Independent Baptist Fellowship International
Encyclopedia
The Independent Baptist Fellowship International, or I.B.F.I., was formed on May 10, 1984, at Fort Worth, Texas
, as a fellowship of independent, fundamentalist Baptist churches. Its founding resulted from a controversy involving Arlington Baptist College
of Arlington, Texas
, an affiliate of the World Baptist Fellowship
, after Raymond W. Barber, then President of the W.B.F., lost a lawsuit
against the college. The lawsuit was an attempt to force the Arlington Baptist College to recognize its parent/child relationship to the W.B.F., revert to its original name, Bible Baptist Seminary, and return to the original intent of its founders, J. Frank Norris
and Louis Entzminger. He claimed that by seeking accreditation
, the Arlington Baptist College was straying from its original purpose of training preachers. Barber moved forward with the lawsuit even though an investigator found that the Bible Baptist Seminary Board of Directors had created a new junior college in conjunction with the seminary
, the seminary was allowed to die and the Arlington Baptist Junior College actually became the Arlington Baptist College.
Although it was not a major issue during the controversy, Barber charged the Arlington Baptist College with teaching the doctrines of grace, often called Calvinism
, and said that some of its faculty members were "hyper" Calvinists. It was a strategy that worked, bringing together a strong following who shared his concerns. Barber's actions resulted in his becoming a catalyst that drew 271 disenchanted pastor
s and missionaries together to create the new organization.
I.B.F.I. was careful to incorporate all of its institutions into one unit. It created a Bible institute, Norris Bible Baptist Institute, a monthly publication, The Searchlight, and a mission agency, all of which were under one corporation and headed by a board of directors
. It elected Raymond Barber, Randy Cotton, Arvie Jernigan, Bill Slayton and Jack Warren as its first board of directors. The early years were aggressive, drawing support from 327 churches for its school, publication and 21 missionary families.
After a few years of tremendous momentum, the organization began to have internal squabbles. Barber was elected to the office of the president year after year without any challenge whatsoever. Finally, someone stood up in a meeting and nominated another pastor to that office. In a ruse, fifteen minutes before his term expired, Barber resigned. Again, his strategy worked. He was reelected by a landslide vote. But that incident proved to be a foreshadow of things to come. In "A View of the Norris Phenomenon", the author points to the common problem of egocentricity among fundamentalist leaders as the cause of I.B.F.I.'s decline. In less than seven years, Barber had badgered Jack Warren, editor of The Searchlight, and Young Houston, director of missions, into resigning.
Most of the original pastors soon left I.B.F.I. for various reasons. A new group of ministers, who were mostly anti-organizational, came into the ranks. The Bible institute became a seminary, the mission agency was reduced to a clearing house and the by-laws were replaced by a document that disenfranchised the supporting churches. Financial problems began to plague the organization and enrollment in the seminary consistently lagged between 10 and 25 students. A deal was eventually made for Crown College
in Knoxville, Tennessee
, to take over the seminary. Critics blame the questionable funding of an expensive building on I.B.F.I. property, called the "Raymond Barber Conference Center", for the fellowship's ultimate failure.
Additionally, the increasing isolation of fundamentalist Baptists from the mainstream of theology
, including conservative and historic Protestant theology, has narrowed the base of churches from which the I.B.F.I. can draw students and support. Since 1993, scandals in fundamentalist Baptist churches, including those perceived to be leading churches in Fundamentalism
, has damaged the credibility of the independent, fundamentalist Baptist cause. Since the Jack Hyles
-Jenny Nischik scandal, several notorious cases have been made public, the most recent of which was the Trinity Baptist (Jacksonville, FL
) legal battles, in which 23 adults came forward alleging that they were molested by former pastor Bob Gray, with the knowledge and collusion of the deacon board.Cases like these, no longer able to be silenced, seem to be sounding the death knell for the smaller fundamentalist Baptist schools.
In its prime, Arlington Baptist College had a consistently expanding enrollment that was close to 1,000 students. Twenty-five years after the split, total enrollment for both schools was under 200 students annually. Today, many independent Baptist leaders, even former supporters of the fellowship, believe that the demise of the IBFI is imminent.
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, as a fellowship of independent, fundamentalist Baptist churches. Its founding resulted from a controversy involving Arlington Baptist College
Arlington Baptist College
Arlington Baptist College is a private, four-year Bible college in Arlington, Texas. The school was founded by J. Frank Norris in 1939 as Fundamental Baptist Bible Institute.In June 2011 it hired Ergun Caner, a former Muslim, as Provost and professor....
of Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, an affiliate of the World Baptist Fellowship
World Baptist Fellowship
The World Baptist Fellowship is a separatist, fundamentalist Baptist organization. The organization was founded by J. Frank Norris of Texas, a southern fundamentalist leader in the first half of the 20th century.-Background:...
