Southern Baptist vs. Independent Baptist

[SavannahSage]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but my head spins when I read some of these complicated responses. Can someone (in plain English) tell me the differences between the Southern Baptist church and Independent-Fundamental. I've seen superficial differences (more formality in the latter). I live in Florida and we have several of the two different types on practically every corner. I can call the individual churches, but this is easier.

[Melly Monster]

The difference between an Independent Baptist and the Southern Baptist is that the Independent Baptist sends missionarie by the authority of the church while the SB has the convention as the sending agency to direct the missionary.

[SavannahSage]

Is that the only difference? I always thought that Independent Baptist churches were more formal in worship.

[Melly Monster]

Thats the only differance I really know, I was a member of both, and really I can't tell ya what the other differances are.

[Koontzy]

Alot of Independant baptists are KJV only... which means they believe the KJV is the only version to use....

Independants are more old school worship... hyms....women dont preach, women dont cut their hair short, women wear dresses/...

SBC has went downhill and got into the worldy views...contemporary music... .allowing women to preach, ect....... I even heard the new head of the SBC is a calvinist....

[eternalworship]

...........

[MagnusEmboden]

I even heard the new head of the SBC is a calvinist....



Perish the thought!

The current president of the SBC, Frank Page, is not a Calvinist but there has been some talk of running Al Mohler (Dean of Southern baptist Seminary) as a Vice-President. And he is, definitely, a Calvinist.

(And a superb preacher, expositor and commentator, by the way.)

The SBC is, probably, confessionally, about 65% at least moderately Calvinist when compared with the General Baptists or the Free Will Baptists.

The great irony is that, by all accounts, the Southern Baptist Convention and indeed the vast majority of Baptists prior to the twentieth Century held at least four points out of five of TULIP.

[rainbowpromises]

I belong to an Independant Baptist.

Our supported missionaries are part of a missionary board that is separate from our church. Looking on the SBC convention site, I don't see a difference there.

We are not KJV only. I have short hair. Some women wear dresses, some wear jeans. Even one of our deacons comes from work on Sunday morning in jeans. We all like the hymns but are working on learning a few contemporary songs.
Reading the FAQs at the SBC Convention site leads me to believe that is not any different either.

When it comes to any type of Baptist, I don't believe you can just go on the name. Check it out and weigh it against Scripture.

[SavannahSage]

Thanks for the responses. It is certainly what I thought. I would never fit in at an Independent Baptist church. I like the NIV and contemporary music, among other things.

[rainbowpromises]

Thanks for the responses. It is certainly what I thought. I would never fit in at an Independent Baptist church. I like the NIV and contemporary music, among other things.

Ok, I will be a little more clear on my answer.

I belong to an Independant Baptist Church. I personally do not use NIV but several people in my church do.
(In my previous post I said we are NOT KJV only.)

I listen to PRAISE 106.5 daily. This is contemporary music only. (In my previous post I said that our church is working on learning contemporary songs.)

Having defended myself, I would agree that I would not fit into the Independant Baptist in the next town over.

[ImmersionX]

The only difference organizationally between the 2 is that Independent Baptist churches are just that....Independent of any associational ties.

Now there are MANY differences between a lot of Baptist churches, even within the SBC, BUT the tenents of calling the churches in essence "Baptist" are very much the same.

peace.