Why the IFB Movement Needs More Theology and Less Sloganeering
One of the great problems of modern Baptists is that we have produced generations of Christians who know what they are supposed to believe but frequently cannot explain why they believe it. We have trained people to repeat familiar phrases, defend certain positions, and identify themselves with particular doctrinal camps, yet we have not always done the hard work of teaching them the biblical foundation for those convictions. I believe this is one of the most serious problems facing our movement today, and until we address it, we will continue producing Christians who are passionate about their beliefs but often poorly equipped to defend them.
I have heard Independent Baptist preachers make tremendous statements about the authority of Scripture, the importance of separation, the necessity of soul winning, and the distinctiveness of Baptist doctrine. I agree with many of those convictions. However, I am increasingly concerned that we have sometimes substituted the repetition of familiar slogans for actual biblical instruction. A preacher can stand in a pulpit, repeat the same handful of phrases that have been popular in fundamentalist circles for decades, and receive a tremendous response from the congregation without ever providing a serious explanation of the Scriptures. People leave encouraged because they heard familiar convictions reinforced, but they may have learned very little about what the Bible actually teaches.
We desperately need a return to serious theology, and I believe there are four reasons this matters.
1. We Have Confused Repeating a Conviction With Understanding It
There is an enormous difference between knowing what position you hold and understanding the biblical reasons for holding it. A Christian may proudly identify as a fundamentalist, a dispensationalist, a Baptist, or a defender of the King James Bible while possessing only a limited understanding of the doctrines associated with those positions. He knows which answers are expected within his religious circle, but he has never been taught how to establish those answers through a careful examination of Scripture.
Consider how frequently we hear preachers use the phrase "rightly dividing the word of truth." I certainly believe in rightly dividing Scripture, but how many Christians can actually explain what that means? Can they distinguish between Israel and the Church? Can they explain the difference between the Mosaic Law and the present dispensation of grace? Can they identify the major covenants in the Bible and demonstrate how those covenants relate to biblical prophecy? Or have they simply learned to repeat the terminology without understanding the doctrine?
The same problem appears in discussions about biblical separation, salvation, eternal security, and church authority. Christians may be able to repeat the conclusions they heard from their favorite preachers but struggle to explain the relevant passages in their proper contexts. When someone challenges their position, they often respond by repeating the slogan more loudly rather than offering a biblical explanation.
Second Timothy 2:15 commands us to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Notice that studying is part of the command. Paul did not instruct Timothy to memorize the favorite sayings of respected religious leaders and repeat them for the rest of his ministry. He instructed him to become a workman who could handle the Scriptures correctly. This requires effort, discipline, careful reading, and a willingness to examine the meaning of biblical passages rather than merely accepting the conclusions of previous generations.
2. Sloganeering Creates Shallow Christians Who Cannot Defend Their Faith
The consequences of shallow theological instruction become particularly apparent when Christians encounter serious questions about their beliefs. A young person may grow up in an Independent Baptist church, attend Christian school, participate in soul winning, and hear hundreds of sermons throughout his childhood. Nevertheless, when he eventually encounters a thoughtful challenge to something he has been taught, he may discover that he has never received a substantial biblical explanation of the subject.
Perhaps someone challenges his understanding of salvation. Perhaps he encounters covenant theology, Calvinism, charismatic theology, or a different interpretation of biblical prophecy. Maybe he hears arguments concerning the reliability of Scripture or the historical claims of Christianity. Suddenly, the familiar phrases he has heard since childhood are insufficient to answer the questions being raised. He may know that his church disagrees with a particular theological position, but he does not know how to demonstrate that disagreement from Scripture.
This is an enormous failure of Christian education. We should not be raising young people who are dependent upon the opinions of their pastors to determine what they believe. We should be raising Bible believers who possess the knowledge and maturity necessary to examine theological arguments and recognize when someone is mishandling the Scriptures.
First Peter 3:15 instructs believers to be ready to give an answer concerning the hope that is in them. That responsibility requires more than enthusiasm. It requires knowledge. We cannot expect Christians to answer serious theological questions if we have never provided them with serious theological instruction. A congregation that knows how to applaud familiar slogans but cannot explain foundational doctrine is not nearly as strong as it may appear.
This problem extends beyond young people. I have encountered discussions in which experienced Christians can describe the personalities and controversies of fundamentalist history in remarkable detail while demonstrating very little familiarity with important biblical passages. They know who preached at a conference forty years ago, which institutions were involved in particular disagreements, and which famous men held certain opinions. Yet they struggle to explain Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, or the doctrinal arguments of Ephesians. Something is terribly wrong when Christians know more about the history of their religious movement than they know about the Bible that movement claims to defend.
