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Independent Fundamental Baptist

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An Independent Fundamental Baptist church is a very conservative type of Christian church.

It is often seen as being the most fundamentalist, conservative type of Christian church - "making the Southern Baptists look like liberals".[citation needed]

There are a substantial number of IFB churches in the Bible belt (the South), with a lesser-yet-growing number elsewhere in the United States and internationally.[citation needed]

Attributes

IFB churches are characterized by some or all of these attributes:

  • Very conservative Christianity; "hellfire and damnation", "fire and brimstone" preaching
  • Taking a literal ("fundamentalist") interpretation of the whole Bible. This typically includes belief in Biblical inerrancy, young earth creationism and dispensationalist theology (particularly of the pre-tribulational premillennial variety)
  • Being independent. Fundamentalists believe that local and autonomous churches reflect the church that Jesus Christ established when he lived on earth. Fundamentalists typically shun affiliation with national or international organizations such as the Southern Baptist Convention or governing bodies like the Roman Catholic Church as antithetical to a scriptural ideal that a church should be beholden only to God rather than any organization or governing body created by man
  • Having congregational polity
  • Practicing what is known as believer's baptism, i.e. baptism by immersion, as is described in the New Testament, by those who have expressed faith in Jesus Christ with evidence of repentance. This is opposite of, for example, sprinkling water on the foreheads of infants who cannot make such an informed and free-will choice.
  • Holding solely to the King James Version of the Bible, which is believed by them to be the best translation of the manuscripts into the English language. It should also be noted that not all IFB Churches hold to the KJV Only Position or to the KJV Preferred Position or to Ruckmanism(Double-Inspiration), but some have moved to the NKJV or NASB as their church's Bible. Then again, this decision to progress to the newer versions of the Bible generally disqualifies a church from being called "fundamental," seeing as the very use of the word "fundamental" to describe these Baptists would exclude such a newer movement from their beliefs and practices. Thus, a church that uses the newer versions of the Bible may very well be independent, but they cannot be truly and rightfully qualified as IFB, simply due to the very nature of the term "fundamental".
  • Shunning of the ecumenical movement
  • Shunning of liberalism in all forms—social, political, and religious
  • Emphasis on patriotism
  • Shunning of secular music or music believed to be secularized such as rock and roll, jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, alternative and/or so-called "praise bands", in favor of more traditionally religious music such as Southern Gospel music, traditional old-time hymns and/or religious classical music such as "Bringing in the Sheaves." Some fundamentalist sects will make exceptions for some genres, such as operatic music, non-religious classical music, bluegrass and even music used in movie soundtracks (for those churches that have actually departed from true fundamentalism and have embraced the seeker-sensitive movement, a movement despised by true IFB churches), provided it exhibits no overpowering beat or other characteristics thought to be of a Satanic influence. Other sects eschew music with patently emotional overtones like certain Gospel music.
  • Taking the missionary side of the missionary/anti-missionary controversy (for more on the latter, see primitive baptist)
  • Shunning of social movements deemed to be unscriptural such as the feminist movement, environmentalist movement, and acceptance of homosexuality.
  • Shunning of certain socially accepted or tolerated behaviors believed to be proscribed by the Bible such as pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex, divorce, homosexuality, mixed dancing, , mixed bathing (swimming), drinking of alcohol (see temperance movement) and in some cases caffeinated beverages, recreational use of drugs, tobacco use, gambling and wearing of clothing or hairstyles deemed "unisex" (for example, women wearing pants, or men wearing long hair or certain jewelry).
  • Advocating a traditional paternalistic lifestyle - a family based around what is seen Biblically: the husband is the head of the home, the wife subject to her husband only, et cetera.
  • Shunning of ceremonial worship trappings which might dissipate spiritual focus such as choir robes, pastoral vestments and decorations in the place of worship. Some fundamentalist churches intentionally meet in buildings virtually devoid of decor or significant architectural elements in order to encourage attendees to focus, instead, on what is happening in the building.
  • Home schooling or church schooling is encouraged to ensure children are protected from the corrupting characteristics of public or private schools and other secular organizations. In particular, separate education is intended to protect children from drug and alcohol use, gang violence, underage sex and pregnancy, and the teaching of ideas which are deemed to challenge the Bible's teachings such as the theory of evolution, certain aspects of sex education, abortion and the acceptance or tolerance of non-traditional sexual preference, value system, religion, etc.

Services

Most IFB churches hold three weekly services: on Sunday morning (usually 11:00 am), on Sunday evening (usually 6:00 pm), and on Wednesday evening (usually 7:00 or 7:30 pm . Church members typically attend all three services weekly. In addition, there is typically a Sunday School taught an hour before the Sunday morning service (which is usually held for different age groups, and is a time of Bible teaching for both adults and children, as opposed to the "Sunday School" of other denominations which is only for young children).

