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What Makes a Baptist Church an Independent Baptist Church?
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There are many today who do not really understand the position and work of Independent Baptists. Some believe that all Baptist churches are the same and believe and practice the same thing. Others have the mistaken idea that an Independent Baptist church is a fairly recent new invention of man when in reality Independent Baptist churches have existed since the days of Christ and the apostles.
By Dean Robinson
There are some people who look upon Independent Baptists with a sense of suspicion, doubt, or distrust, disbelieving the fact that a church can function and do the Lord's work without the benefit of being affiliated with some kind of a man-made, organized fellowship or association. For hundreds of years Baptist churches fulfilled the Great Commission with each church being its own missionary agency, sending forth and supporting its own missionaries, without the help of an outside religious organization or mission board.
It is a historical fact that organized, man-made fellowships, associations, and conventions are all of recent origin and are in contradiction to what was taught and practiced in the New Testament. Independent Baptists believe that a definite, specific plan has been revealed in the Scriptures of how the work of God is to be carried out by His churches. To depart from, change, or try to improve this divine and perfect plan is to not only deliberately disobey God, but also to rob Him the glory that is due unto His name.
The Terminology Used
Unfortunately the word "independent" has been grossly abused and misused by many Baptist churches today. The definition for the word "independent" is fairly simple: not subordinate or subject to; not dependent upon; not subject to the control or influence of something; not connected or related to another group.
Since the meaning of the word "independent" has been distorted by some Baptist churches, another word is now being used in connection with it -- "unaffiliated" which means: not a member of; not connected to or associated and united with.
A truly Independent Baptist church is not associated with any man-made association, convention, or organized fellowship. Any Baptist church that joins up with some man-made group or organization has not only departed from New Testament teaching, but has surrendered its independence and authority that belongs only in the church.
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