Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB)

I’ve written before discussing the IFB as a cult trying to flesh out the characteristics of a cult and see if the IFB fits the profile. I recently received a question from a curious reader about the Independent Fundamental Baptist denomination as a cult and as I was considering the questions I began to realize that the more I understand what a cult is the more I’m beginning to see that the IFB fits the profile of a cult.  Below please find the questions and my reply which may help us as we make efforts to define cult more precisely. Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t have much to say about this issue except to give my story of how I came to realize this deception from the Independent Fundamental Baptist Church.

The IFB are notorious for claiming the importance of attending a “Bible Believing, Bible Preaching” church. The implication, of course, is that you will be attending a “Bible Believing, bible Preaching” church ONLY if you attend an IFB church. It was never overtly stated, but implied that if you didn’t attend an IFB church then you weren’t attending a “Bible Believing, Bible Preaching” church.

They never used scripture to defend this, just the idea that only the IFB truly believe and teach the Bible. I remember during my final year as an IFB discussing this with a trusted friend who had already come out of the IFB. We were discussing the differences among our churches and I had mentioned the importance of attending a “Bible believing, Bible preaching” church.

Her response was simple, but remarkably profound for me and began the change in my thinking that was so desperately needed. She simply said: “Do you really think that I don’t believe the Bible?” That simple question was enough to get me thinking about this subtle, but extremely manipulative idea that the IFB holds the patent on truth, that somehow only they truly believe the Bible. Honestly I had never thought about it before. I just accepted that the IFB was the ONLY source of truth. I was truly brainwashed into thinking this lie.

This is directly tied to the IFB’s incessant insistence that the KJV is the only version that is truly God’s word. The idea is that other churches/denominations don’t use the KJV therefore they aren’t preaching or teaching the truth.

This deception is directly tied to the idea that one must go to church as well and that that church should be an IFB church otherwise you aren’t really getting Biblical truth. I plan to talk about church attendance in a future post.

I wish all who read this and have been fed the lie that the IFB is the only source of Biblical truth and that if you don’t attend an IFB then you aren’t really hearing the truth to reconsider. You will be – or perhaps have been – told that if you don’t attend an IFB church that you aren’t really a “Bible Believing” Christian. This is a lie and a deception. Because of the subtle nature in which the IFB promotes this idea, this deception is very abusive and dangerous. Be aware of it and I encourage you to questions your pastor should he ever mention this idea to you.