You ever get that look when you tell someone you are a Baptist? Especially if you say you're an Independent Fundamental Baptist.

I've heard people even with in my church say, "Being a Baptist isn't really that important". :

I've watched as Independent Baptist Churches take 'Baptist' out of their name. :


If you were asked could you explain why you are a Baptist?

I'd like some input on this, so I ask you, Why are you a Baptist?

I am Baptist, because I believe it still represents a set of beliefs based solely upon the word of God. If that no longer becomes true because of apostacy then maybe I would change.

I am independent Baptist because I believe that is the example and model set forth in the Bible. Independent, autonomous churches, having no higher authority than God and His word.

We still have "Fundamental" on our church sign, but that designation is the one most in danger of being taken off because of the extremely negative conotation the media has given to the term "fundamentalists". Every wacko out there, or extreme act by ANY religious organization not just Christian, or group is labled as being caused by "fundamentalists".

Bro Garry

Yeah, it is funny how someone can follow the fundamentals of law, sports, teaching, etc. and it is a good thing.

As soon as you say you hold to the fundamentals of the New Testament, then you're a wacko.

Our sign just has 'Victory Baptist Church', but I wish it did include 'Independent Fundamental'.

Yep. Our church name is also Victory Baptist Church, and we do have "Independent, Fundamental" on our sign. To many of the locals, that puts us just one step away from drinking poisoned laced kool-aid or having the FBI storm our "compound".

Bro Garry

I am a Baptist because I was baptized by a Baptist Church and am in good standing with a Baptist church and their doctrines. I believe it is important to be a Baptist because Jesus was baptized by the first Baptist. Our church is ALSO called Victory Baptist Church and we are independent in polity and government but I would NEVER put "Fundamental" in our title and even though I believe in the Fundamentals as they were defined, I no longer refer to myself as a Fundamentalist because Fundamentalism is historically Protestant and Eccumenical. Fundamentalism (in its true historical and doctrinal sense) was actually the tool used by Satan to get Baptist Churches to drop "Baptist" from their signs. Fundamentalism has done more harm than good. This is very foreign to our "movement" but being Baptist isn't a movement, it is Biblical. Check out my blog for an article about this issue before you reply to (at least) my reply.

iowa, if you will look at the image below, you should consider that some of us here may not appreciate that statement about what we stand firm on being a tool used by Satan.





Thanks, LD

Sometimes truth is offensive. I understand where you are coming from but did you even read my article that I mentioned, about this issue? I don't know everything there is to know. DO YOU? You might learn something. I know I have about "Fundamentalism". AND, I have never tried to defend my position based upon a website logo.

According to Webster, the word Fundamental means: FUNDAMENT'AL, n. A leading or primary principle, rule, law or article, which serves as the ground work of a system; essential part; as the fundamentals of the christian faith.

It's a shame that your view of this word has been perverted by mainstream Christianity or our society. This was Webster's definition over 175 years ago and this is still what I believe in. I believe in the fundamentals of the Christian faith as taught in the perfectly preserved and inspired King James Bible. With as many different stripes of compromising Baptists out there, I want to be known as the one that holds to the fundamentals of the faith. Independent Baptist simply means that we are not a member of an organization such as the SBC but it does not associate me with the doctrines and standards that I believe in. Independent Fundamental Baptist does. Because the Bible clearly teaches the autonomy of the local church (Independent) and to stand for the truths that are contained in the Word of God and not to change those truths as society changes (fundamental).

Again, I'm very sorry that your perspective on this word has been destroyed through the liberal mainstream Christianity and the wicked world.

Sometimes truth is offensive. I understand where you are coming from but did you even read my article that I mentioned, about this issue? I don't know everything there is to know. DO YOU? You might learn something. I know I have about "Fundamentalism". AND, I have never tried to defend my position based upon a website logo.

With all due respect brother, as far as truth being offensive, you are correct. It sometimes can be. Not in this case, because the truth you are speaking of is your opinion.

As far as reading articles about this subject, been there done that, have the T-shirt. I've been around the block a time or two on this. My position hasn't changed. For the last couple thousand years people calling themselves Christian have done unspeakable evil. Should we stop calling ourselves Christian?

Do I know everything? Nope.

You are using the word "Fundamentalism" in a different way than we are when we say we are Fundamental. Then you label those of those who stand firm on being Independent Fundamental Baptist as tools of Satan. I'm just saying, that's what I got from your post.

Trying to defend my position using a website logo? Are you kidding me? That logo was to remind you of just exactly what community you have joined as a member. In fact, I wasn't trying to defend my position at all with my post or your so called "logo defense". I was trying to get across to you that the people that built and own this site are Fundamental Baptists.



Thank you,
LD

I would think that you would know the difference between a dictionary definition of a word and the historical name of a movement using that word. It is kind of like the difference between the dictionary word "smith" and the historical name of "Smith" to indentify a certain group (a family). It's great that we believe the fundamentals taught in scripture but the term "Fundamentalism" is referring to a movement whether you know it or not. By the way, "Christian" is a Biblical term so we should use it regardless of its abuse thru time - but Fundamentalist is not a Biblical term. It has become a golden calf that is held higher in esteem than "Baptist". For example, if they were alive today, would you let a pedobaptist Presbyterian like Billy Sunday preach in your pulpit or a Calvinistic Baptist like Spurgeon? (I am not a Calvinist - I go soulwinning) As far as me using Fundamentalism in a different way than you are, let me just say that you are ignorant of how it has been used among Baptists. I'm sure you have the right intentions but historically in Fundamentalism, Protestants such as Moody, Sunday, Wesley, Finney and Torrey have been lifted up as heroes of the faith. Most of them were postmillenial baby baptizers. I am not trying to be mean but we really need to know why we have inherited the name "Fundamentalist". My eyes were first opened to this when I read "The Coming Destruction of the Baptist People" by Jim Beller. I fear that because you have been around the block a few times that you think that there is nothing more to learn. We must be willing to change our position if our position is wrong.

I am grieved that many are honestly ignorant of Historically Eccumenical Fundamentalism. "Baptist" is good enough for me. Here is a link to my article on this subject: http://baptistbyconviction.wordpress.co ... r-baptist/