Because they are independent, IFB church services do not follow a standardized procedure. Services often last for 1 to 2 hours, and may go as follows:

  • SUNDAY SCHOOL
    • A lively piano prelude precedes the service and indicates the service is about to start. The prelude may also indicate the first song to be sung.
    • The music leader will come to the pulpit and call the room to order and call out a hymn number; the congregation stands and sings the indicated hymn to open the service. The hymnal typically contains both older hymns and newer (that is, as "new" as the early 1900's) gospel songs, written for singers in four-part harmony. The hymns are accompanied by a pianist in an improvisational style. Congregational singing in larger IFB churches may also be accompanied by an organ, additional pianist, or even an orchestra.
    • After the opening song, the congregation is led in prayer.
    • Church announcements may follow, and prayer requests may be shared.
    • After another prayer, the people divide up into their classes for Sunday School. (Another method is that the adults and/or children simply begin the day in their own Sunday School classrooms. There is no assembly before the Sunday School hour, only afterwards for the morning service)
    • A period of Bible teaching follows, after which the congregation regathers in the sanctuary for the morning service.
  • SERVICES
    • There is a hymn song by the congregation, led by the song leader.
    • Following the song is prayer for the service. (Or this could come before the songs)
    • Another song is sung, followed by special music, choir singing, and announcements.
    • The ushers come forward with offering plates. A prayer is said for the offering. Offering plates are passed through the congregation by the ushers while music is played by the pianist or other musical group.
    • Another congregational hymn may follow.
    • Sometimes, there has been a song especially chosen to help the congregation prepare their minds and hearts for the preaching ahead. Then, either the church choir, a soloist, duet, trio—however many there are, will come and sing the special song that was chosen.
  • PREACHING PART
    • The preacher steps to the pulpit, and (in some IFB churches) asks everyone to stand in reverence to the Word of God while opening their Bibles to a given passage, which he reads out loud (or has the congregation read with him).
    • The preacher may say a prayer thanking God for the Bible passage just read, asking for His blessing on the upcoming sermon. Then the congregation sits down.
    • The preacher preaches a sermon based upon the subject or Bible passage he previously recited.
    • The preacher says a prayer thanking God for the sermon just given, and for the church service.
    • An "invitation" (also known as an "altar call") is given. The church members stand with their heads bowed and eyes closed, while an invitational hymn is played softly in the background. The preacher gives an invitation to anyone sitting in the church who is not saved, to come kneel on the altar and ask Jesus to save them. The invitation is also for anyone else who desires to come to the altar, to pray to God regarding anything that has convicted them, concerned them, or any reason at all. If someone comes, the pianist and organist will continue to play for as long as the person stays at the altar, which often can be emotional and takes a few minutes (although some have lasted hours, depending on how the Holy Spirit moves in the service).
    • The preacher (or his assistant) gives any reminder announcements (such as for an upcoming church function), thanks the congregants for coming out, and dismisses the congregation.

Unlike in other denominations and northern churches, congregants are vocal during IFB services and participate in them. In other denominations and most northern churches, the congregants sit still and silently during the sermon; in IFB churches, as is common in the South, congregants randomly yell out "Amen!","That's right, Preacher!", "Yeah!", "Says the Bible!", "Come on!", "He's right!", "A-men!", "Preach!", "Preach it, Brother!", and "Mmm!" during the sermon when the Preacher says something which resonates with them particularly strongly. Also, congregants even call out "A-men!" or raise a hand during a hymn or song when the lyrics say something which resonates with them particularly strongly.

Other information

IFB churches tend to be very committed to mission work, revival meetings, and local evangelism (A.K.A - Soul Winning). Frequent methods are door-to-door canvassing, distribution of Bible tracts, operating Christian radio stations such as the Fundamental Broadcasting Network (which is not seen by all to be truly fundamental), operating a Christian school, and encouraging members to become involved in local politics and school boards.

Traditional gender roles in church management are observed, women are not traditionally allowed to teach young men over the age of 12 or 13. All preachers, deacons, and ministry leaders are male. This observance is due to the Bible's standards of conduct for church offices: I Timothy 3. After all, since one of the qualifications for a pastor/deacon is to be the husband of one wife, it is impossible for a woman to do this. Apropos, The woman is qualified for other very important positions in the church, but not the office of a pastor or deacon.

Nomenclature

Not all churches which fall into the IFB category choose to self-identify using the term "Independent Fundamental Baptist". Some use other terms like "Bible-believing", while others simply call themselves "Baptist", "Bible Baptist", "Missionary Baptist", or simply "Christian," though no churches that drop the name "Baptist" are truly Independent Fundamental Baptist churches, since they have abandoned at least one of the qualifications for being an IFB church -- Fundamentalism. You see, one of the essential qualities of true fundamentalism is to remain true to one's doctrine and beliefs, even at the cost of perhaps offending a person by one's church name. A true fundamentalist would not change a church's name simply to reel in more people or to prevent people from being offended.

It should be noted that there is no difference between the meaning of the terms "fundamental" and "fundamentalist"; save that fundamentalist Christians typically self-identify using the term "fundamental".

Organizations and Associations

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