(And yes, martial arts are ok, even though they originated from Asian sources; well win those yellow devils to Jesus, eventually). She gave me a five-minute counseling session and told me she would have to tell Pastor Schaap and the nurse, inform the doctor. For decades, women and children have faced rampant sexual abuse while worshiping at independent fundamental Baptist churches around the country. 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. 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. Its pastor is divinely appointed and accountable to no earthly authority. Additionally, many independent Baptist fundamentalists practice "second-degree separatism," distancing themselves not only from "the world" but also from fellow Christians who do not share. * Maybe some can relate to this cartoon from NAKEDPASTOR. Here are the 5 key issues that have hurt the Independent Baptist world in some cases, as well as greatly damaging the lives of some believers: A Failure To Adequately Preach The Bible When our preaching goes backward, the whole apple cart rocks and soon turns over. Get your act together, Star-Telegram senior staff. On the bare legs or bottom, switch him eight or ten licks; then, while waiting for the pain to subside, speak calm words of rebuke. Beside the fact that you were likely born into IFB and so never chose to believe anything about it one way or another, your allegiance to IFB means nothing more than that you love. 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. The Independent Baptist Fellowship is the end-product of the legacy journey that started some 60 years ago. 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. To members of the Facebook groups mentioned above: Our characters are forged in the crucible of what we survive. He speaks for God, and God alone may judge him. Ug, stupid auto correct. Scripture alone. Stuart Hardy was a youth and music pastor at an independent fundamental Baptist church in Michigan. 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. Find an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church | Canada. It's just the nature of them I guess. Praise god amen we were unharmed.except for being fucked mentally for years. But if you think most of the people in your church would do that, or stand by those who did, your optimism is unwarranted. Bruce Gerencser, 65, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 44 years. By David J. Stewart. 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 . 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. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gods-grace-bible-study-wi/support Truth Unbound with Walter Swaim 11h ago For the larger child, a belt or larger tree branch is effective. Memo to Kathy: fuck off. He is his own man and refuses to be tied down or corralled by anything. The person should go to the pastor, and the pastor will talk to the offender. NOT so that we can all march over there and say "huzzah! There are a lot more where these came from, lmao . By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Learn More. IndependentBaptist.com was founded in an attempt to bring back the principles that lifted our movement in the 60's and 70's and that need to be revived in this day. You were right; they were wrong; and no sane person in the world would say otherwise. Subscribe for as little as $5/mo to start commenting on Rods blog. We were you at one time. For one, they lack a unified presence since individual churches largely operate on their own. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Its not a good thing.. For the sake of consistency in training, you must follow through. Truly horrifying. 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. He is the man of God who speaks for God. Human nature is a destructive force. The video posted on the church website ends. Thou shalt believe in pre-millennial rapture unless your pastor believes in post-millennial rapture. Thanks! Thou shalt hide this alcohol so the pastor doesnt see it when he visits you because you missed Sunday school due to a hangover. 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. You can email Bruce via the Contact Form. Today the name Baptist is used by many churches that are not following the teachings of the New Testament. (Please note: if thou art truly right with God, the only acceptable team to pull for is Michigan State). Rod Dreher is a senior editor atThe American Conservative. 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. 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. The website, New IFB Singles, is a ministry of Veracity Baptist Church and is lead by New . Look at the Catholic ban on priestly marriage, and the pressures that creates. They really spend too much time debating. For their own dark reasons they kept that wicked dance going. You love passionately, deeply and inexorably. After I graduated from that school I didnt wear a skirt for 2 years at my secular university! The independent fundamentalist Baptist movement emerged sometime in the 1940s as an attempt to continue the legacy of the fundamentalist movement of the 1920s. Thou can sleep at 11 on Monday night; everyone knows sleep is for fags & queers, not real men. How I struggled to free myself from this oppressive thinking. And screw 'em if they do. It tried to explain and figure out why IFB churches seem to be drying up and closing their doors. - Truth and Song I recently read an article essentially asking this same question, What's Wrong With the Independent Fundamental Baptists? He cries in pain. You showed up, ready to play. It was they who didn't truly commit to the truths upon which they claimed to be basing their lives. But these folks were seen as a little bit too much by most of the people in the church, whose kids got to choose places like Philadelphia College of the Bible or Northeastern Bible College. Independent Fundamental