Independent Bible churches — your opinion?

[Ascetic X]

I was attending a rather large, all black (98%) Baptist church. I made some friends there and liked the pastor’s preaching, but I eventually decided the culture was too alien for me.

So now I am attending an independent Bible church, where the pastor graduated from John MacArthur’s Masters University, though he now no longer agrees with Mac on certain topics.

Even though I am definitely not a Calvinist, I do like the reformed theology orientation and the use of the Valley of Vision book of Puritan prayers.

I am resigned to the burdensome reality that no church or pastor will completely conform to my personal theology. I am mostly Baptist, but I add pacifism and belief in divine miracles and supernatural healing.

Does anyone have any insights into independent Bible churches?

 

[Salty]

Well, you could start your own Bible Study - and let that lead into a church!

 

[Armchair Apologist]

I was attending a rather large, all black (98%) Baptist church. I made some friends there and liked the pastor’s preaching, but I eventually decided the culture was too alien for me.

So now I am attending an independent Bible church, where the pastor graduated from John MacArthur’s Masters University, though he now no longer agrees with Mac on certain topics.

Even though I am definitely not a Calvinist, I do like the reformed theology orientation and the use of the Valley of Vision book of Puritan prayers.

I am resigned to the burdensome reality that no church or pastor will completely conform to my personal theology. I am mostly Baptist, but I add pacifism and belief in divine miracles and supernatural healing.

Does anyone have any insights into independent Bible churches?

"Bible" Churches can mean just about anything these days. While stationed in Guam, I spent some time at Pacific Independent Bible Church which was, for the most part, Independent Baptist. I also visited Guam Bible Church with a friend and this church was Charismatic/Pentecostal.

There is the Independent Fundamental Churches of America (IFCA) which are connected with R. A. Torrey and congregations often call themselves "Bible" Churches. Valley Bible Church in Lancaster, CA is moderately Calvinistic and Baptistic. Grace Bible Church of Houston and Sugar Land Bible Church seem both to be strict dispensationalist and non-Calvinist (ardent DTS "Fanboys") from what I can gather while Cypress Bible Church is elder-led. John MacArthur used to be IFCA until they kicked him out for being too "Calvinistic" so perhaps they are not as "Independent" as they make themselves out to be?

If they are a "MacArthur Calvinist," they are not "reformed" so far as following the WCF or London Baptist Confessions. They are likely Dispensationalist as MacArthur was. Seems to me that they would be a good congregation in which to become a part of even if they did not call themselves "Baptist."

There is no such a thing as a pastor or congregation of which you will be in 100% agreement on every single small matter and for that matter, I would say anyone going out and starting their own church should first have a proven track record of being "pastorable" themselves! Just my extra two cents here!

 

[Ascetic X]

"Bible" Churches can mean just about anything these days. While stationed in Guam, I spent some time at Pacific Independent Bible Church which was, for the most part, Independent Baptist. I also visited Guam Bible Church with a friend and this church was Charismatic/Pentecostal.

There is the Independent Fundamental Churches of America (IFCA) which are connected with R. A. Torrey and congregations often call themselves "Bible" Churches. Valley Bible Church in Lancaster, CA is moderately Calvinistic and Baptistic. Grace Bible Church of Houston and Sugar Land Bible Church seem both to be strict dispensationalist and non-Calvinist (ardent DTS "Fanboys") from what I can gather while Cypress Bible Church is elder-led. John MacArthur used to be IFCA until they kicked him out for being too "Calvinistic" so perhaps they are not as "Independent" as they make themselves out to be?

If they are a "MacArthur Calvinist," they are not "reformed" so far as following the WCF or London Baptist Confessions. They are likely Dispensationalist as MacArthur was. Seems to me that they would be a good congregation in which to become a part of even if they did not call themselves "Baptist."

There is no such a thing as a pastor or congregation of which you will be in 100% agreement on every single small matter and for that matter, I would say anyone going out and starting their own church should first have a proven track record of being "pastorable" themselves! Just my extra two cents here!

Thank you so much for your wise and helpful insights!

 

[timf]

I was raised Lutheran and saved as a child, even though I did not know what that meant. I didn't read the bible until I was 30. I watched TV preachers, but came to a point where I knew I needed better instruction. I went to an Independent Bible church where I learned how to use a concordance and study the bible. It was pre mil pre trib dispensational.

The pastor left to go to California and follow MacAurthur. I ended up in a Baptist church where I met my wife.

I am grateful for the instruction i received and the solid foundation they were able to provide. I have found over the years three major areas churches have problems with, personalities, doctrines, and structure.

 

[Alan Dale Gross]

Does anyone have any insights into independent Bible churches?

I've known Tom Ross since before he was Ordained. He knows his business, which is to carry out God's business. He sums up very well what my insights are concerning the church/ecclesia that Jesus Built/Divinely Originated, Founded, Commissioned, and Promised to be with until He Returns.

