Thoughts on the Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement

Jack Hyles, pastor of First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana and founder of Hyles-Anderson College

Independent Fundamental Baptists are not the problem when it comes to abuse and coverups.

Now that I’ve made that statement, I’m going to make some more that may not be quite as welcome. Before I start, I do want to make this known: I have not seen “Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals,” although I intend to, eventually. However, many people that I know have seen it and have told me what it contains. I am not going to comment further about the documentary because to do so would be dishonest, considering I would be commenting on hearsay.

My background

I joined an Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) church by baptism when I was 12 years old. I remained in that circle until I left to pastor a Southern Baptist (SBC) church at age 36 (in March 2023). For 24 years I was a member and served in IFB churches, surrendered to preach in an IFB church, briefly attended an IFB college, was married in an IFB church, and was completely immersed in that culture. If you name a prominent IFB preacher or evangelist, I’ve either heard him preach, read his works, or heard him referenced in sermons for most of my life.

I have known many godly people within the IFB circle. In fact, most of the Christian influences I’ve had in my life come from that sphere, and I can honestly say they were for the most part very godly men, at least as far as I can tell. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached faithfully and boldly from pulpits, on street corners, and on foreign mission fields daily by IFB lay preachers and ordained ministers alike. In my experience, the majority of people are salt-of-the-earth believers in Christ, doing their best to follow His example on earth.

However (you had to know I was getting to this), some of the most damaging practices I’ve seen in 24 years of being an IFB Christian have come from those who are entrenched the deepest in the “Fundamental” aspect of IFB. Now, I know at its root, fundamental means they stick by the stuff, holding fast to the fundamentals of the faith. Unfortunately, though, the denomination as a whole (although they would eschew the affiliation with the word “denomination”) has drifted into isolationism and a form of legalism that is very dangerous and ungodly. I know I am speaking in general terms most of the time when I refer to the IFB, so please understand that. But it is hard to find anyone in that movement (pastors, at least, if not lay people) that won’t say in word and/or in practice one or all of the following:

If a woman wears pants, she’s a hussy in need of repentance
The KJV 1611 is the only inspired word of God in English; all others are per-versions
Calvinism is a heresy that is worse than atheism
If you don’t go to church 3 times a week (and more if the man of God (MOG) deems it necessary), you are a backslider
The MOG is not to be questioned or held accountable
Beards are ungodly and unbecoming for a MOG
If you don’t stand with Israel, Back the Blue, or get goosebumps when the National Anthem is played in church on July 4th, you are a communist and/or a Democrat
If you don’t homeschool your children, or (better yet) put them in the church’s school, you aren’t right with God
Don’t drink Diet Coke from a can because from a distance it could be mistaken for a beer

There’s more, but this is just a small sampling of the things I have personally heard over the years. Granted, most of these are not things my pastors have said, but the preachers who filled their pulpits or taught classes in Bible College certainly did. In Bible College, I was pressured to fully subscribe to the high-pressure salesmanship, I mean evangelism, of the ministry; this was a task I failed to accomplish. Later, when in a different church, my wife (who was then my fiancée) was taken to task by some of the leaders because she picked me up from work when my car was broken down. The crime? She did not bring a chaperone (mind you, this was about 1 month before our wedding). Another time, she was chided by the pastor’s wife because the collar of her shirt was 3 fingers’ width from the collarbone, rather than the prescribed 2 fingers’ width. There are many other examples I could share from personal experience, and hundreds more that I have seen or heard from other people.

The problem

This is a major problem that I think actually stems not from the Fundamentalism, but from the Independent part. They hold to “no creed but Christ,” which basically means, each church is only beholden to their pastor’s personal interpretation of the Bible. And, let’s be honest, if he was trained by an IFB pastor or school, chances are his interpretation of the Bible is Jack Hyles‘ interpretation of the Bible. But it’s worse than that, because much of the abuse, tyranny, and legalism is not even remotely an interpretation of the Bible. Sometimes it is framed as such, with taking verses grossly out of context, but often times it is packaged in the generic wrapping of “godliness.” It is extra-biblical, but arbitrary by nature because of being independant. Again, this is a general observation because there are always exceptions. But in an urgency to separate from the centuries-old creeds and confessions of Calvinistic Baptists that gave birth to Charles Spurgeon, Adoniram Judson, William Carey, and the Baptist forefathers of America, they embrace the creeds of Arminians and Dispensationalists like John R. Rice, Jack Hyles, and C.I. Schofield. The “old paths” are actually nothing more than divergent paths that are sometimes less than 100 years old. And their creed is that they have no creed, which is kind of amusing to the outsider.

