Is The New IFB Bad?

Philippians 1:15-18, “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.”

The “New IFB” stands for New Independent Fundamental Baptist churches (or movement). This compares to the Old IFB movement. To be quite frank, the New IFB essentially began with Pastor Steven Anderson. God has used Brother Anderson in a tremendous way to bring revival across America. A faithful group of young men have followed Pastor Anderson's leadership and influence, becoming pastors themselves. Namely, some of these pastors are Roger Jimenez, Joe Major, Jonathan Shelley, Bruce Mejia, et cetera. I love the New IFB and thank God for their aggressive emphasis on soulwinning and hard preaching.

Unfortunately, some of the New IFB lacks love for sinners. I firmly believe that we ought never accept the sin with the sinner, nor reject the sinner with the sin. Hatred begets more hatred. You cannot show me one verse in the inspired Holy Bible that teaches us to hate people, regardless of how they live. This is where I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the New IFB. I don't like that Pastor Anderson says that he hopes all homosexuals will burn in Hell. I do not agree with the New IFB that homosexuals are reprobates who are beyond the hope of the Gospel, so they say why bother trying to witness to them to get them saved. That is so unbiblical and wrong.

Pastor Anderson has been banned in over 40 countries. It is not because of his hard preaching, but because he is preaching hatred against the LGBTQ community. God hates their sins and so should we. Psalms 97:10, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.” Albeit, we are commanded in the Bible to love everyone. James 2:8-9, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.” Without love we will hardly win anybody to Christ.

Loving everyone doesn't means tolerating, affirming or accepting their sins. The Bible teaches that the righteous and the unrighteous will NEVER get along in harmony. Proverbs 29:27, “An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.” I am 100% against churches embracing the LGBTQ movement in their unrepentant state. There is hot debate over whether sodomites should be allowed to attend church. Some pastors view a local church as a hospital for sinners, so everyone is welcomed (Pastor Jeff Owens believes this); but other pastors view the church as a group of Christian families and see homosexuals as a threat to families, so they are banned from attending church (this is why Pastor Steven Anderson believes). So who is correct?

What saith the Scripture? 1st Timothy 5:20, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” I think the problem resolves itself if a pastor faithfully preaches hard against sin, which is his duty as God's man. Open homosexuals won't want to attend a church where the pastor rips and hollers with the Bible against the sin of homosexuality. Shame on the cowardly, compromised, incompetent pastor who doesn't preach against homosexuality as a sin! Churches are indeed failing the LGBTQ community today, by not crying aloud against homosexuality as utter perversion and an abomination to God almighty!

I am all for comforting the grieving, helping the needy, and loving people, but never at the expense of righteousness. The proper balance is to unconditionally love sinners, while at the same time preaching hard against their sin, and refusing to tolerate open sin in a local church. Those who commit open sin in a church need to kindly be confronted, and if need be asked to leave (1st Corinthians 5:1-5). There will always be a few troublemakers, who come to church with intent to disrupt the service, and they need to be shown the door. Albeit, 99% of sinners will behave themselves at church, and I humbly believe they should be allowed to stay, because otherwise we would ALL have to leave, because we are all sinners!

I think the New IFB hurt their movement by hating sinners. Pastor Fred Phelps was a devout Calvinist who hated homosexuals. All eight of his children were attorneys, and he often needed their representation in legal matters. Pastor Phelps was infamous for sending his church members to protect at funerals, holding up offensive signs that read: “Thank God for dead miners” and “Thank God for 911” and “Thank God for dead firemen,” et cetera. Those signs infuriated the public! Although I understand what Fred was doing, rubbing it in that we all deserve God's wrath and judgment as Americans, the average person didn't understand his extreme antics.

Likewise, most people don't understand Pastor Anderson praising the 2016 shooting and murder of 49 homosexuals at the gay Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. When Pastor Anderson thanked God publicly for the murders, all his buddies in the New IFB movement followed suit, making the same horrible statements from their pulpits. This is pure hatred of people, not sin. This is why Pastor Anderson has been banned from entering into over 40 countries.

