Independency Shoulders Churches Responsibility
One of our church members asked me about a Baptist church
which has the name "independent"
advertised with its church name. She was wondering how that
independent Baptist church was different rom us as an independent
Baptist church.
Southern Baptists and some Conservative Baptists think of
themselves as "independent" and the Baptist Fellowship
groups headquarters in Springfield, Missouri and Arlington, Texas
use the term very explicitly to describe themselves. The term is
used so generally that it becomes confusing to many as who is and
who isn't "independent" Baptists.
I want to examine the term "independent" from the
standpoint of the meaning of the word. The first three
definitions of the word are those upon which most Baptist groups
base their independency. They are:
1. Free from the influence or control of others;
2. Free from rule of another, self-governing;
3. Free from persuasion or bias, self-determined, self-reliant.
But the last two definitions are what makes the idea of
independency complete.
4. Not connected with, such as a political party, an independent
voter;
5. Not connected with others, separate such as an independent
grocer.
We understand without question that an "independent"
voter does not belong or is connected with nor is registered as a
Republican, Democrat, American party or whatever. We understand
an "independent" grocer to be one who doesn't belong to
a grocery chain and is free to buy his products from any
wholesaler he desires and is answerable to nobody but himself in
promotions, profits, etc. It is clear from these facts that the
terms "not connected with, separate from" must be
included in a church's position if they can truly qualify as
being totally "independent". The SBC, Baptist Bible
Fellowship, the World Baptist Fellowship, Conservative Baptist
groups and others are connected with each other by a headquarters
with executive officials, with a mission board or committee that
gives direction or approval, that has influence upon the
decisions that local churches make in various areas as they are
led by their pastors.
My conviction is that a Baptist church should practice all of
these definitions before complete
independency can be claimed.
I'm thankful that independent Baptist churches can claim total
independency. We are free from influence and control except for
that of the Holy Spirit. We are self-governing, self-reliant as
the Holy Spirit directs.
We are not connected with, and are separate from any organization
outside of the local church. New Testament Baptist churches were
this way, early century churches were this way until the 1700's
when various organizations began to be formed.
A young man asked me recently why I was an unaffiliated
independent Baptist and I gave him the reason above about the
definition of independent as well as that unaffiliated
independent Baptist churches were assuming the complete
responsibility of the church as Jesus gave it.
The responsibility of the church is to carry out the Great
Commission of Matthew 28:19-20. That responsibility also carries
with it the obligation for each local church to oversee the
extension of themselves in mission fields around the world. Two
clear examples in the New Testament are easily recognized.
First, in Acts 8 when the church at Jerusalem was scattered about
Judea and Samaria and Philip ministered in Samaria where many
were saved and baptized, the apostles, who were all that were
left in the Jerusalem church, sent Peter and John to see the work
that was done there. It was their responsibility to see that the
preaching was true, the baptism was administered correctly and
the professions were genuine. Second, in Acts 11:19 others
scattered from the Jerusalem church by the persecution mentioned
in Acts 8 came northward to Antioch in Syria preaching and many
believed. In 11:22 the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to see
about the work they had heard about in Antioch. It was the
Jerusalem church's responsibility to maintain close contact with
the work done by those who were from the Jerusalem church.
It matters not in what way the local church is responsible for
what is done. Mission work, Christian
schools, Bible colleges, children's homes which are such
extensions are all the responsibility of the local church that
sponsors them. It can be a tremendous load to a pastor and a
church to oversee such works but that is what Christ intended.
Many are not willing to take this responsibility and give it to
boards and organizations outside the local church to direct and
oversee.
Some pastors make it clear they do not want to send a missionary
directly from the church and have to be tied down. One pastor
made it very clear he wouldn't want to send a missionary directly
from his church and have to be tied down with that
responsibility, he was glad the mission boards and committees
were responsible for that. This appears to be the unspoken
sentiments of many Baptists in America.
If God has given this responsibility to Christ's church and we do
God's work, God's way by the leadership of the Holy Spirit, then
we can be assured of God's blessings. I trust independent Baptist
churches will be always willing to shoulder their responsibility.
~ Charles C. Hays