This church had no ties to anyone or any other church, yet this was a Baptist church as much as any Baptist church ever was. 2. Many Anabaptists churches were strong New Testament churches believing and following the Word of God. Throughout all your conjecture you based none of you opinions on scripture. Ok how about some peace Blessed are the peacemakers I apologize for my abrasive writing style and did not purposely write to offend you, but make no mistake, someone can be dunked until they know every minnow by name, but that doesnt make them saved. Pedophiles hide in dark corners. The powertrip, which is all Ill call it, was even noticed to be among some of the laypersons who were ushers, or just people who knew people. #momlife. Often, when we arrived home after the service my wife would burst into tears, when I asked what was wrong, the answer was always the same: how the pastors wife had verbally attacked her. I do dislike what seems to be human effort in trying to do what only the Spirit of God can do through a clear presentation of the word of God. p.s. The Anabaptists were mostly a God-fearing group of people. Who are the Independent Baptists, and what do they believe? As for being responsible to share the gospel with those whom God has put in our path; our daily life should show we are different by our character and the way we live. A tithe was to be given by Jews under law to a levitical priest and as far as I can tell, it was always a product from the land, be it animals or some sort of plant life. 7) divorce as the unpardonable sin you can be forgiven if you kill someone, or if you have been saved from a homosexual lifestyle, but God help you if you have been divorced, they will still let you come to the meetings but you have to set on the back row. Lynne While I agree with most of your comment, I would be very interested in finding where Jesus teaches about tithing in the bible. In determining who were the first Baptists, you must first identify who you are referring to. 5) shun folks that have left the church But they should not be confused with Fundamental Baptists. On May 28, 1665, a Baptist church was founded in Boston, by Thomas Gould, who refused to accept infant baptism. I was a better version. These churches remained sound in doctrine and practicing the faith of the New Testament. Look at Ezekiel 33. That should make me an independent fundamental Baptist, but it doesn't. On Sunday, March 26, 2023, Pastor Scott McFeters moved into the role of Senior Pastor at Greater Portland Baptist Church. If you have any more questions or comments (as long as they are not rude), please feel free to email me again. Really!! I request any comment left to me is free of insults and vulgarities, please). Im referring to a mistake I made in my fairly long comment, which you may not have seen yet, once you do youll understand I was correcting a statement in my next to last paragraph. 27 Apr 2023 15:20:37 It is an important part of the church. Others have to a lesser degree compromised the Word of God by their teaching, practices and church polity trying to confront to popular religious tends. You will understand that God does indeed love you, and that Gods love isnt dependent on living up to mans expectations or manipulation. My wife and I were very active in the church; we too felt like we were being used. I have spoken to my pastor about this, and he insists that its fine for me as a parishioner to come as I am, but he as a pastor should be dressed alittle better, I told him if that is a personal conviction that is fine, but did he have any scripture to support that, of course he didnt. I was raised in an Independent, Fundamental, Baptist church in Pekin, IL. Baptists Briders, infer they can trace their history back to John the Baptist who was the first Baptist. Jesus quoted the old testament. The entire point of Matthew 15 is Jesus telling the Pharisees that the ceremonial laws were no longer needed since the reason for them (the cleansing of sin) was replaced with Christs eventual death on the cross. The one thing that makes one a Baptist is that historically they have followed the New Testament alone as its sole rule for faith and practice. They have a 1st Amendment right to speak their mind, but that doesnt mean shouting down a preacher at a military funeral. If only people would study more to know the voice of their Savior, there would be no one to follow the false teachers. I was deeply involved from the time I was 12 years old, so Im still in the deep wilderness part of my journey. We exist to help and encourage those whose lives have been negatively affected by fundamentalist legalism in the church and to challenge those who promote tradition over Scripture. 01 May 2023 20:13:01 Blessings & againIm so sorry you were hurt like that you & your family. But this article simply exposes the Baptist system as just another denomination among tens of thousands. Is it based on the individual church or whole congregations? So I still think Just about every Church has Strict dress Standards whether they know it or not. Im surprised but shouldnt be by now that folks know so very little about their respective churches/traditions, most just sit in the pew and simply repeat what their pastor has told them, never checking and studying for themselves, what thus saith the Lord You act so surprised that I questioned you about which Church of Christ you were referring to, do yourself alittle favor and have a look at wikipedias lists of Churches of Christ First and foremost I wanted to make sure you werent referring to the The Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints which is a flat-out cult. I still attend a tiny (20-30 on Sunday) Baptist Church, and yes it is IFB. The Scripture: It is entirely inerrant and sufficient for all Christian life. Im trying to figure out if it was worse of me