Old is not always better, and I freely acknowledge that. There are heresies that Paul, James, and Peter had to combat in their day, and some of them persist until the present. However, in an effort to break away from the impure practices in the SBC or other Baptist affiliations, they have created a monster that is swollen with pride and new ideas. I have lost track of how many sermons I have heard that barely went to Scripture but were a diatribe against all other unworthy Baptist affiliations or Bible versions or doctrines. To quote one I heard earlier this year, “I thank God I am not a Calvinist!” as if it were an incurable disease. Never – and I mean not once – have I heard an IFB preacher attempt to explain where the Calvinists went wrong with their interpretation of the words “elect,” “predestination,” or passages like Romans 9, for example. No sir, but they have spent countless precious hours railing against it!

The IFB is a doctrine of legalistic “holier than thou,” at its core. It reminds me of the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-14. It saddens me.

Unfortunately, it is this dedication to outward Godly appearances that has fostered a culture of coverups of abuse and ungodly practices. Sadly, I’ve seen it happen. Thankfully I was not involved and did not know about it until years later, but people I and my wife served alongside were involved in scandals and abuse, some as victims and others as the perpetrators. This mindset of not holding “godly” men accountable to maintain appearances is quite prevalent, but I digress.

I thank God for the many faithful and Godly men and women in the IFB who serve the Almighty. Many of them put me to shame in their dedication and perseverance. However, I would be remiss if I did not make this post, considering I was in that world for so long.

I don’t write this because I am an all-wise “man of God”, or a pastor, or any of that, but because I saw things while I was in that world that I could not speak about then, and that is partly because I couldn’t see clearly or how deep the problem was until I was out.

I don’t write this to anger anyone or to upset anyone, although I know some will experience both emotions.

I write this because people who are in the IFB may be tempted to circle the wagons after the aforementioned documentary hits the screens. Pastors are already speaking out against it and defending the IFB movement. Rather than circling the wagons (which has been going on far too long), you need to be looking within the circle to see if the enemy is inside the circle with you. The enemy is not the SBC or Reformed Baptist church down the road who uses the ESV or doesn’t sing only Fanny Crosby songs in church. Your enemy is my enemy, and that is the wolves in sheep’s clothing. Not all wolves look like Kenneth Copeland. Some look like Jack Schaap.

Independent Fundamental Baptists are not the problem when it comes to abuse and coverups. The Roman Catholic Church has done the same abuses and coverups for much longer. The Methodists’ and Episcopalians’ embrace of sexual immorality is proof of their apostasy. The SBC is full of red flags. There are problems everywhere. Independent Fundamental Baptists need to acknowledge when there is a problem and stop covering it up to save their ministry and reputation. That reputation has already been stained. Now I exhort you to go make restitution and repent and bring honor to the Lord God Almighty’s reputation.

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Woe to Them Who Offend These Little Ones!

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. – Matthew 18:6

This famous quote from the mouth of Messiah is often quoted as proof of the appropriate punishment for those who abuse children. While I would disagree, as this punishment seems far too lenient on someone who would hurt a child, the true meaning of this passage is much more chilling than that, for it speaks not to the molester, but to each and every one of us. This is actually quite obvious at first glance, especially if read in context with the previous verses in the chapter. Because I believe we all have a duty to study the Scripture for what it actually says and not what popular culture or church tradition has taught us, I decided to dig into the passage to get to the bottom of it.

Some will say that any teacher/preacher that has to go to the Greek (or Hebrew) to expound on the Scriptures isn’t a very good practitioner of their calling. That may well be true, but I have found that in my personal studies, going to the original languages to understand original intent is not only wise, but necessary. The reader may wonder why that is so, and I will briefly explain why. No copy of the Scriptures existed in English until roughly mid-16th century. By this time, Greek had ceased to be the language of the known world, and while the translators of the Scriptures had a vast knowledge of the old languages, they were not infallible. These men were not steeped in Greek thought or culture, let alone Hebraic patterns of speech and thought. I have no doubt they did their best, but it is also hard to emphatically say there couldn’t have been something lost in translation. This being true, it is also true that James Strong who in 1890 indexed every word in the King James Version of the Bible in his work Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible was not a native Greek or Hebrew speaker but was a scholar and a learned theologian. It is his work that I lean on heavily. It should be noted that “the use of Strong’s numbers does not consider figures of speech, metaphors, idioms, common phrases, cultural references, references to historical events, or alternate meanings used by those of the time period to express their thoughts in their own language at the time.” (citation)

