About Liberty Baptist

What is an Indpendent, Fundamental, Baptist Church? The name is used traditionally by churches that pattern themselves strictly after the example of the early church as found in the New Testament. The words "Independent" and "Fundamental" have been added by some Baptist Churches after the use of the name Baptist failed to fully identify what they believed. The name Baptist is used by many churches who are not fundamental in their beliefs. Some "Baptist" churches were in the past founded on the doctorial teachings of the New Testament; however, many of them have drifted away from many of the teachings of the Scriptures. Some of these churches have gone as far as deny the fundamental teachings of the Bible, such as the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, salvation by the grace of God, through faith. These churches still call themselves Baptist but in fact they do not believe or practice what true Baptist have historically believed. The true Independent Fundamental Baptist has no fellowship with these churches because they teach or practice things contrary to the New Testament. The word "Independent" means that the church is not a member of any council, convention, or is a part of any hierarchy outside the local congregation. An Independent Baptist Church would not be a part of a national organization that would exercise authority over the local church. Thus, the name "Independent" means that the church patterns itself after the New Testament example and stands alone under the authority of the Bible. Independent churches direct their own affairs under the authority of the New Testament Scriptures, free from outside interference. Please note since the New Testament is NOT a replacement for the Old Testament the authority of the Bible refers to the authority of both the Old and New Testaments. Liberty Baptist Church uses the whole Bible in our preaching and teaching, while it is in the New Testament that Christ founded His church. The New Testament teaches us that Christ is the head of the Church, (Eph 5:23) and the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4) The local pastor is the Sheppard (Heb 13:17, Acts 20:28, Eph 4:11) or the leader of the congregation. The Independent Baptist Church has a congregational form of government with each member has the right of the vote and all the affairs of the church are conducted by the local congregation following the guidelines of the New Testament. The word "Fundamental" means that the Baptist Church uses the New Testament strictly as its authority for faith (doctrine) and practice. In recent years the news media has called some doctrinally unsound churches such as the Charismatic and the Pentecostals "fundamentalist". But they should not be confused with Fundamental Baptist. They are in fact worlds apart. Fundamental Baptist uses the name in the strictest sense as the meaning holding to the fundamentals of the New Testament teachings without error. True Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches uphold the purest teachings of the early church as revealed in the New Testament.