Independent Baptists

[9Rock9]

What can you tell me about Independent Baptists?

They are stereotyped as fundamentalist, very strict and KJV-only, but I am wondering how personal experience differs from the stereotype?

How do they differ from Southern Baptists?

 

[actionsub]

With the current rise of non-denominational evangelical churches that are Baptist in everything but name, there's independent Baptists and there's Independent Baptists (TM).
The latter are doctrinally similar to Southern Baptists as they were in the 1960s and 1970s, except they in practice are much more fundamentalist and separatist. Comic/singer Mark Lowry's routines about "King James Only-Git a Haircut!" come from his upbringing in IFB churches...and is somewhat accurate from what I've experienced in my encounters with IFB's in two different locations.

OTOH, the church we've been visiting is Southern Baptist in teaching and practice, but it's independent in the sense that they are unaffiliated with any denomination. I suspect this has to do with the church's origins coming from a split in a nearby SBC church over pastor selection. The pastor of the new church was the associate pastor of the church that split. When a former pastor had resigned/retired, a number of the people were wanting the associate to move up to senior pastor. However, some of the powers that be decided to hire from outside and get a different senior pastor, at which point the associate and his partisans went off and formed the new church.

 

[FenderTL5]

I grew up in the Independent Baptist Church.
It had (has) a hybrid of fundamental Baptist/protestant thought, mostly Arminian but contains elements of Calvin, not Charismatic but some congregations have lively worship.
KJV Only, haircuts, women couldn't wear pants/slacks to church functions (away from church was a different story), rock-n-roll is evil etc.
I read all of the Jack Chick materials there as well as the Trail of Blood. The church I was in seemed obsessed with end times theology, predictions and guesses. That may or may not be consistent among congregtions.
As example, when I first started attending an Orthodox Church the first question my mom asked was, "What do they believe about the rapture?"

 

[65James]

I grew up in the Independent Baptist Church.
It had (has) a hybrid of fundamental Baptist/protestant thought, mostly Arminian but contains elements of Calvin, not Charismatic but some congregations have lively worship.
KJV Only, haircuts, women couldn't wear pants/slacks to church functions (away from church was a different story), rock-n-roll is evil etc.
I read all of the Jack Chick materials there as well as the Trail of Blood. The church I was in seemed obsessed with end times theology, predictions and guesses. That may or may not be consistent among congregtions.
As example, when I first started attending an Orthodox Church the first question my mom asked was, "What do they believe about the rapture?"

Had to like this as I been to many IFBC not one was in anyway Arminian. All were strongly OSAS. But really understand the Rapture question. Would have loved visiting that place.

 

[FenderTL5]

Had to like this as I been to many IFBC not one was in anyway Arminian. All were strongly OSAS. But really understand the Rapture question. Would have loved visiting that place.

What I referred to by Arminian was the congregationalist concept of "whosoever will" as opposed to the double predestination of Calvin.
However, I do agree with you on the OSAS.. but that's not necessarily Calvin's Perserverance of the Saints.. albeit a likely derivative.

said a different way referencing TULIP, the IFBC I grew up in would have accepted the T (but so did Arminius) but rejected the U, L, and I. The P would be replaced by OSAS (which is similar but not the same).

 

[65James]

What I referred to by Arminian was the congregationalist concept of "whosoever will" as opposed to the double predestination of Calvin.
However, I do agree with you on the OSAS.. but that's not necessarily Calvin's Perserverance of the Saints.. albeit a likely derivative.

said a different way referencing TULIP, the IFBC I grew up in would have accepted the T (but so did Arminius) but rejected the U, L, and I. The P would be replaced by OSAS (which is similar but not the same).

Thanks for clarifying that sounds about right. Apologize about misreading your post.

 

[FenderTL5]

Thanks for clarifying that sounds about right. Apologize about misreading your post.

No need to apologize, it's all good. A different pastor/preacher/congregation could vary from my experience, since they were independent.

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

What can you tell me about Independent Baptists?

They are stereotyped as fundamentalist, very strict and KJV-only, but I am wondering how personal experience differs from the stereotype?

How do they differ from Southern Baptists?

I don't listen to stereotypes, though those descriptions may fit, in a positive way. I have attended a couple I.B. churches, and heard preachers who come through for revivals from other states. It's all good. I especially feel the "very strict" aspect is really pointing to the preaching of holiness and sanctification: to separate from sin and the world, to crucify the flesh, and live in the Spirit, in Christ.