This happens to be one of the best descriptions of problems occuring on both sides.I don't think anyone has said that. If you don't like being a part of a movement that is known by many thousands of people to be a safe haven for legalism and ignorance then find a another movement.
The fact is that there are no doubt very good churches in the IFB movement. But the fact of the matter is also that there are also very many legalistic, backwards churches led by uneducated pastors and filled with self-righteous congregants.
We SBC folks have a similar problem. There are many thousands of liberals in our ranks. Many deny the infallibility of the Scriptures. Many thousands more are man-centered, ego petting, shallow entertainment centers rather than churches.
Many IFBers see this and paint us all with a broad brush. But the fact is that there are also many thousands more SBCers who are orthodox and evangelical.
If it gets so bad that I don't want to be identified with man-centered ministries or liberals then I need to find another movement and stop whining about the criticisms I receive for the faults that truly do abide within my own movement.
I have left an IFB due to beliefs that are just not Biblical; rather, they are manmade by the pastor. At first, I thought I could ignore the issues and worship God, but each week I would leave the church with a depression that I had not experienced before in any SBC church and most of the SBC churches in our area are fairly conservative. Our biggest problem is a number of small churches in surrounding towns lack educated pastors.
Be careful and start by looking at their statement-of-faith and if there is any man-made item listed, question the pastor as to why it is on the statement before joining. I was enough of a dummy not to pay attention to NUMBER ONE: THE KJB1611 IS GOD'S WORD TO MODERN MAN AND CORRECTS ALL OTHER MANUSCRIPTS OLD AND NEW. GOD CHOSE TO USE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TO PROVIDE US WITH THE PERFECT WORDS, GRAMMAR, SPELLING and PUNCTUATION.
If I had been paying attention I would have read this as a number one RED FLAG. Because this is preached in every sermon at least twice. Since I have about 15 versions stacked by my bed that I use depending on the mood I am in, then that pastor would have booted me out if I had told him. (Legalism)
Not found in the State-of-faith is that women are to wear dresses and men suits and ties. He doesn't push the men so hard because when I left work on Wednesday nights I usually came with the clothes I wear at work and I don't wear a tie to work and often have to wear special boots depending on which buildings I have to check on during the day.
After I quit going to the church and let my daughter and her family know I wasn't coming back it was almost as if the depression lifted immediately. Of course, I'm sure that my daughter won't tell me, but the church has no doubt already kicked me out at the preacher's "order" (no voting) because I have gone back to my liberal ways; in other words a SBC.
There is another sad situation I see among many IFB and that is their missionaries have to spend half of their year going to different churches and pitching for money. The church I was at will accept a missionary if they fit all their rules such as KJB, etc. and give them $100 for 2 years and a 3rd year if they are showing growth. I was expected to make my tithe and a committment for missionaries and they must be marked seperately so they don't go into the wrong fund.
The pastor is sincere, no doubt, but in many ways: wrong!