Baptist churches believe that the authority to baptize was given to the first church, organized by our Savior. (1) Some congregations have dominating pastors with unchecked authority. Independent Fundamental Baptists (IFB) is a loosely-affiliated, cultish denomination of Christian fundamentalists. Finally, now, it's time for you to dance to your own song. You could look into resolutions by Fundamental Baptist Fellowship International or World Congress of . So hard to tell if it is a cult. Thou shalt not eat at a restaurant on Sunday. You have found True Christianity. The philosophy is you dont air your dirty laundry in front of everyone. All first-time comments are moderated. Generally speaking (and this differs greatly from church to church) Independent Baptists and Southern Baptists tend to have about the same doctrinal stance. Oh my. You gave. Where you claim what's true. Exempt this special report from your paywall. Remove that variable from the equation and youll never arrive at the form or content of IFB fundamentalism as it currently exists. They insisted upon that ignoble facade despite the too-clear harm it was causing. It upheld what it believed to be. I really want to write a book or start a podcast about all this shit at some point. Because its in human nature, for one, and for another, because the clergy have an extraordinary amount of power (real and symbolic) within the ecclesiology of both churches. He may not be able to sleep, but he can be trained to lie there quietly. Could someone please explain? People who think that sexual abuse and its systematic cover-up is something that happens only in Roman Catholic Churches ought to read this devastating series in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, about how the same thing has been happening in a national network of independent fundamental Baptist churches. Trieber took his glasses off. Never put him down and then allow him to get up. Most of those victims dont live in Fort Worth. You did what you were supposed to do: you sacrificed yourself. You have left them now to themselves, and stepped into your own world. To know is to be responsible. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist. 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. This list sounds alot like the Mennonite Church rule book. I was rejected by two independent fundamentalist Baptist congregations in two different states, but I stand in their defense. Much of this movement was a response to the so-called neo-evangelical movement. 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. Ugh. Men alone are suited to be the head of home and church. You brought the goods to the table. They pretended to be something they weren't. Fundamental. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. The message is set. Faith alone. 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. or a year or whatever. Sarah Smith and the other reporters and editors who worked on this deserve great credit and gratitude. Here has been a few problems that caused divisions in the body of Christ thanks to some Independent Fundamental Baptists: 1.) INDEPENDENT FUNDAMENTAL BAPTISTS FAR TOO MANY OF THEM RUN WITH DEVILS . 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. Mullins knew that he had faculty problems, Sampey did, Fuller did, McCall did . Unlike the Catholic Church, the fundamental Baptist church considers itself to be made up of independent entities. A new website has launched with the aim of helping single New Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (NIFB) find each other for hopes of love and matrimony, with a niche focus and stringent guidelines being a feature, not a bug. Will you join us? The co-founder, Paul Kingsbury, recently was forced to leave his position at North Love Baptist Church in Rockford, Ill., for his role in helping a sex . Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist. You're the power. The church was established in 1975 with a small band of seventy-five people. That was weak (cupping ear)..congregation: AMEN (at top of lungs). They kept what they wanted. Now, gentlemen we have a problem in the Independent Baptist movement. As media eagerly services our culture's tendency toward increasingly polarized divisions, it's helpful to remember that 72.7 percent of Americans are Christians who are not IFB. The Lordship controversy and misrepresenting the Lordship preachers. *, At Christianity Today, Kate Shellnut offers a short, helpful summary of the Star-Telegrams horrifying findings, along with some reporting on how the independent fundamentalist Baptist community is responding to its revelations (not well). Pendleton (1811-1891). Thou shalt not speak in Sunday morning service if thou be a woman, unless you are the soloist and you want to give thanks and praise to Jesus for the wonderful song. I thank God for that newspaper and what it has done for His children. Feel free to add your own additions to the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist Rule Book. For a woman to be pleasing to God she must always and in all things remain perfectly submissive, first to her father and then to her husband. Having studied this group in particular, he provides some excellent background: The independent fundamentalist Baptist movement emerged sometime in the 1940s as an attempt to continue the legacy of the fundamentalist movement of the 1920s. concerned about creeping liberalism in that association, it opted to go it alone. They would rather believe a lie that upholds their comfortable lives than face a truth that challenges it. More: Nevertheless, [Bishop] Andonios [Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese] said he decided to reinstate [Father Gerasimos] Makris because parishioners demanded it. The biggest difference would be in the way they practice separation. Good day, sir. Shellnut also draws on Messiah College historian John Feas description of these independent fundamentalist Baptists, so lets turn to that. This series needs to be widely read but, unfortunately, the Star-Telegramsshort-sighted, inflexible paywall will prevent that from happening. What a list! Thou shalt not molest children, and if ye do thou shalt confess it to the pastor so he can hide it from the police and threaten the congregation into silence. 