Competition between independent Baptist preachers

[TheGloryLand]

If we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, independent Baptist church, and members. In my years, visiting English and Spanish churches, I noticed a lack of communication between other pastors and churches, the pastors don’t fellowship much with other pastors of the same faith. Some type of competition going on, I do see where some teachers and members jump from one church to the other, some come back, and some do not. I do know that one church missions might be different from the other church missions. But the main mission for all these independent Baptist churches is to reach the lost for Christ.  Does your Pastor fellowship with other pastors of the same faith, or is your pastor isolated on his own, not much fellowship with other pastors or Christian leaders? This is not a negative post, it is a beware post. 

Edited April 11, 2023 by TheGloryLand

[Salyan]

Depends on the church. Sone IFB are Calvinist, some are extreme KJV only (as opposed to Textus Receptus). The pastors share info but how can two fellowship unless they are agreed?

[BrotherTony]

I know of many pastors, IFB, SBC, GARBC, et al, that fellowship with other pastors, or even "crossing the lines" to fellowship with IFB if they're SBC, or fellowshipping with SBC if they're IFB...or even landmarkers (usually Missionary Baptists) who fellowship with those in the SBC, GARBC, or the IFB churches. Since all of these Baptist churches are independent, autonomous bodies, they're free to fellowship with whomever they chose...or not. No sin either way. I know our church doesn't hold to Calvinistic positions, yet we fellowship with two churches that are....We've realized that salvation is in our faith in Christ alone, and his shed blood alone for the forgiveness of sins, his burial, resurrection for our victory over death, and his ascension for our promise of a home in heaven being prepared. People need to learn how to get along and stop accentuating their differences, especially if it is a tertiary issue that doesn't affect our salvation. 

[HappyChristian]

What salyan said...

[Rebecca]

The circle of IFB that I'm in does a lot of fellowshipping -- at preacher's conferences, home missions conferences, men's retreats, etc. Fellowshipping with others of like-minded faith is important. As a missionary, when I'm on furlough, I visit a lot of churches. It's been rare that I visit with a pastor about me sharing my ministry at his church and that pastor hasn't heard of my pastor and home church, even if they don't know each other personally. Reputations get around, pastors do share their experiences with other pastors. 

[TheGloryLand]

2 hours ago, BrotherTony said:

I know of many pastors, IFB, SBC, GARBC, et al, that fellowship with other pastors, or even "crossing the lines" to fellowship with IFB if they're SBC, or fellowshipping with SBC if they're IFB...or even landmarkers (usually Missionary Baptists) who fellowship with those in the SBC, GARBC, or the IFB churches. Since all of these Baptist churches are independent, autonomous bodies, they're free to fellowship with whomever they chose...or not. No sin either way. I know our church doesn't hold to Calvinistic positions, yet we fellowship with two churches that are....We've realized that salvation is in our faith in Christ alone, and his shed blood alone for the forgiveness of sins, his burial, resurrection for our victory over death, and his ascension for our promise of a home in heaven being prepared. People need to learn how to get along and stop accentuating their differences, especially if it is a tertiary issue that doesn't affect our salvation. 

Have you ever seen two independent Baptist Churches very similar, Christian schools, support missionaries, King James Bible only preaching in church, only short miles away, but the pastors don’t really talk to each other. You would think they’ll be celebrating how many lost souls came to Christ, or that we’re celebrating our 25th baptism this year. Maybe asking the other church pastor for some assistance, in a certain area of need? No competitions, just brotherly love. Example: pastor, let us pray tonight for Pastor so-and-so, they lost a brother close in Christ, that was very involved in the ministry. Let us pray for his family, and for their church, that they find a replacement soon. For this church has needs. I know this may sound very rare, but this is much needed, I believe. 

 

[Salyan]

Yeah, no. Except for some cities which may have a couple IFB churches within a half hour Drive, most of our IFB churches are 1-3 hours apart.

[BrotherTony]

2 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

Have you ever seen two independent Baptist Churches very similar, Christian schools, support missionaries, King James Bible only preaching in church, only short miles away, but the pastors don’t really talk to each other. You would think they’ll be celebrating how many lost souls came to Christ, or that we’re celebrating our 25th baptism this year. Maybe asking the other church pastor for some assistance, in a certain area of need? No competitions, just brotherly love. Example: pastor, let us pray tonight for Pastor so-and-so, they lost a brother close in Christ, that was very involved in the ministry. Let us pray for his family, and for their church, that they find a replacement soon. For this church has needs. I know this may sound very rare, but this is much needed, I believe. 

 

Many of the IFB churches in the Peoria, Illinois area fellowship together..Faith Baptist in Pekin...Averyville Baptist in E. Peoria, Bayview Baptist in Washington, and El Vista in Peoria Illinois are just four of them. 

[MikeWatson1]

It's a bit different here in Christchurch, New Zealand.  

