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New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement
Association of King James Bible only independent Baptist churches From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement (also known as the New IFB or NIFB) is an association of Christian right, Baptist, King James Only movement churches. The New IFB began with Steven Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church, who broke from the Independent Baptist movement in 2005 due to perceived Liberalism in other independent Baptist churches. The New IFB does not consider itself to be a denomination, and it is not affiliated with any other Baptist organization.[1][2]
New IFB churches have caused controversy on several occasions because of their opposition to homosexuality, including praise for the Pulse nightclub shooting, a 2016 terror attack where an attacker murdered 49 people and injured 53 others at a queer nightclub in Orlando, Florida.[3] They are described by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as "a loose network of independent churches concentrated in the U.S. connected by their belief in certain religious doctrines and a shared brand of deeply anti-LGBTQ and antisemitic teachings." According to the ADL, "Anti-LGBTQ bigotry and antisemitism are fundamental to New IFB ideology, as demonstrated by the doctrinal statements on their websites and the content of their sermons."[4] The group has been able to spread their views across the world through the usage of internet and social media.[5]
Some former New IFB pastors have charged the association of being a cult.[6] Similarly, other Independent Baptist pastors have associated the NIFB with cultic behaviour, associating the group with heresy.[7] The New IFB has been the subject of multiple controversies regarding allegations of child abuse, coverups, racism and for the calling of the execution of homosexuals.[8]
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History
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The New IFB was formed by Anderson and other Baptist pastors in an attempt to revive what they perceived older independent Baptist churches once represented.[9][10]
A split in the New IFB occurred in January 2019, after Donnie Romero, pastor at Stedfast Baptist Church-Fort Worth (SBC), resigned after it was revealed he had hired prostitutes, smoked marijuana and gambled.[11] Adam Fannin, the lead preacher at SBC's Jacksonville satellite campus, refused to acknowledge the authority of Jonathan Shelley, another Texas New IFB pastor who took over SBC–Fort Worth following Romero's resignation. Anderson, Fannin and Shelley traded accusations of financial wrongdoing and running a cult. Fannin was later ejected as the lead preacher of SBC-Jax.[10]
In 2021, the NIFB-affiliated First Works Baptist Church in El Monte, California was bombed with an improvised explosive device. The explosion caused property damage but no injuries or deaths. First Works had previously been the site of protests by activists opposed to its anti-LGBTQ teachings, but police reported there was no evidence linking the protesters to the bombing.[12]
Auckland, New Zealand, New IFB pastor Logan Robertson was deported from Australia in July 2018 after being accused of harassing Muslims at two Brisbane mosques.[13] Robertson had previously stated that gay people should be shot and New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern should "go home and get in the kitchen".[14]
In 2021, Tarrant County, Texas preacher Dillon Awes advocated in a sermon that "every single homosexual" in America be lined up against a wall and shot in the back of the head. This led to calls to evict Stedfast Baptist Church from its location at a strip mall in Watauga, Texas. Landlord Cody Johnson later agreed not to evict Stedfast Baptist from the Watauga location after communicating with Stedfast's lawyer.[15][16]
In 2024, multiple children of Steven Anderson claimed that they had been abused both emotionally and physically, including beatings with electrical cords and coverup from the New IFB. This caused many churches including Hold Fast Baptist Church pastored by David Berzins, one of his oldest allies to separate from the New IFB.[17]
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The New IFB currently lists 30 affiliated congregations on their website. 22 of the congregations are in 16 U.S. states, one in British Columbia, three are in the Philippines, two are in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, and one congregation is located in the South African town of Middelburg.[18]
Beliefs
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Main beliefs
According to its official website, the New Independent Fundamental Baptist (New IFB) movement does not identify as a denomination. While New IFB pastors may hold differing views on small matters, the churches are united around multiple core doctrines. These include salvation by faith alone, the belief in eternal security, King James Onlyism, the Trinity, soul-winning, "hard" preaching, and a prewrath post-tribulation rapture. The New IFB also takes strong stances against worldliness, Calvinism, dispensationalism, liberalism, and Zionism.[9]
In addition to these core beliefs, the New IFB opposes a wide range of doctrines and practices, such as birth control,[19] Lordship salvation,[20] Scientology,[21] Messianic Judaism,[22] Catholicism,[23] Eastern Orthodoxy,[24] Geocentric creationism,[25] the usage of television,[26] Bible colleges,[27][28] Universities[29], animal rights,[30] and Sabbath keeping.[31] Some of their pastors have preached against classical formulations of the Trinity, instead teaching that each person of the Godhead possesses a distinct mind, will, and spiritual body.".[32] Additionally, in a sermon called "Nothing but the blood", besides making a critique of John MacArthur's soteriology, Steven Anderson protested against other Protestant theologians who would deny that the body of Christ is divine itself.[33] The NIFB has as its doctrine that Jesus was punished during the harrowing of Hell as a part of the atoning work.[7]
They have argued that the Christian Flag represents the religion of the anti-Christ.[34]
Ecclesiology
The New IFB teaches that the Bible forbids observing the Eucharist in church gatherings, preferring instead to partake in communion at home.[35] Furthermore, they reject the concept of a universal church made up of all believers. They maintain that only likeminded Baptist churches have succession from the apostles, claiming that all other denominations descend from the corrupt church established under Constantine the Great. Even saved individuals outside of Baptist churches, according to the New IFB, must be separated from, as they "walk not after the tradition which he received of us".[36] The New IFB thus also rejects the major historical creeds of Christianity.[28]
Despite the website's claims that each church is independent, some followers and former followers of the New IFB have accused Anderson of having complete control over the organization and ejecting anyone who has a minor disagreement with him.[10]
Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism
The New IFB has been described as antisemitic by the ADL.[5] Steven Anderson has made multiple sermons against Jews[37][38] and has protested against using a Hebrew-language name for Jesus, arguing that anyone who uses it is "not saved" and is trying to make "Christians into Jews".[39] The New IFB considers the modern nation of Israel to be a fraud, and it also teaches that Christians, rather than Jews, are God's chosen people.[9] Anderson has also produced videos in which he attacks Judaism and engages in Holocaust denial, believing that the Jews as an have a special connection to Satan that other groups do not share.[40]
Homosexuality and capital punishment
They teach that people turn homosexual as a result of hating God, arguing that homosexuals are "reprobates" who cannot receive justification, instead teaching that the government should kill them.[41][42] This extreme stance has led to significant controversy surrounding New IFB pastors. The New IFB is strongly opposed to homosexuality, with several pastors advocating the belief that the government should execute homosexuals. Anderson and other New IFB pastors have praised the Pulse nightclub shooting.[43][44] On the weekend of the third anniversary of the shooting, the New IFB held a "Make America Straight Again" conference at an Orlando-area New IFB church.[45] Also in June 2019, Grayson Fritts, pastor at New IFB-affiliated All Scripture Baptist Church and a former detective for the Knox County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Office, delivered a sermon calling for the execution of gays.[46]
Anderson has also been vocal in expressing his hatred for transgender people, stating during a sermon titled 6 Types of Prayer that he hopes that Caitlyn Jenner's heart explodes.[47]
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References
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