but you should be offering support to me and anyone else lucky enough to hear what you have to say. If she doesnt approve of this, tough; she shouldve thought of that before she married you. The modern fundie bible is full of contradictions and lies. Every abortion, without exception, is murder. You have all the information you need to attack me for making this statement, but I assure you that there is very little left to attack. You know that I am Independent. He cries in pain. I subjected myself to such rules for decades, believing I was obeying God. Landmarkism began as a movement in the mid-1800's mainly in the Southern Baptist Convention. If you are a young woman, thou shalt wear knee-length dresses, with hose and heels at summer camp in the woods in the red clay mud when it rains. And then the other philosophy is its wrong to say anything bad about another preacher.. READ THE REST OF THE SERIES: Part 1: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders reject reforms. Although the decentralized nature of Protestantism makes statistics very hard to find, weve particularly found opportunities for abuse and cover-ups in three kinds of situations. Or their kids just went to Rutgers, but with the assurance that they would be faithful members of a Campus Crusade chapter there. Only the KJV will be used in this group; please check . They didn't sacrifice who they were. Independent Fundamental Baptists (IFB) is a loosely-affiliated, cultish denomination of Christian fundamentalists. And before you move on to other people to evangelize, consider that many former Evangelicals know the Bible inside and out. What a list! He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Sometimes alternatives have to be sought. All these Rules have nothing to do with Salvation.Jesus set us free from bondage called Legalism.Galatians5.This There rules but not biblical.This is a system of control its a man made book of rules. a couple of Greek Orthodox nuns are protesting the reinstatement of a priest, Todays Psychology Cant Help American Men. But what of the grouch who would rather complain than sleep? While practices can vary from church to church, independent fundamental Baptists do share some core beliefs, according to Christianity Today: that the Bible is the divinely inspired and inerrant word of God, for example, and that people should use only the King James Version of the text.Independent fundamental Baptists refrain from engaging in pop culture and many also home-school their kids. This is an independent fundamental Baptist program that has chapters in churches all across the country. I was never attacked by them, and to the best of my knowledge neither were my siblings. The network of churches and schools has often. I really want to write a book or start a podcast about all this shit at some point. Then, say people who were in attendance, he proceeded to praise Giovanelli. Its been the M.O. One may admire their piety, but a true believer in the New Testament would have a great problem with their doctrines, church polity, and especially their . She actually got upset! The New Independent Fundamental Baptist network, most prominently associated with anti-LGBTQ pastor Steven Anderson, appears to be in turmoil as infighting again erupts, this time between Anderson and fellow pastors in the network. They also typically teach that the translators of the . Here has been a few problems that caused divisions in the body of Christ thanks to some Independent Fundamental Baptists: 1.) Biblical authority: the Bible is God's inspired Word and the final authority for what a person believes and practices. Johannes Vermeer's treatment of love distinguished him from his peers. I wasnt surprised at all when I heard he had an affair with his secretary. Hundreds of Sex Abuse Allegations Found in Fundamentalist BaptistChurches, Fea wrote, following the Star-Telegrams report. Bruce Gerencser, 65, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 44 years. Advent Calendar Day 17: Fair and foul are near of kin, TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian, Independent Fundamentalist Baptists are a creepy, creepy bunch. Thou shalt not have more than one hole in each ear shall be amended as follows: WOMEN ONLY shall be permitted no more than one piercing in the earlobe of each ear. I would add that all church communities are at risk of condemning the victims for the sake of maintaining the community, and the illusion that all is well.