Now fast-forward some 6 centuries, and with Western language and thought prevailing, it is easy for the modern reader to project modern thought and intent into the ancient writings. I do not claim to be any kind of scholar of the ancient languages, but how many of the people preaching or teaching can say that they are, and be truthful in so doing? However, I do possess study helps, written by scholars, and this helps me to get a better understanding of the meaning of the Scriptures. These study helps are available to anyone in the English-speaking world, so it is easy for the reader to verify what I write. By using this method of study, I do not hobble myself with tradition or man’s understanding, which I believe is vital to fully understanding the Scriptures in the way Yahweh intended.

First, let us focus on two key words found in this passage: offend and little ones

Offend

σκανδαλίζω skandalízō, skan-dal-id’-zo; from G4625; to entrap, i.e. trip up (figuratively, stumble (transitively) or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure):—(make to) offend.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, G4624

The word “offend” does not necessarily mean to abuse, either physically, emotionally, or sexually. The meaning is clear: to cause them to doubt the Word of Yahweh or their salvation. This is used in the same frame of thought as “if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out” (Matthew 5:29). If it causes you to stray from the way or doubt your service to the One to whom you were called, get rid of it. Skandalízō is also used in Mark 4:16-17 to describe the ones who receive the Word, but wither away when the pressure is applied: “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”

To be offended in this sense means to have doubt cast upon one’s faith in the Messiah. This offense can come in many forms, but to name a few: persecution, heresy, misrepresentation of the Word, being a poor example, leading pridefully (for leaders), or enticing to sin.

Little ones

μικρός mikrós, mik-ros’; apparently a primary word; small (in size, quantity, number or (figuratively) dignity):—least, less, little, small.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, G3398

This word mikrós is translated four different ways in the Scripture. In this passage, it is as the word “little.” Because of the preceding verses, many people automatically assume it means “little children,” but in actuality, that is not what it means at all. Mikrós is the same word used to describe John the Baptist (Matt. 11:11), the mustard seed (Matt. 13:13), and all who shall know Him (Heb. 8:11). It is clearly not referring to children. “Little ones” means young or small in the Lord, or new Christians, lacking in maturity and wisdom, but full of faith. Childlike faith.

But what do the preceding verses say?

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.” – verses 2-5

Little child

παιδίον paidíon, pahee-dee’-on; neuter diminutive of G3816; a childling (of either sex), i.e. (properly), an infant, or (by extension) a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature Christian:—(little, young) child, damsel.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, G3813

In this case, “little child” is translated from the Greek paidíon and has an entirely different meaning than mikrós. Here, it is clearly referring to a young human being, probably pre-adolescent. Children at this age often do not question authority, but trust unwaveringly, even if they do sometimes struggle with obedience, as they learn the battle between discipline and self-will. Young children will believe all manner of things that adults tell them, and they pursue that belief with passion, even if it is false (i.e. Santa Claus). They do this because they trust and have faith in their authorities.

Yeshua is telling his disciples that unless we become like little children in our faith, we will not enter the kingdom of Yahweh. Why? Because when one looks for “adult” answers in science, logic, reason, or adherence to a creed, they lose both their capacity for faith, and their ability to see the Father.

This chapter of Matthew begins with a power play. The disciples ask Yeshua “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” As usual, the Master responds with an illustration. He called over a little child and said, “If you don’t become like this child, who trusted me enough to come sit with me-no questions asked-you will not enter Heaven. I called, and she came to me. I reached out, and she responded. You must all have child-like faith, and when you do, it doesn’t matter who is ‘greatest’ in Heaven, because that’s not what it is all about. Furthermore, if someone does have childlike faith and comes to me, God forbid someone turns them away through deed or word. If they caused them to forsake my calling, it would have been better off that they were tied to a millstone and drowned in the sea. The punishment from the Father will be much worse.” (my paraphrase)

We should strive hard to never become hypocrites in our spiritual walk. It may well be that more people have explored church and turned away from it due to its hypocrisy and inconsistency than anything else. I know of countless individuals who attended church for a time, and even professed repentance in Christ, but have fallen away. They are like the seed that the sower planted on poor soil: some have withered away from the heat, but some were plucked away by the birds. Woe unto the believer who applies the heat (doubt) or is the bird (hypocrisy) that snatches them out of their childlike faith! Yeshua says it is better for all involved if you had died before committing that sin. That should sober us all!