Atmore Baptist Temple is an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church
The name Independent Fundamental Baptist is of recent origin. The words “Independent” and “Fundamental” have been added by Baptist churches after the use of the name Baptist failed to fully identify what they believed. The name Baptist is used by many churches who are not fundamental in their beliefs. Many “Baptist” churches were in the past founded on the doctrinal teachings of the New Testament. Some of them, however, have, over the years, drifted away from numerous teachings of the Scriptures. Some of these churches have gone so far as to deny the fundamental teachings of the Bible, such as the deity of Christ, the virgin birth and salvation by the Grace of God, through faith. These churches still call themselves “Baptist,” but, in fact, do not believe or practice what true Baptists have historically believed. While these “Baptist” churches were drifting away from their doctrinal moorings, there were many Baptists who loved the Word of God and held true to it and refused to abandon the teaching of the New Testament. In order to distinguish between the doctrinally unsound Baptist churches and those that believed the Bible, many Baptist churches changed their name. These true Baptists added the adjectives Fundamental and Independent to their name in order that they not be identified with the false practices and teaching of the doctrinally unsound churches using the Baptist name.
The word “Independent” means that the church is not a member of any council or convention, nor is a part of any hierarchy outside the local congregation. An Independent Baptist Church would not be apart of a national Baptist organization such as the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Baptist, or other Baptist organization that would exercise authority over the local church. Rather, the name “independent” means that the church patterns itself after the New Testament example and stands alone under the authority of the Bible. Independent churches have no organized institution over them in authority. They direct their own affairs under the authority of the New Testament Scriptures, free from outside interference. The New Testament teaches that Christ is the head of the church,(Eph. 5:23) and the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). The local pastor is the under-shepherd (Heb. 13:17, Acts 20:28, Eph. 4:11) or leader of the congregation. The Independent Baptist church has a congregational form of government with each member having the right of the vote and the local congregation, following the guidelines of the New Testament, conducts all the affairs of the churches.
Independent Fundamental Baptist churches have fellowship one with the other and often cooperate in such things as evangelism. They, however, will only fellowship or cooperate in joint meetings with churches of like belief. They will not participate, on a church basis, in any outside function with churches which do not also strictly base their faith and practice on the New Testament. They will not participate in joint meetings or evangelistic endeavors with doctrinally unsound church groups who do not hold to the fundamental teachings of the New Testament. Fundamental Independent Baptists church will remain separate from these churches as well as other Baptists groups who do participate with unscriptural churches. They practice the Biblical teachings of separation as stated in Ephesians 5:11, which says, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” The Independent Baptist believes that to join with churches who teach and practice false doctrine is condone and even show approval of Biblical error and that all doctrinal error is sin.
The officers of the local church are pastors and deacons. (I Tim. 3:1-16) The pastor of the church is called by majority vote of the congregation. Men meeting the Biblical qualification of deacons (I Tim. 3:8-13) are appointed from the local congregation and approved by the majority vote. Many Baptist churches have Trustees, but their position was established in order to have legal “signatories” to sign the legal documents of the church. Neither Deacons nor Trustees constitute a governing body or a “board,” but are titles of special appointed servants who service and are subject the will of the pastor and congregation.
The word “Fundamental” means that the Baptist church uses the Bible as its sole authority for faith (doctrine) and practice. In recent years the news media has labeled doctrinally unsound churches as “fundamentalists.” Even some TV evangelists have referred to themselves as being “fundamentalist.” But they should not be confused with Fundamental Baptists. They are in fact worlds apart. Fundamental Baptist use the name in its strictest sense as meaning the holding to the fundamentals of the New Testament teachings without error. True Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches uphold the purest teachings of the early church as revealed in the New Testament.
Adapted from an article by Cooper P. Abrams, III entitled A Brief Survey Of Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches: What They are and What is Their History. To read the article in its entirety, log on to http://www.bible-truth.org/fundbapt.htm.
