Independent Baptist churches (some also called Independent Fundamental Baptist or IFB) are Christian congregations, generally holding to conservative (primarily fundamentalist) Baptist beliefs. Although some Independent Baptist churches refuse affiliation with Baptist denominations, various Independent Baptist Church denominations have been founded.
History
The modern Independent Baptist tradition began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among local denominational Baptist congregations whose members were concerned about advancing modernism and liberalism into national Baptist denominations and conventions in the United States and the United Kingdom.
In response to the concerns, some local Baptist churches separated from their former denominations and conventions and reestablished the congregations as Independent Baptist churches. In other cases, the more conservative members of existing churches withdrew from their local congregations and set about establishing new Independent Baptist churches.
Although some Independent Baptist churches refuse affiliation with Baptist denominations, various Independent Baptist Church denominations have been founded. The World Baptist Fellowship was founded in 1933 in Fort Worth, Texas, by J. Frank Norris. Doctrinal differences in the latter led to the founding of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International in 1950 and the Independent Baptist Fellowship International in 1984. Various independent Baptist Bible colleges were also founded.
Beliefs
The beliefs are mainly Baptist and fundamentalist. They refuse any ecclesial authority other than that of the local church. Great emphasis is placed on the literal interpretation of the Bible as the primary Bible study method. Dispensationalism is common among Independent Baptists. They oppose social justice and any ecumenical movement with denominations that do not have the same beliefs.