3. Sloganeering Allows Bad Doctrine to Survive Without Examination
Another serious danger is that slogans can become substitutes for biblical authority. When a particular phrase has been repeated for decades, people may begin treating it as though it possesses the same authority as Scripture. The statement becomes familiar, the congregation accepts it, and eventually very few people bother examining whether it is actually biblical.
This is especially dangerous when influential preachers use familiar phrases to defend questionable interpretations. Consider how passages concerning pastoral authority have sometimes been used to discourage legitimate criticism. The expression "Touch not mine anointed" comes from Psalm 105:15, but that passage is not a blanket prohibition against examining the conduct or teaching of a New Testament pastor. Yet the phrase has sometimes been applied as though it protects religious leaders from accountability. A serious study of the context would quickly demonstrate the problems with such an application.
The same issue arises when preachers discuss soul winning, church growth, discipleship, or separation. A statement may sound powerful because it has been repeated by respected men, but that does not make it biblically accurate. If we continually teach Christians to accept familiar religious phrases without examining their meaning, we create an environment in which doctrinal errors can be preserved for generations.
Acts 17:11 provides a far better example. The Bereans were commended because they searched the Scriptures daily to determine whether the things they were hearing were true. Their response was not to evaluate Paul's popularity, reputation, or influence. They examined his teaching against the Word of God. This should be the standard in every Independent Baptist church. We should be willing to examine the statements of our favorite preachers just as carefully as we examine the teachings of those with whom we disagree.
I believe this is particularly important because the Independent Baptist movement has historically emphasized the Bible as its final authority. If we genuinely believe that principle, then we must be willing to correct any teaching that cannot be established from Scripture, regardless of who originally promoted it. We cannot claim to reject religious tradition as an authority while simultaneously treating the favorite sayings of fundamentalist leaders as though they are beyond examination.
4. We Need to Produce Bible Students, Not Just Cheerleaders
The solution to this problem is not complicated, but it will require a significant change in the way some of our churches approach preaching and discipleship. We need to develop Christians who understand theology, know how to study Scripture, and can explain their convictions with clarity. That means pastors must devote serious attention to teaching the major doctrines of the Bible rather than continually returning to the same collection of familiar subjects.
Our churches need systematic instruction concerning salvation, justification, sanctification, the person and work of Jesus Christ, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the nature of the Church, biblical prophecy, and the interpretation of Scripture. We need Christians who can explain the difference between salvation and discipleship, who understand the distinction between Israel and the Church, and who possess enough biblical knowledge to recognize false teaching. These things should not be reserved exclusively for Bible college students or young men preparing for the ministry. Every believer should be encouraged to grow in his understanding of God's Word.
Paul explained the purpose of Christian ministry in Ephesians 4:14 when he described believers who would "be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine." That is the kind of spiritual maturity we should be pursuing. We do not want congregations that simply follow whichever preacher happens to be the most entertaining or influential. We want Christians who are grounded in sound doctrine and capable of recognizing biblical truth.
This also means we must change what we celebrate in the pulpit. A sermon should not be considered great merely because it was loud, emotional, or filled with memorable statements. We should appreciate preachers who explain difficult passages clearly, demonstrate the connection between biblical doctrines, and help congregations understand the Word of God. There is nothing wrong with passion in preaching, but passion must never replace substance. A man who can entertain a congregation for an hour without teaching them anything significant about Scripture has not accomplished the primary responsibility of biblical preaching.
The Future of Fundamentalism Requires Serious Biblical Teaching
I remain committed to biblical fundamentalism, but I am not interested in preserving an intellectually shallow version of it. I do not believe we honor the Scriptures by constantly declaring our allegiance to them while failing to explain what they teach. The Independent Baptist movement has produced many men who devoted themselves to serious biblical study, and we should be grateful for their example. However, we must ensure that the next generation understands that doctrinal conviction requires more than inheriting a list of approved opinions.
We need fewer religious catchphrases and more biblical explanation. We need fewer sermons built around the personalities of famous preachers and more teaching that helps people understand entire books of the Bible. We need pastors who can answer difficult theological questions rather than dismissing them as unnecessary controversies. Most importantly, we need churches where Christians are encouraged to study, examine, and understand the Scriptures for themselves.
The strength of fundamentalism should never be measured by how loudly we repeat our convictions. It should be measured by how faithfully those convictions can be established from the Word of God.
If we really believe the Bible is our final authority, then it is time we started teaching people to understand it instead of merely teaching them what to say about it.
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