There is about 4 IFB churches that I know of.  One is a church plant from my church.. our old pastor left to plant that one.. another is Bible Baptist.. and then there is another one that has the same beliefs as us but holds to a body of Christ of all believers (which is very common anyway).  

I have caught up with people in both the bible baptist one  and the church plant from our church .  My pastor keeps in touch with the bible baptist one and catches up with their pastor.

Pretty much the rest of the baptist churches here are from the UK baptist union.. which is more like Methodist or Pentecostal here. Most NZ baptist churches are pentecostal/charismatic.   One church here had baptism for membership.. which is a mark of many IFB churches.. but has changed a lot and is now pentecostal (baptiscostal :))

So here it's kinda hard to find a right church to fellowship with other than my own.

 

 

 

[TheGloryLand]

1 hour ago, MikeWatson1 said:

It's a bit different here in Christchurch, New Zealand.  

There is about 4 IFB churches that I know of.  One is a church plant from my church.. our old pastor left to plant that one.. another is Bible Baptist.. and then there is another one that has the same beliefs as us but holds to a body of Christ of all believers (which is very common anyway).  

I have caught up with people in both the bible baptist one  and the church plant from our church .  My pastor keeps in touch with the bible baptist one and catches up with their pastor.

Pretty much the rest of the baptist churches here are from the UK baptist union.. which is more like Methodist or Pentecostal here. Most NZ baptist churches are pentecostal/charismatic.   One church here had baptism for membership.. which is a mark of many IFB churches.. but has changed a lot and is now pentecostal (baptiscostal :))

So here it's kinda hard to find a right church to fellowship with other than my own.

 

 

 

If I was a person saved, but not baptized, can I become a member of your church. Get maybe baptized later, when I felt the need to. Do you have drums in your church. If you do, you can be leaning charismatic. I’m not against drums, but it does leans a little towards Pentecostal church. It’s nice to see your fellowship with others.

[MikeWatson1]

7 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

If I was a person saved, but not baptized, can I become a member of your church. Get maybe baptized later, when I felt the need to. Do you have drums in your church. If you do, you can be leaning charismatic. I’m not against drums, but it does leans a little towards Pentecostal church. It’s nice to see your fellowship with others.

Well, i'm not the pastor and don't make the decisions for membership.  If it was up to me you'd be baptised first before being voted in to be a member.  If you were already baptised by immersion in a scriptural church before.. then it would just be a vote.

We don't have drums.. we got one man with his guitar.  We use the KJV but aren't KJV only.  It's me and the pastor's family at the moment.  Meeting in a community centre hall.

But yeah.. baptist here if you asked most people would mean 'baptist from the baptist union of the United Kingdom'

Most of them are bapticostal.. but my church is more like independent baptist churches in the Southern USA. Non-charismatic.. not calvinist.  Independent.

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by MikeWatson1

[TheGloryLand]

3 hours ago, MikeWatson1 said:

Well, i'm not the pastor and don't make the decisions for membership.  If it was up to me you'd be baptised first before being voted in to be a member.  If you were already baptised by immersion in a scriptural church before.. then it would just be a vote.

We don't have drums.. we got one man with his guitar.  We use the KJV but aren't KJV only.  It's me and the pastor's family at the moment.  Meeting in a community centre hall.

But yeah.. baptist here if you asked most people would mean 'baptist from the baptist union of the United Kingdom'

Most of them are bapticostal.. but my church is more like independent baptist churches in the Southern USA. Non-charismatic.. not calvinist.  Independent.

 

I don’t like to use the word union, for a name of a Baptist church. Like they do in UK. Union’s are always political, maybe this is why it does not sound right. I believe you are in the right place. It’s very exciting to help a Pastor, start a new church even though there’s just two or three. You know, he’s not doing that for the tithe. 

[Landmarkheritage]

I personally fellowship with most theologically conservative and socially conservative Baptists as I find it refreshing to learn their views and engage in dialogue, A lack of dialogue could just be their interpretation of the doctrine of the independent local church.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Landmarkheritage
Clarification

[BrotherTony]

On 4/11/2023 at 5:58 PM, TheGloryLand said:

If I was a person saved, but not baptized, can I become a member of your church. Get maybe baptized later, when I felt the need to. Do you have drums in your church. If you do, you can be leaning charismatic. I’m not against drums, but it does leans a little towards Pentecostal church. It’s nice to see your fellowship with others.

I just looked back over this thread and I have to disagree with you, TGL. Just because a church has drums doesn't mean that they are leaning charismatic. That's your opinion, but it's not a correct assumption. And no, people who aren't scripturally baptized cannot be a member in a Baptist church in good standing. They can participate in church functions and even serve in certain functions of the church, but they can't be members. 

[Pastor Matt]

I'm still trying to figure out what circle of Baptist I fit in to  

Since the lines of circles are getting blurry to me, I don't care for labels. Just tell me what you believe