for not using scripture to answer your question, which btw is not a question that required scripture, or yanking a handful of verses completely out of context as you did. 8. We have several people who are leaving our church. I already estb basis of why Tithing I believe is good (must read all post under Lynne). Many men have suffered and given their fortunes and their lives to hold the name in truth. In 1638, Williams made his way to what is now Providence, Rhode Island, and there bought some land from the Indians. We preach modest clothing (unfortunatly most of the girls at my church dont adhere to it in that they wear skirts that expose all but a few inches of the upper leg). Also, those who God draws will come to Christ and believe in Him. You could mean those persons or churches which held to the Baptists beliefs although they may not have called themselves Baptists. Lynne, We dress however we want, however, my Pastor chides me in good nature, because I frequently wear black clothing, but he is not being critical. Proverbs 21:24, Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. We still havent been back and have recently found another church my husband likes and its just okay for me. Even if a church blows the interpretation of verses like this and sets up what you refer to as a hierarchy, I feel you are in error to claim that God has no party with them, see for reference the 7 churches in Revelation which had great things going for them, but Christ had to deal with their errors. One of the best ways to stay up to date with what is happening at GPBC is to download our app directly onto your Phone or Tablet through the Apple or Google App stores. First anytime a mans name is attached to a system of theology my antennae go way up, think Campbell, Calvin, Arminius, Smith etc. Finally, I think you have some anger issues. As you have heard from others who have commented, leaving the cult mentally behind and learning to make decisions on your own about your faith and your life takes time. I was raised Methodist actually AME but I left because there were always some financial obligations. An interesting read. Malc. 53, Cornhill, 1813, Fundamental Baptist CD ROM Library, 1701 Harns Rd. @greg IFB churches are not the problem. One of the last acts of the Presbyterians, before the Long Parliament in England fell, was to past a law passing the death penalty on anyone who was caught holding to what they called Eight Errors in Doctrine. These doctrines included infant baptism. Im looking forward to laughing at more of your comments. However, history is clear that in the beginning and into the 9th Century there were churches in Britain that rejected pedo-baptism, popery and other false doctrines of the Catholics. They are worlds apart. I admitted, in my comment, that I was somewhat caustic in my writing (I could definitely get better in that department) but I re-read what I wrote and didnt think it was horrible. Im made of dirt, but God is gonna let my neighbor go to Hell because the dirt-clod next door didnt give him a Chick tract!! What does this have to do with our discussion? There is not one Protestant church that is doctrinally pure following the example and polity of the New Testament. If the staff at Costa Mesa accepts the person, he becomes an affiliated clergyman in a global network led by Chuck Smith.. Although the Roman Catholic Church claims him as one of their saints, there is no evidence he even knew the Catholic church existed. It was a nice letter and he apologized for not being more in touch with visitors and invited us back. They believe that when the Book of Revelation was completed by the Apostle John about 90-95 AD, the Word of God was complete. The cops accused them of urinating in the water. I am not trying to be overly critical and yet I only have a certain amt of time to get to my points and while doing that I often come across that way, so forgive me. Bob Just want to commend you on how clearly you are able to elucidate on a given topic, Im envious. My dad was considerably older than my mom, his second wife. There he became the pastor of the Puritan church. Believers are not set apart by the clothing they wear so much as their conduct, character, and lifestyle. He is faithful, He is true, He knows, and He is able. One of the best sources I have found concerning His nature, the Nature of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is at the following link: Gayle Erwin does a wonderful teaching on the nature of God. It will happen though, that you find your own path, through Gods guidance, of course! Please see the Tithing Deception and Tithe 10% or Get Punished articles for more information. Do you think you can bring others to Christ in this manner? I had been attending this IFB for about 30 years. In recent years the news media has called doctrinally unsound church such as the Charismatics and Pentecostals fundamentalists. Register for events, receive notifications, read devotionals, watch or listen to recent sermons, and more. Unfortunately I am relatively new to this denomination; I do not know how much authority they have over my individual church. I appreciate your response, I am especially glad to hear that your mother has returned to the church. From http://procinwarn.com/ccclergy.htm: Most people do not realize that Calvary Chapel church organizations are not, themselves, affiliated with the original Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California. There was no hierarchy in the churches he founded, which were patterned after the simple New Testament example. When its time to leave Thoughts on breaking away. Pointing out failures of pastors, church congregations and movements can be informative as long as we also point out that not all, or even most of the groups involved are entwined in grevious and blatant sin. I constantly felt like I was