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. KJV was the only Bible in English, and that is the stand I intend to die on. However there has been quite a problem with some fundamental Baptists. But we need YOUR help to make this project successful! Many of you signed my Bibles. 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. 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. Are you saying Paul and Jesus are legalists? SPECIAL: Prayer Changes Your Brain in 4 Amazing Ways 1. I never understood it. The problem was that the faculty was in charge of hiring new faculty. When it is obvious he is totally broken, she will hand him the rag and very calmly say, "Johnny, clean up your mess.". Or their kids just went to Rutgers, but with the assurance that they would be faithful members of a Campus Crusade chapter there. Excerpt: Stories like that display a Roman Catholic problem, right? Image Conscious The Official Independent Baptist Rulebook, Known in Some Churches as Church Standards Thou shalt obey the pastor at all times 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 They sent their kids to Bob Jones and Pensacola the only choices permitted to them. That hide it under terms like order and discipline in order to enforce it. This guide to "consistently rewarding every transgression with a switching" (from the book's introduction) has sold more than 670,000 copies. Human life begins at conception. This means that IFB churches do not look to creeds, confessions, or church councils to determine their doctrinal positions. When the apostles, the first members of the first church, and others went out preaching the Gospel and establishing other churches, this authority was transferred to them. Other than Toledo, the 419 area code is pretty rural. Going to the movies could also lead to you having a bad testimony before the world. Are you saying God is a legalist? Both times, people knew about his would-be abusers behavior and did nothing to stop it. Addendum: Thousand shalt not even THINK about piercing ANYTHING below the waste! They kept what they needed. They didn't sink deep enough. A bit later can you guess where this is going? I am certain you are far more intelligent a man than I am, so I do not wish to debate you. This list also sounds similar to what Adventists practiced. We could literally sit here all day adding standards to this; these guys are constantly changing on a whim. It is also my desire that those who have become nonbelievers will respond with a yes to Jesus. They didn't give over their will over to God. (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. Thou shalt go to KFC on Sundays after services. He will very quickly come to know that any time he is laid down there is no alternative but to stay put. The Bible is filled with rules that have everything to do with salvation. Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches Are MODERN Churches! They also typically teach that the translators of the . One of my other professors did allow that saying shoot was okay, as she was used to people from Ohio saying it! 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. Accept no conditions for surrender. It could be the case that Bishop Andonios is lying here. I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Roberson, a couple of times, when I was in College! I grew up in a similar church. When he spoke out, other pastors condemned him. Young-earth creationism, premillennial dispensationalism, and fervent support for segregation are also not core doctrines that could be found among Christians before the 19th century or anywhere outside of IFBs parochial American context. 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. According to the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life, there are. 3.) Baptism means that a believer is bodily immersed in water followed by being raised up out of the water again. None were ever convicted due to being men of god. Independent Baptist Churches believe the following "Independent Baptist Distinctives": 1. This means that there are approximately 7.85 million IFBs in America today. Spending TOO MUCH time with conspiracy theories than fundamental Bible preaching. (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. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Shaking my head, wishing I had gotten out of that place sooo much sooner than we did, you know when I shouldve used my own brain and listened to my gut. It wasnt long before I traveled the road to liberal Christian to agnostic atheist. You trusted. Shame on you, sir. (3) Megachurch leaders face the ordinary temptations but also extraordinary pressure to cover up problems, knowing that a sniff of scandal will summon packs of critical reporters. You dont report to police because the pastor is the ultimate authority, not the government.. Independent Baptists are not part of any denominational organization, such as the Southern Baptist Convention. 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. Jessop is a former member of the FLDS (fundamentalist, polygamist Mormons) and her story has a lot of parallels with Zichterman's. I haven't read this particular FLDS memoir . Thou shalt take your wife out to lunch on Friday afternoon; this is your allotted time with her. The SBC has hit the default button and returned to 1959. In 1638, he founded the first Baptist church in America in uncolonized Rhode Island. Landmarkism began as a movement in the mid-1800's mainly in the Southern Baptist Convention. Get right, stay right, amen.