I link to this article , “Welcome To The Church Barbeque” and I am reminded of the past 38 years I have spent in the IFB movement. I firmly believe that the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement has done more harm in the past 100 years than it has good. It is exponentially greater in error and legalist traditionalism than Galatia ever approached. The clergy/laity approach to the way church is performed is unbiblical and creates the passive pew-Christian that is unable to exercise the Gifts God has given regarding the preisthood of every believer. The local Pope attitude of the hired professional, full-time, “man of God” has created a cult practice that has more to do with the personality of the man behind the pulpit than it does with God and His word. Churches define themselves not by the Word of God, and the Biblical mandates found in Scripture but by the personality, and the dictates of the “self-anointed” man of God who tells the passive pew dwellers what to think, how to think, and is considered a good preacher if he can stir their emotions and make them feel something, or manufacture the presence of God so they have an experience to get them to the next meeting. Just like junkies in search of their next fix the IFB crowd is in serach of their next “sweet spirit” experience, looking for the ultimate religious high, the Revival!
In the article Bruce states, “In Independent Baptist Churches the pastor is god. He is the law. What he says goes. The Church CAN fire him but it often very hard to do. After all, in many cases the pastor started the Church. He often has a following no matter what he says or does.
When the pastor stands up and preaches whatever he says he taken to be the gospel. A good Church member hates what the pastor hates and loves what the pastor loves. To go against the pastor usually meant you were looking for another Church to attend.”
I can say that (3) three of the (4) four “pastors” I have sat under the past 38 years are defined by that statement. And they had egos to to match their delusions of godhood. At the very least they considered themselves to be no less than the Pope. If you did not agree with them then you were ran off in suble ways (multiple messages preached explicitly at you, just like Bruce’s examples) and sometimes not so subltle outright public confrontations where the Pope-ette’s word was final. Even to manipulating and entire congregation to support the “man of god” and publically declare their love and support for him, even when he knows that he has committed a crime and is facing conviction. In this case “the man of god” manipulated the entire local IFB area-wide system of “pastors” and churches to come together in support of this poor martyr and show the local authorities how much he was loved and supported. (I have no doubt this influenced a plea deal that kept him out of jail at that time.)
I have watched several generations of young people become disillusioned with “church” and God then completely abandon the church after they get old enough to make their own decisions. They have seen the shallowness of the religion that the IFB practices. God may be preached hot and heavy but the hypocracy that is found in the IFB movement is untenable. The movement has nothing once you get past the facade of “faith.” The IFB battle cry is, “all you need is faith.” There is no need to go to school and learn anything more than is necessary to get you to seminary, to the mission field, or to teach in a Christian school. Seminary is actually frowned on in the IFB circles because no-one wants the preacher to be too smart… if he is then he must not be a good preacher since he is not in the class of Acts 4:13.
Yes, faith is the litmus test of the good IFB prosolyte and Anti-intellectualism is considered godly. If you think too much then you loose your blind faith and that is a mainstay of the IFB movement….blind, unquestioning faith. The “man of god” requires loyality from his flock and demands it from the pulpit. To question the “man of god” is to attack, come against the “Lord’s anointed. (of course this would mean that the “man of God” is either a king of Israel or Christ himself) Don’t raise your hand against the “lord’s anointed” or you will be cursed… and yes I have actually heard visiting IFB evangelists refer to the local “pastor” as the Lord’s anointed when they come in to hold “revival” (remember what I said above regarding “revival.”) services and set the congregation straight on who is to be the boss around the church.
Well I’ll leave off here for now. Again this is a De-Construction article I am not offering solutions at this point. I am in the process of de-constructing 38 years of traditionalism that has been paraded as good preaching and ligitimate Christian faith. It is neither. I believe there are good well meaning people who sincerely love God in this movement. I also believe these same people are brainwashed to not think for themselves and blindly follow the leader who himself has been programmed by the movement. I also believe that the way the system is arranged, the unaccountable, business model way of practicing “church” corrupts even the best of men. Like I said, I am not offering solutions at this point I am deconstructing all the garbage that has been built up as an edifice to IFB style of churchainty.