sinning and would long for the safety of the IFB. I would also venture to say the same of you, which you said of me. However, bottom lineJesus never shared but truth to all incl Phairsees so if His position on tithing was as being not to be left undonethan I believe it stands as something that is good to do, pleasing to God. I miss the preaching and singing. In 1663, Charles II, gave the colony a royal charter and it read: Our royal will and pleasure is, that no person within the said colony, at any time hereafter, shall be in any wise molested, punished disquieted, or called in question, for any differences of opinion in matters of religion, and do not actually disturb the civil peace of the said colony. I recently received an email from a lady distraught over leaving the IFB. Also, I support tithing personally. Im a Southern Baptist and celebrate Jesus and His grace! It may be this passage of Scripture Paul had in mind when he said I am innocent of the blood of all men because he had taught them the whole counsel of Gods word. One of the most unsettling things to experience is dealing with corruption in power. "[3], The New IFB was formed by Anderson and other Baptist pastors in 2017 in an attempt to revive what they perceived older independent Baptist churches once represented. Since there is no membership at CCs, the congregation neither votes a pastor in, nor can vote their pastor out, if necessary, unlike a Baptist church. A church only has authority to set guidelines on dress as it is addressed in Scripture. We had only been going there a little over 2 years and really loved it until we started being shunned. I was able to better understand the New Testament. Protestants still practice infant baptism which is not taught in the Word of God. When we arrive in heaven we are going to be surprised not only by who is there, but by who isnt there. How can I get help? It was almost like watching 12yr olds trying to run a corporation. One man Hanserd Knolleys, is an example of dissenter of the Church of England who had to flee to America. Donations are a great way to help keep the RFP on-air and furthering our mission to help and encourage those whose lives have been negatively affected by fundamentalist legalism in the church and to challenge those who promote tradition over Scripture. The Second Coming: Jesus Christ is coming bodily to earth to rule and judge. help and encourage those whose lives have been negatively affected by fundamentalist legalism in the church and to challenge those who promote tradition over Scripture. Mark 7:7, Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. After leaving we received a couple phone calls from friends we had made there wondering why we left which my husband explained to them. There are plenty of church members that disagree with the preacher on many topics. The first Baptist church in New York was started by William Wichendon, in 1656. If the pastor or anyone else makes your life unbearable, remember, they are not doing it to you, they are doing it to Jesus; and they will surely pay the price. | Beautiful In His Time, Checklists, control, and motherhood | Beautiful In His Time, forget where you should be and give God your ugly | Beautiful In His Time, When your church isnt meeting your needs | Beautiful In His Time, on being in your place in church | Beautiful In His Time, when your spiritual journey doesnt look like his | Beautiful In His Time, Wellit feels comfortable | Beautiful In His Time, There are no entry-level positions with God | Beautiful In His Time, Sitting on the premises sometimes, its okay not to serve | Beautiful In His Time, You are God, You are God, Of all else Im letting go! | Beautiful In His Time, Leave it all behind | Beautiful In His Time, My motivation: chosen, holy, and dearly loved | Beautiful In His Time, what grace is not: the pendulum and sinning that grace may abound | Beautiful In His Time, From legalism into grace: one mans story | Beautiful In His Time, Grace in the wilderness: the blessings of legalism | Beautiful In His Time, A few random things {because if I dont blog I just might go crazy} | Beautiful In His Time, Guilt-inducing hymns, the try-hard life, and recovery | Beautiful In His Time, 20 things I learned this summer | Beautiful In His Time, Tour Around Blogland {Q&A About Blogging} | Beautiful In His Time, Beauty in the Mess ~ Edition 09.27.14 | Beautiful In His Time, Shifting Focus {and how my blogging might need to change} | Beautiful In His Time, Redemption Stories {A New Blog Series} | Beautiful In His Time, {Meet} Aprille of Beautiful In His Time | NC Blogger Network, http://beautifulinhistime.com/2017/06/29/grace-recovering-legalist-faith/, One Tree Hill Filming Locations Self-Guided Tour -, Bible Journaling: Art Therapy for my Bible Scars -, Grace for the angry recovering legalist: this is where the healing begins -, when you've been hurt by legalism or the church, hold onto faith -, What do Brad Pitt, Josh Groban, and Sleepless in Seattle have in common? Landlord Cody Johnson later agreed not to evict Stedfast Baptist from the Watauga location after communicating with Stedfast's lawyer.