independent fundamental baptist problems independent fundamental baptist problems

(1) Some congregations have dominating pastors with unchecked authority. They kept what they wanted. I surrendered to preach, and was called to the Lord's ministry as a result of growing up in an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church. Get your act together, Star-Telegram senior staff. Bruce Gerencser, 65, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 44 years. If your neighbor saw you leaving the Cinemaplex, he wouldnt know what movie you had watched, leading him to have questions about your faith. UGH!!!! Even my Southern Baptist Church wasnt this strict! There is no appreciable moral distinction between homosexuality and bestiality, incest, child molestation or rape. Look at the Catholic ban on priestly marriage, and the pressures that creates. They would rather believe a lie that upholds their comfortable lives than face a truth that challenges it. Shellnut is also helpful in clarifying just who these independent fundamentalist Baptists are: Around 2.5 percent of Americans identify as independent Baptists, according to thePew Research Center more than belong to the Assemblies of God, Churches of Christ, or Episcopal and Anglican churches. Twenty-one abuse allegations were uncovered exclusively by the Star-Telegram, and others were documented in criminal cases, lawsuits and news reports. 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. In 1976, Dr. Jack Trieber was called to pastor this work. 6.) The items you are questioning are not the "doctrine" of independent fundamental Baptists. It uses the Bible to "treat" everything from porn addiction to drug addiction. (Please note: if thou art truly right with God, the only acceptable team to pull for is Michigan State). New IFB Beliefs. Bruce, you and many of those that comment to your posts are a help to me. It was beyond comprehension in my little brain back then. In that case, thou shalt work on your bus route until 3 am Monday morning, then get your sorry, lazy ass ready for your theology classes at our bible college that morning. In response to an explosive investigation, top Southern Baptists have released a previously secret list of hundreds of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of . To members of the Facebook groups mentioned above: Our characters are forged in the crucible of what we survive. Homosexuals are evil perverts who despise God and should be kept away from society generally and children especially. Fundamental. If, after putting him down, you remember he just woke up, do not reward his complaining by allowing him to get up. Become a member and enjoy the very best from The American Conservative in print & digital. Every church we went to was full of fucking pedophiles and rapists. 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. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist. Your reporters deserve better management than this. The Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life puts IFB members at 2.5 percent of Americans. The writings that I've read from former IFBs are some of the strongest testimonies to the strength and decency of the human spirit I've ever come across. I grew up in the IFB circles in the PNW. eyebrow, belly button, tongue) shall be permitted to be pierced. For years people who have read the satire and parody on the Stuff Fundies Like blog have asked for someone write a companion that not only points out the problems in Baptist Fundamentalism but also . If the crying is still defiant, protesting and other than a response to pain, spank him again. Much of this movement was a response to the so-called neo-evangelical movement. READ THE REST OF THE SERIES: Part 1: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders reject reforms. Its pastor is divinely appointed and accountable to no earthly authority. Thou shalt wear the sweatshirts & caps of your favorite basketball team; they are only evil & worldly if you choose to go to college there. They pretended to be something they weren't. All of us, Christians and atheists alike, have lists of rules by which we govern our lives, and often judge the lives of others. One of the hardest life lessons I ever had to learn is that in the main, people prefer to be deceived. You did what you were supposed to do: you sacrificed yourself. I've heard of Dan Souza, but that's about all. You have found True Christianity. God has greatly blessed this ministry, which now averages nearly 3,000 a week in attendance. The Star-Telegram series is long, but I encourage you to read the whole thing. 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? Seems redundant. NOT so that we can all march over there and say "huzzah! By David J. Stewart. I am far from perfect. The reason why Im so fervent, so passionate about it this morning is because I relived all of those feelings of what its like to be abused and the one that does the abuse is the one that always comes out the other side smelling like a rose and goes down the road to another church so he can do it again to somebody else.. We were you at one time. NIFB Is A Cult | The NIFB Will Not Be Tolerated. And not to tell anyone. Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) Deception - Exposing the Dangerous Teachings of the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) Denomination Welcome to BaptistDeception.com Edit Exposing the Dangerous Teachings and Traditions of the Independent Fundamental Baptist Denomination Please scroll down to find a list of articles for your convenience. The American Ideas Institute is a nonprofit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C. 2022 The American Conservative, a publication of The American Ideas Institute. It could be the case that Bishop Andonios is lying here. More importantly, its disrespectful to the victims who bravely came forward to share their stories with reporters from the Fort Worth paper. This letter is in downloadable as a PDF here. Maybe so. in fundamentalism for pastors and churches and ministries to just gloss over and sweep under the rug things of absolute epic proportion, he said in the video. Shame on you, sir. Most of those victims dont live in Fort Worth. The church shall pray for her to get right with her lord (and her pastor). 