Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches??

In my view these practices will end up being the tip of their legalistic iceberg. Many churches will only allow members to do certain things such as teach, but I have never heard of one who would not allow you to come to Bible study. Be careful
Murph

 

I agree with C.S., you may be in for more than you think. Legalism usually rules in these type of churches.

 

I can understand some of what these folks are doing as far as teaching and chior goes. They are trying to insure purity of doctrine I think. But the one thing I do not agree with or understand is not allowing you to atten the Bible study. Wish I had an answer.

 

It would seem that they would want you to attend the Bible study so that you could make sure of what they are all about. I have attended my church for years and not been a member. I even serve on some commitees!(sp?) When I was told that I was not a member because I had been baptised and joined at another church I promptly joined, but I was certainly not forced to.

Some believe that you are not saved unless you are a member of the church! The body of Christ. While you are not saved if you are not part of the body of Christ, it has nothing to do with joining a church. Getting saved makes one a member of the one true church.

G

 

Church membership is important for a number of reasons. Accountability, commitment, fellowship, obedience, all come immediately to mind. Why wouldn't you want to be a member of a church?

 

What G is alluding to, and what Ms. Ekie is describing, is known in some circles as "bridism" or "Briders."

These are dangerous, because ultimately what they teach is that if you're not a member of THEIR church, then you're in danger of not going to heaven. They equate the body of Christ with their church membership only.

It's not limited to Baptists, but it's not foreign to us either.

I suggest, Ms. Ekie, that you and your family invite the pastor over and ask some pointed questions. Such as, if you've already been baptized, why does he feel you need to be baptized again? If for some reason you had to leave the area, does he believe you would need to be baptized in the next church you became members of? etc., etc.

 

Thank you Don, that is what I meant.

 

Sounds like you may want to keep looking. I think as usual Don nailed it right on the head.

Did the pastor give any reasons why he didn't consider your Baptisim valid, other than not in an IFB chruch. For instance I was Baptised in my IFB chruch because I had been baptised as an infant in the catholic church. As we are all aware Baptists do not believe in infant baptism. Was there some type of reason like that?

The not being able to join a Bible Study really bothers me. There is NO reason ANYONE should be excluded. If its a ladies study then all ladies should not only be allowed to attend, but they should be encouraged to attend.

May God Bless You and Your Husband.

Bill

 

I think your "prospective" Pastor is just being cautious. You may be able to say that you understood your baptism to be just an act of obedience and not a sacrement. The problem is, what if a couple comes from the Church of Christ? They just got saved and now want to join the church. The preacher tells them they need to get rebaptized and they point at you and say, "They didn't. Why should we?"

I think your Pastor is doing the right thing. It is not a legalistic thing. It is not a "Our church is better than your former one" thing. I feel he is just being safe.

Besides, if that is where you feel God wants you to be, why is there a problem getting baptized.

If you were baptized in a church that believes in baptismal regeneration, or believes that you're not saved if you have not been baptized, then it is not a New Testament church. That church does not have the authority to administer the ordinance of baptism.

My advice would be to sit down and talk to this man again. Even if you do not understand or even agree with him in this situation, God still placed him as under-shepherd over that local church. He must do what he thinks is right and biblical.

My vote goes to him on this one.

 

Yikes! I would RUN from a church that wants you to be "rebaptised". Baptism is obedience to GOD and has nothing to do with the specific church. Baptism is between you and God, not man! It is not who baptises you but your heart and attitude at the baptism. If it was about "who" baptises you then Jesus, who of course was perfect, was baptised by a sinner. In a "who baptises" perspective, Jesus' action would not make sense.
Obviously there is no perfect church, perfect pastor or perfect baptiser. That is ok, because it is an act to signify YOUR obedience to the Lord.

 

If you talked to him and gave testimony of your baptism and can identify the church and its doctrinal statement, then that should be sufficient. Most baptist churches accept baptism from churches of like faith and practice.

As for the Bible study and keeping nonmembers out, that, IMO, is simply wrong. I find that the most evangelistic thing we do is Bible study. That seems totally off the wall. I Would probably keep looking if the case is as you have presented it here.

 

I would almost bet that if you asked your Pastor if someone from a Christian Church, Church of Christ, Methodist, or any church other than Baptist needed to be rebaptised to join, he would say "yes."