I’m not going to go into what all the IFB did to me other than to say 28 years later I’m still not over it all.
You can read about it here:
http://clarkword.com/blogs/?p=6
I belong to a group of survivors from the IFB homes called New Bethany that were in Louisiana and South Carolina.
Google New Bethany Boys Home, New Bethany Girls Home, Mack Ford
There are plenty of stories like mine, stories that can be backed up by other victims. And in my case by the ex wife of the director of the home I was at. Even though she was one of the ones guilty for the physical, mental, & spiritual abuse that we suffered she is willing to admit her wrongs and ask forgiveness.
The rest of them well they did nothing wrong and we’re all a bunch of liars. I’m sure God has a special place for them it’s just not going to be what they expected. They drove a lot of us away from God while claiming what they did was in the name of God and some of them did it for 30 years or so.
Luke 17:2
It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Romans 12:19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Those 2 verses give me comfort in knowing that justice may not come here on earth in my life. But it is coming for those who did evil in God’s name. They cannot escape it.
Here is an AP article on the history of New Bethany:
http://www.whtg.org/media/nb_history.htm
New York Times Article:
Click to access NYTimes1.pdf
Click to access NYTimes3.pdf
Texas Newspaper article:
Abused In the Name of God:
If you were raised or have been impacted by IFBs, you’ll appreciate this book: Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep: The Story of Sara (Tate 2008).
This true “hell to healing” life story attests to the devastating and debilitating mental, emotional, and spiritual impact of being raised by / in IFBs, and proves who God truly is and can be in our lives.
This important book is available through all major bookstores and on-line book retailers. Signed copies to individuals personally are available, with web discount, at http://www.sara-ministry.com
The Sara Ministry is a non-denominational, non-profit 501(c)3 ministry, rooted in the WHOLE TRUTHS of the Word and dedicated to God’s ISAIAH 61 mandate.
THE SARA MINISTRY is for ALL women of all ages and stages of life, dedicated to emotional and spiritual recovery, support, encouragement, growth, and development – no matter the life issues or circumstances, past or present. “TAKING WOMEN FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING,” renewing, restoring women to be ALL God originally created us to be as unique, empowered women of God and faith.
Blessings to you all….
Jen a.k.a. ‘Sara’
[…] More De-Construction: A First Hand Account of IFB Damage February 2010 2 comments 4 […]
Forget IFB, this stuff applies to the overwhelming majority of the body of Christ in America and the West!
After 30+ years in church since childhood, I’ve come to the same impasse as you. I’m coming across many people who have the same inclinations as well.
What’s so sad is that MOST church-going folks actually are coming to the same conclusion but lack the courage to do something about it. I was kicked out of a church and other people there SAID they knew things weren’t handled right. Yet still, only 1 or 2 people said something to the pastor. The rest sat silently and let things happen.
I went to another church thinking things would be different. Same thing: craziness and turnover due to repeated conflicts with the pastor’s wife. Once again, EVERYBODY at the church knew things weren’t going well but no one was willing to say anything.
The only reasons we have pastor problems and a lazy laity is because of the laity. Church-goers are not willing to expend the personal capital to speak up. Most are willing to sit by and wait for someone else to do the hard things.
The longer I live, I’m convinced we the church have what we have because anything more would require serious change. We have what we have because that’s all we want.
I’m not sure most American Christians are serious enough to make change IN the church — which is why we have almost no impact OUTSIDE the church.
I don’t blame it on pastors anymore. The blame lies squarely with the folks!!!
@solaGod
I agree. It has become a “Programming” thing. We are not taught the priesthood of all believers any longer. We are taught to be sheep. And you are right it is because we are too lazy to study for ourselves and stand on truth.. so we let someone else do all the so called studying and we lean on them.