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. I spent thousands and thousands of hours reading and studying the Bible. The video posted on the church website ends. Answer (1 of 2): The Fundamental Baptists that my Family and myself have been around varied wildly; some were more strict than others, while some were more lax with the rules they imposed on themselves and others. This will of course be true with any large group of people. There's something going on that wasn't here before. Stuart Hardy was a youth and music pastor at an independent fundamental Baptist church in Michigan. It started as part of the Northern Baptist convention but, concerned about creeping liberalism in that association, split away to join the Conservative Baptists. Hyles flight to safety has become a well-worn path for ministers in the independent fundamental Baptist movement. You are a lying snake and lost as Hogan's goat." Pastor Tom Cassidy, First Baptist Church, Spring Valley, CA The cause is clear. It surrenders far too much to allow that fundamental refers to the core doctrines of the Christian faith. The fundamentals of fundamentalists are mainly not that at all, but rather a host of relatively recent doctrinal innovations, such as inerrancy. That space between he describes as the world of Jerry Falwell has grown over the years. Thou shalt hide this alcohol so the pastor doesnt see it when he visits you because you missed Sunday school due to a hangover. Thou shalt take your wife out to lunch on Friday afternoon; this is your allotted time with her. Generally speaking (and this differs greatly from church to church) Independent Baptists and Southern Baptists tend to have about the same doctrinal stance. Thank the almighty for the military to fix that shiz, lol. While neo-evangelicals sent their kids to Wheaton College or Fuller Theological Seminary, fundamentalist Baptist kids went toBob Jones UniversityorPensacola Christian College. All articles free to share and God bless! Bruce Gerencser, 65, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 44 years. sigh Do you realize how offensive your words are to unbelievers; people who struggled and agonized over leaving Christianity? In surviving the worst, survivors of IFB have become the best. She then administers [to a three-year-old] about ten slow, patient licks on his bare legs. During the 1970s and 1980s, Falwell seemed to operate in a space somewhere between the independent Baptist world of his upbringing and the neo-evangelicalism of Billy Graham andChristianity Today. The Bible has plenty in it of rules, and I doubt someone who believes in a burning hell forever can really get a supposed love message across. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. The name Independent Fundamental Baptist Church is used traditionally by churches which pattern themselves strictly after the example of the early church, as found in the New Testament. 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. I was rejected by two independent fundamentalist Baptist congregations in two different states, but I stand in their defense. Im saved now, right? Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. 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. The biggest difference would be in the way they practice separation. You brought the best of yourself. 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. Many say baptism is required for salvation and I have been pushed to do so. I pastored Evangelical churches IFB, Southern Baptist, Christian Union, Sovereign Grace, and non-denominational for 25 years. 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. Pastors think if they keep it on the down-low, it wont impact anyone. Your pastor is burdened for America & hasnt slept since 1976. He speaks for God, and God alone may judge him. Yes, Jesus. Other than Toledo, the 419 area code is pretty rural. The beliefs are mainly Baptist and fundamentalist. ? I've been looking for a church that does baptisms and a church up the road does them. I guarantee you that most independent fundamentalist Baptists in this country are furious at the Star-Telegram today. Say the name of that group several times, slowly, and let it all sink in New. The short answer is that going to the movies supported Hollywood. According to the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life, there are. Independent Fundamental Baptists (IFB) is a loosely-affiliated, cultish denomination of Christian fundamentalists. You could look into resolutions by Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International or World Congress of . Oh my. Toledo, Maumee, Bowling Green, Lima, Findlay all relatively large communities. Ernest Willis found guilty of raping teen Tina Anderson, a fellow church member. 4.) I know that they are KJV only and Arminian. It really is that simple. They repented and were restored..every like 6 mo. And then the other philosophy is its wrong to say anything bad about another preacher.. And lets not forget the old For him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin catch-all At my IFB church that I grew up in I loved how they used to use that one to justify saying anything they didnt agree with or like was a SIN . Pray tell, Kathy, what are you going to tell me about the Bible that I dont already know? Look at homosexuality within the priesthood. Im sure that if your God is all about love and grace he will know our hearts better than you and will fully understand in his 3-omni way. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Dr. R has some real practical theology problems. Dreherlives in Baton Rouge, La. Movement. Its not a good thing.. The Independent Fundamental Baptist Denomination paints a picture of God also as one who is a military leader, unhappy with all the disobedience happening among his people and patiently waiting for when he can punish us and correct our deviant behavior. It's not just Baptist Churches; most organize denominations are in one way or another legalistic. It's just the nature of them I guess. For this reason IFB churches vigorously renounce the idea that IFB constitutes a denomination: each church, they hold, is a kingdom unto itself and obliged to cooperate with exactly no other church body, IFB or otherwise. (And yes, martial arts are ok, even though they originated from Asian sources; well win those yellow devils to Jesus, eventually). I really want to write a book or start a podcast about all this shit at some point. Christians are called to remain steadfastly separate from the world and its sinful practices and temptations, such as movies, dancing and any music with an addictive rock beat. Students may be expelled at any time, for any reason, if the president of the school deems the reason sufficient (my 2nd grade brother was expelled for defiance). The one thing I do want to say for anyone just making their way out of the darkness of Independent Fundamental Baptists is this: that you once so thoroughly bought into IFB is a sign of your strength, not your weakness. Baptism therefore represents the Gospel, which consists of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. 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. 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.