 

My church is this way in that I had to be re-baptised into the Baptist Church because of the "Do not be unequally yoked" thing. They wanted to make sure that I was a "Like believer" And membership is required for any ministry involvement.

But, my church doesn't require membership for Bible study, Adult Bible Class attendance, or attendance to any fellowships...just ministry involvement. They want to make sure that anyone in a position of representing the church to non or new believers is aligned with the church doctrines.

Some churches are strict, some are lenient... I would ask "why?", of someone who is in authority at your church to get a real answer as to their reasons for this policy. And base your decisions on that knowledge rather than the speculation of all of us "well-meaners" here.

 

I'd agree with Pastor Bob on this one, too. A New Testament church is one that believes in the fundamentals of the faith. Pastor Bob is correct to say that the authority of the church is an important point. Baptists believe in two *ordinances*, not sacraments -- which a sacrament is a means of grace. Let's say you were baptized, by immersion, in an Assemblies of God church (for example), then we can agree that you were baptized scripturally-- so long as that Assemblies of God church also believes in the fundamentals of the faith-- especially salvation by grace through faith. Based on that, you can be accepted as a member by letter from another church, although not Baptist by name, but by one that is 'of like faith and manner'. Many churches out there don't perform water baptism nor believe in salvation by grace through faith, and therefore are not NT churches.

My question to you is: were you baptized by immersion after you trusted Christ? If your previous church didn't baptize you by immersion (or, if you have never been baptized by immersion in water), then you should accept this pastor's recommendation to be baptized scripturally.

Although Pastor Bob didn't bring this up, I think that membership is important, but you should not be obligated to 'join the choir' or teach Sunday school, or any other leadership function. You should be supportive of the church's functions and ministry, and attend faithfully the worship times.

One thing that does concern me is that they are not allowing you to attend a Women's bible study time. This is a problem, but I think that the pastor here is trying to 'coerce' you to join the church. I don't think this is a good thing for him to do, although he is probably protecting the flock that he has been given charge over. Sometimes people who attend Bible studies, and are not members, end up trying to 'take over' the Bible study for ungodly gain. Such protective moves by the pastor keeps people out who are trying to corrupt the church.

Do ask the pastor questions, but make sure that they aren't a church that is trying to be manipulative or controlling of its members. There are some IFB churches that are 'sanctificationally legalistic' and don't allow the Holy Spirit to guide each believer into truth.

 

I agree with the above post and would like to add to this thought. We need to give the Pastor the benefit of the doubt. He may have been "burned" by non-members attending Bible Studies. That may have initiated the policy requiring membership to attend Bible Studies.

Membership is very important in that it promotes unity. It gives you a voice in church business. It places you under God's ordained authority and protection.

Although I never "coerce" people into joining, I strongly recommend it.

 

I was saved in a IFB (GARBC) church from a Methodist background and my wife ws Lutheran. Technically, we were not rebaptized because we had never been scripturally baptized. That is the only reason why any IFB I know would require a baptism. We usually accept people into membership by letter if the folks came from a church of like faith and doctrine. Inter-denominational does not say much and it could be a good one or a messed up one so the pastor may have some concerns as to your doctrinal stand. You want people of like mind in your positions of leadership or service hence members who have somehow declared to the congreagation and the leadership that they are of the same doctrine. Different churches have different methods for this. As to attending anything in the church outside of deacon meetings I have never known a church to require membership for that. A visitor or non-member can even stay for a business meeting, but they cannot vote. That is another reason for membership. If you did not have that rule anyone could go out in the neighborhood and bring in a bunch of folks to vote out the pastor or even move to close the church. So, only members vote and usually onl active members. How that is defined varies as well.

For everyone to suddenly jump on this church as a legalistic one with a power mad pastor is a bit of an overkill don't you think? We have not heard the pastor's side and for a person that is new to the whole thing the lady may just have a misunderstanding or not conveying the situation in language we like to hear.

I know there are some like that out there, but before we burn them at the stake and run off a potential member we might need to hear more or someone to get the pastor's number and call him.

 

Plus,if this lady leaves and then tells the whole town that the Baptists online said that church is nuts we have hurt the entire ministry and maybe falsely accused that congregation and aided the enemy.