The attached doc. continues the article into more detail. The flippant, dismissing attitude of most people toward Jesus on 'How God Commands to be Acceptably Worshipped', (when someone is not as serious with the Bible and God's Instructions in the New Testament compared to those Instructs of God which correlate with the detailed Instructions He Gave in the Old Testament) are in distinct contrast to those who have sought the Face of God on their knees and ask to know what church Organizationally, Doctrinally, and Practically He would have them join and serve Him through. It depends on the level of devotion a soul cares to give to the Worship of their Creator, because there are Bible based insights and then there is everything else.

And by that I mean who do you that has ever asked God about it?

So, I suppose it takes some real Faith to give Jesus the benefit of the doubt and to even consider beginning with the idea that there is "One Body", meaning there is one kind of 'Body' Jesus Built and Deals with, the same way that there is "One Baptism", meaning that there is one kind of Baptism that is Scriptural.

There is one kind of baptism and God Commands you get it, if your are saved, and there is one kind of local assembling body which are under the Rule of the New Testament, with each of them having Jesus as their Head as they are faithful under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And God Commands that you join one, by being baptized into that kind of fellowship.

"WHAT IS A CHURCH?"
by Tom Ross

“And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had GATHERED THE CHURCH TOGETHER (Emphasis mine, TWR), they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode log time with the disciples” (Acts 14:25-28).

"Paul and Barnabas were Gospel preaching missionaries who were called to the work by the Holy Spirit and sent out by the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1-3). At the end of their first missionary journey we find them returning to the church that had authorized them to do the work (at Antioch) for the express purpose of rehearsing, or giving a report of the work that they had done. I think it is significant to note that they did not sail to a “universal, invisible church” to deliver their report. Paul and Barnabas did not summon the elect of all ages to deliver their report.

"Rather, they returned to Antioch and “GATHERED THE CHURCH TOGETHER” to deliver the report. Biblically speaking a church of the Lord Jesus Christ, made up of baptized believers, must of necessity be a local, visible congregation that can gather together in a definite location.

"Paul and Barnabas were sent out by a real church, and thus they delivered their missionary report to a real church made up of real baptized disciples who had gathered for worship. There was nothing universal or invisible about the church at Antioch. Thus, a church in the New Testament is a local and visible congregation (assembly) of baptized believers who have covenanted together under the Headship of Jesus Christ to carry out the Great Commission.

"It should be noted at the outset that the Biblical teaching of what a New Testament church is, is not at all what Catholics or Protestants have taught and believed through the centuries. Those who believe in the scriptural teaching of what a New Testament church is are in a decided minority..." (con't in attached doc.)

His very highly recommended book "Teachings on the Church" is at best price here and 350 pages packed full of all aspects regarding the Lord's churches and what they are all about.

Let me know and I try to get you a copy if you are at all interested. An easy read and the information is priceless.

 

[OnlyaSinner]

The Bible Churches in which I have been connected were all thoroughly baptistic, dispensationalist pre-mil. The South Jersey church where my SIL and family serve was founded in 1865 and I think it's been called a Bible Church in its entire history. They are conservative in doctrine and music and are not KJVO.
In the 1970s-80s, we lived in the St. John Valley in northern Maine, an area settled almost entirely by francophones from the Maritimes and PQ and were/are essentially all Roman Catholic. The town of Allagash, upriver from those folks, was settled by Scotch-Irish Protestants, and they founded the Allagash Baptist Church. The RC priests considered that church to be the work of Satan, so when a number of (former) RCs got saved and founded a church just west from Fort Kent, they chose "Bible Church" perhaps to have a contrasting name from Allagash Baptist. The small St. John Bible Church is the "mother" church to 3 other works, an equally small one in Eagle Lake and two larger ones in Madawaska and Fort Kent. The practices at those churches when we were there (and we hope, continue) were similar to the SNJ work.

 

[Armchair Apologist]

I was raised Lutheran and saved as a child, even though I did not know what that meant. I didn't read the bible until I was 30. I watched TV preachers, but came to a point where I knew I needed better instruction. I went to an Independent Bible church where I learned how to use a concordance and study the bible. It was pre mil pre trib dispensational.

The pastor left to go to California and follow MacAurthur. I ended up in a Baptist church where I met my wife.

I am grateful for the instruction i received and the solid foundation they were able to provide. I have found over the years three major areas churches have problems with, personalities, doctrines, and structure.

It seems like it is often the premillennial, pre-trib, dispensational crowd who places a high priority on an in-depth study of the scriptures and it is such study that often leads one away from the premillennial, pre-trib dispensational position. Ponder that one for a while!

For this reason, the premillennial, pre-trib, dispensational crowd is worthy of our respect!