[15][16]. The independent fundamental Baptist movement and Pastor Greg Locke shame those with epilepsy, autism and other mental and physical illnesses. The over the years the growth of so many false and idolatrous practices caused some within the Catholic church such as Martin Luther to rebel, and to try to reform the Catholic church. You can tell when people actually study their Bibles. I know that as I give more to the Lord Im blessed more & even if not I want to. No wonder I, as a new believer, doubted! Benedict in his history of the Baptists states the Gospel was preached in Britain within sixty years of the Lords return to heaven. And as long as we allow people into churches, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Southern Baptist or IFB there are going to be problems. Christians under the grace economy give out thankfulness to God for what Christ has done for them, without any compulsion. From there, entering into an IFB church really gave me a culture shock. this is a great book research on cultist church It is surely an affront to any historically informed Baptist identify him by the name of a group that has so hated and persecuted them down throughout history. Its derived from two possible origins: 1. The connection with past churches for the modern Baptist is not the name, but rather their doctrine and practice. We never shun people who leave the church. That will suffice. How did you leave how did it affect how others in the family treated you? If someone wanted to Tithe down to a tenth of all they owned & sell or give value of itIm sure they could. Lynne, @ Bob & Greg, I cant say how much I agree with your posts. WebSerious inquiry. is there any Independent Fundamental Baptist church preachers on Twitter?? There was a fine of 2000 pounds of tobacco for failure to have ones infant children baptized. If you dont fit their mold then your shunned. Thou shalt obey the pastor at all times; Thou shalt obey all adults at I am a musician, so really wouldnt be very content in a church where I couldnt play an instrument and never did go there, except to attend her funeral. He then begins crying, Im not an expert at body language, but it certainly seemed contrived, preachertainment some would call it. Its the phraseology itself that one calls into question as being logical or illogical. Well said!!! The Great Awakening stirred religious interests in the colonies and a reported great revival took place. adhering to correct doctrine and proper practices should be the focus in our lives. 3) tell you what to wear (John the Baptist probably wouldnt be allowed in most IFB churches But after a long nights toil, they had caught no fish! The Puritans were dissenters from the Church of England. They practice the Biblical teachings of separation as stated in Ephesians 5:11, which says, Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. The Baptist bases his authority solely on the Bible itself. Hi Ahlayashabi Please forgive us if we have offended you in any way. Its so important to ask Gods help in forgiving themotherwise satan can get a foothold. The validity of a church as being a true Biblical New Testament church does not rest in it ability to show an unbroken line of succession from the time of Christ. They tried to establish that according to history, Baptists have an unbroken line of churches since Christ. I was bothered by how liberal other churches seemed in comparison to the IFB. [1], New IFB churches have caused controversy on several occasions, because of their opposition to homosexuality. #itsthelittlethings #swimteammom, Legalism and Grace: How I Left the IFB Movement and Chose Grace, Encouragement and Resources for the Military Wife. As many theologians saywe can agree to disagree on some things but when it comes to the Fundamental of the Christian Faithbased on by the way what God says in the Word, then thats when one should draw the line b/c its no longer a matter of Christians in various fellowships & preferances that are allowable but then becomes a matter of even being a Christian at all (like Mormonisn, Jehovahs Wittness, Catholics, etc). Martin Luther until his death held to this false sentiment and disputed with the Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), over the matter. I believe it is almost impossible to grow to a complete relationship with God without knowing his nature. -, Safety in the comfortable cocoon of fundamentalism -, Spiritual warfare and special needs: "Remember who you battle." I loved what you said about knowing the nature of God. They were busy cleaning their nets. History records the members of this Baptist church went back to England or remained in Holland and joined Mennonites. It is a historic fact the first Baptist church in America was founded by another Baptist congregation. So many churches have lost wonderful ministry opportunties by turning away those hurting, divorced folks, its a shame, God help us all to be sensitive to those who are hurting all around us. Not one Baptist church can show in its history a direct succession from the Anabaptists. It is difficult to trace Baptist churches down through history. I only know of two. God has set up a completely different program for believers in the church age. Historically, Baptists were never a part of the Roman Catholic Church or the Protestant Reformation and therefore can not be correctly called protestors or Protestants. Independent Fundamental Baptist churches have fellowship one with the other and often cooperate in such things as evangelism. These churches patterned themselves strictly after the New Testament example, and this made them valid churches approved of God. Smyth, believed the only real apostolic succession is a succession of Biblical New Testament truth, and not of outward ordinances and visible organization such as the Church of England or the Roman Church. Sounds like maybe you are in a pretty good church. But not all Baptist churches are that way! Be courageous! Btw. It became an independent church in 1746. He did not belong to, nor was part of the any ekklesia. Yes he baptized, but His baptism was the baptism of repentance (Matt. 4:1-5, 1 Cor. Michelle, Im so glad that my series has brought you comfort. We can clearly see the Spirit of God in your gracious post. Our merch store is full of great items to help show your support for The RFP! I have absolutely loved listening to your podcast. We were doing what the pastor should have been doing. If it furthers & advances the Kingdom of God (the Church, Evangelism, Missionaries, etc), then I believe it is going to God.