, after Raymond W. Barber, then President of the W.B.F., lost a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against the college. The lawsuit was an attempt to force the Arlington Baptist College to recognize its parent/child relationship to the W.B.F., revert to its original name, Bible Baptist Seminary, and return to the original intent of its founders, J. Frank Norris
J. Frank Norris
John Franklyn Norris was a flamboyant Baptist preacher, one of the most controversial figures in the history of fundamentalism.-Biography:...
and Louis Entzminger. He claimed that by seeking accreditation
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...
, the Arlington Baptist College was straying from its original purpose of training preachers. Barber moved forward with the lawsuit even though an investigator found that the Bible Baptist Seminary Board of Directors had created a new junior college in conjunction with the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
, the seminary was allowed to die and the Arlington Baptist Junior College actually became the Arlington Baptist College.
Although it was not a major issue during the controversy, Barber charged the Arlington Baptist College with teaching the doctrines of grace, often called Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, and said that some of its faculty members were "hyper" Calvinists. It was a strategy that worked, bringing together a strong following who shared his concerns. Barber's actions resulted in his becoming a catalyst that drew 271 disenchanted pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
s and missionaries together to create the new organization.
I.B.F.I. was careful to incorporate all of its institutions into one unit. It created a Bible institute, Norris Bible Baptist Institute, a monthly publication, The Searchlight, and a mission agency, all of which were under one corporation and headed by a board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. It elected Raymond Barber, Randy Cotton, Arvie Jernigan, Bill Slayton and Jack Warren as its first board of directors. The early years were aggressive, drawing support from 327 churches for its school, publication and 21 missionary families.
After a few years of tremendous momentum, the organization began to have internal squabbles. Barber was elected to the office of the president year after year without any challenge whatsoever. Finally, someone stood up in a meeting and nominated another pastor to that office. In a ruse, fifteen minutes before his term expired, Barber resigned. Again, his strategy worked. He was reelected by a landslide vote. But that incident proved to be a foreshadow of things to come. In "A View of the Norris Phenomenon", the author points to the common problem of egocentricity among fundamentalist leaders as the cause of I.B.F.I.'s decline. In less than seven years, Barber had badgered Jack Warren, editor of The Searchlight, and Young Houston, director of missions, into resigning.
Most of the original pastors soon left I.B.F.I. for various reasons. A new group of ministers, who were mostly anti-organizational, came into the ranks. The Bible institute became a seminary, the mission agency was reduced to a clearing house and the by-laws were replaced by a document that disenfranchised the supporting churches. Financial problems began to plague the organization and enrollment in the seminary consistently lagged between 10 and 25 students. A deal was eventually made for Crown College
Crown College (Tennessee)
The Crown College, also called Crown College of the Bible, is an Independent Baptist bible college, seminary, and music conservatory in Powell, Tennessee. The college offers the Bachelor of Biblical Studies degree, with concentrations in pastoral ministry, youth ministry, missions, music ministry...
in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, to take over the seminary. Critics blame the questionable funding of an expensive building on I.B.F.I. property, called the "Raymond Barber Conference Center", for the fellowship's ultimate failure.
Additionally, the increasing isolation of fundamentalist Baptists from the mainstream of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, including conservative and historic Protestant theology, has narrowed the base of churches from which the I.B.F.I. can draw students and support. Since 1993, scandals in fundamentalist Baptist churches, including those perceived to be leading churches in Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term "fundamentalism" was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the...
, has damaged the credibility of the independent, fundamentalist Baptist cause. Since the Jack Hyles
Jack Hyles
Jack Frasure Hyles was a leading figure in the Independent Baptist movement, having pastored the First Baptist Church of Hammond in Hammond, Indiana, from 1959 until his death. He was also well-known for being an innovator of the church bus ministry that brought thousands of people each week from...
-Jenny Nischik scandal, several notorious cases have been made public, the most recent of which was the Trinity Baptist (Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
) legal battles, in which 23 adults came forward alleging that they were molested by former pastor Bob Gray, with the knowledge and collusion of the deacon board.Cases like these, no longer able to be silenced, seem to be sounding the death knell for the smaller fundamentalist Baptist schools.
In its prime, Arlington Baptist College had a consistently expanding enrollment that was close to 1,000 students. Twenty-five years after the split, total enrollment for both schools was under 200 students annually. Today, many independent Baptist leaders, even former supporters of the fellowship, believe that the demise of the IBFI is imminent.