Growing up, I was a member of an independent Baptist church (meaning not a member of the Southern Baptist Convention) and our beliefs would have been described as fundamentalistic.
We believed in the inerrancy of the scriptures, the virgin birth, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His imminent return, etc. Our church also believed in being separatist in our fellowship and our behavour. So we were fundamentalists.
Our pastor was no hillbilly. He had an earned Ph.D and was very knowledgable about the Bible and other subjects. He started the first Christian school in our community, had a radio and television ministry and was instrumental in keeping our city and county "dry".
But one day, despite his convictions and "testimony", it was discovered that he had been having an affair with one of the deacon's wives. What happened next was swift and terminable. He was called before the deacon board and amid manly tears from the deacons, he was let go. Even though he was well respected both in our church and in our community, our deacons did not turn their heads the other way.
He had an affair because he lives in a body of flesh as do all preachers of all denominations and he simply gave in to a temptation that another man might not have given into.
That happened in 1975. By that time, there was an independent Baptist preacher on the scene named Jack Hyles. Not only did he have a large church in Hammond, Indiana, but by that time, he had a college, Hyles Anderson College. And for years, it was rumored that he had been having an affair with one of his deacon's wives. It was common knowledge. For years this went on. But unlike my own independent Baptist church, the deacons of this independent Baptist church did nothing but turn their heads the other way.
Then, it was discovered that his son had been having sexual relations with multiple women. And then, years later, after Hyles' death, his son-in-law, who had "inherited the family business" and was the pastor of the church, gave a very sexualized sermon where he imitated masterbation. The deacons sat there and did nothing. Later, it was discovered that he had been having sex with a minor and ultimately ended up in prison. But my point is that those in leadership at this independent Baptist church, did nothing about any of this over the years, in contrast to what those in leadership did at my own independent Baptist Church.
Not all independent Baptist Churches are the same. They are independent from one another - the difference being how they react to the Bible.
And because Hyles Anderson College was a "preacher boy" school, there were many men graduating from that school and unfortunately some of them, also, committed adultry in their own pastorates. Was it because they were "independent Baptists"? Only the naive and foolish would think so. No, it was because they live in bodies of flesh and their personal character was such that it was not strong enough to withstand their temptation. They faced the same temptations that priests in the Catholic Church face; that Lutheran and Church of Christ pastors face; that coaches in schools face and on and on. I can say that because there are other men in other pastorates who also have been tempted but they said no, living exemplary lives; some taking precautions to safeguard their reputations such as insisting on not being alone with a member of the opposite sex. Each man is different as each church and its reaction is different, such as my own church and this one.
I tell you this to say that I have no reason to be on the side of the "independent Baptist" except that it isn't fair or realistic to lump all decent, consistent and faithful independent Baptists with the ilk coming out of Hammond, Indiana. And, not all people graduating from that school would behave that way either. Each individual is different and while that church and school "looked the other way" as did many of its graduates, that doesn't mean that other independent Baptists in other places did - that time, or, would in the future. In fact, just the opposite happened: Independent Baptists from other "circles" did, in fact, NOT look the other way. One of the most respected publications (at the time) unaffiliated with these people did an expose on Hyles detaliing the horrible accusations. MY POINT: Not all independent Baptists are like the ones coming out of Hammond, Indiana NOR are they affiliated with them. And it's dishonest to say otherwise.
This post is a response to a post I read on Facebook by people, who in their disgust for that paricular church and school, have not only turned on "independent Baptists" in general but have turned on fundamentalism and yet, they claim to be "believers" (I don't understand how anyone can believe the things they say they do about the Bible and NOT be a fundamentalist):
I told you that I grew up in a fundamentalist church.
I did.
But as my adult years came so did my loss of faith. I realized that I did not believe the doctrines that I was taught as a child. Today, I would be described as an agnostic; an apostate.
I know in my heart, that I have absolutely no hatred of god(s) but I am no longer convinced of the "truths" that I believed as a child. I say that to say:
If I did believe in the inerrancy of the scriptures, I would realize that it either IS the holy word of god or it isn't. And if I felt that it WAS, I would act accordingly. Put up or shut up. If I did believe that there was really an angry god who one day would require me to stand in front of him and detail my entire life, I believe I wouldn't worry with being called a "legalist". Knowing that one day I was going to face a holy god, I would make every effort to dot every i and cross every t. And if I really did believe that I was going to stand before God Almighty, Himself, I would not be concerned with "grace" and how much I could get by with. I truly, truly don't understand the thinking of these people. It makes no sense to me.
Out of one side of their mouths they say that the Holy Spirit was given to us as a helper to help us understand the Bible and that the Bible was written to us as God's word. Out of the other side of their mouths they say that one has to have the discernment to understand the "context" of each passage and that basically, nothing means what it says.
Out of one side of their mouths they say that there is a hell, a place causing the necessity of Christ's death and out of the other side of their mouths, they mock those that warn others of its horror.
Out of one side of their mouths they say that their salvation changed them and made them a new creature, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and out of the other side of their mouths they say "Oh, I am just a sin filled human being full of mistakes who daily needs Christ's paitence and forgiveness.
The fundamentalist and the non alike, have never seen Christ. They've never heard his voice or felt his embrace. Neither has "walked and talked" with him in the garden. In short, they are on an equal footing but I have a HELL (pun intended) of alot more respect for someone who even though in my opinion, his theology isn't realistic, is consistent and "strict" (knowing Who he's going to face one day) than I do for one who looks for every opportunity get away with his actions and blame it on the "grace" given to him; someone who believes there's a horrific hell and remains silent while mocking those who don't remain silent; someone who believes God is "holy" and will have to answer to him one day but acts as if that day isn't coming. And for them to mock another believer who is stricter, is quiet a telling joke.
Described in the Bible, these people are doubleminded and inconsistent.
And they shoud just close their Bibles, leave the fundamentalist alone and see what's on Netflix.