Now, I know that we are engaged in a spiritual war with the Devil and the world. My friend Pastor Max D. Younce has received his second strike from YouTube, for preaching against the sin of homosexuality. One more strike and YouTube will remove his entire church channel for the Heritage Baptist Bible Church in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. We are at war with the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12).

Pastor Anderson made this helpful video to explain the differences between the Old IFB and the New IFB...

New IFB Versus Old IFB
(Pastor Steven Anderson)

To clarify, I love the New IFB and support their aggressive soulwinning efforts. However, I 100% disagree with several false teachings which are prevalent in the New IFB. I don't believe that Jesus burned in Hell for three days. The Bible plainly says that Jesus went to Paradise. I am sad that Pastor Anderson willingly contradicts the Bible in this matter. Jesus did NOT burn in Hell. The Savior Himself told the repentant thief on the cross next to Him, that they would both be in 'Paradise' that very same day (Luke 23:43). Clearly, Jesus did not burn in Hell.

I also respectfully disagree with Pastor Anderson's Strange "Reprobate Doctrine." This heresy falsely claims that God hates homosexuals and has given up on them ever getting saved, banning them from salvation. I do believe the Reprobate Doctrine as Dr. Jack Hyles preached it, which I explain in detail in the preceding article, contrasting what Pastor Hyles taught versus what Pastor Anderson is preaching. I believe there is a point of no return that an unsaved sinner can cross, where they will never get saved; but it is only because of the hardness of their heart, and not because God refuses to save them. Jesus said in John 5:40 that "Ye will not come unto me." He didn't say, "Ye cannot come." Furthermore, in John 6:37 Jesus promised to never cast away anybody who comes to Him for salvation. 2nd Peter 3:9 says that God is not willing for ANY to perish, but that ALL men repent and come to Christ to be saved by faith alone.

I also humbly disagree With a PreWrath Rapture. I believe in a Biblical Pretribulation Rapture (i.e., the Rapture will happen BEFORE the 7-year Tribulation period). Pastor Anderson teaches that the Rapture and Christ's Second Coming are the SAME event, which is unbiblical. I do not believe that OLD IFB and NEW IFB should divide over the timing of the Rapture. That is, we ought to support soulwinning events together, even though churches may not want New IFB pastors preaching for them.

So is the New IFB bad? No, I don't think so. God is working tremendously through New IFB churches to bring revival to America. Sadly, our nation is so far gone into sin and lack of fear of God that the New IFB and Old IFB alike have many enemies. We are at war ladies and gentlemen.  I would rather see a guy do right wrongly, than to do wrong rightly. Even though the New IFB is not perfect, neither is the Old IFB for that matter. I am not supportive of hating a particular group of sinners, as is the case with the New IFB hating the LGBTQ community. The sin of homosexuality is no more wicked than adultery, slander, gossip or stealing. It is junk theology to teach that homosexuals are reprobates who are beyond the hope of the Gospel. So I disagree with Nee IFB pastors in this matter.

The one major flaw that I see in New IFB churches is their woeful lack of love for sinners. 1st Corinthians 13:1-5 teaches that if we do not have charity (love), then nothing else matters. The zealous hard preaching of the New IFB means NOTHING until they start unconditionally loving people. Jude 1:22-23, “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” I think the problem is that all of the New IFB pastors I have seen are quite young. There's just something about growing older, gaining more life's experiences, that cause us to become more understanding, forgiving and loving.

We see this truth evidenced in the Bible in John chapter 8, in the account of the woman taken in the very act of adultery. Jesus wrote on the ground. We do not know what He wrote. My guess would be: “Where's the man?” The Pharisees said they caught her in the very act of adultery, so why didn't they bring the man? The Bible says that the oldest among the woman's accusers left first. I think that is because of what I just said, about gaining life's experiences, understanding, conviction and wisdom as we age. It took the younger guys more time to figure it out. I am still hoping and paying that one of these days, that the New IFB will figure out as they grow older and wiser, that people just want to be loved.

I love the New IFB and will continue to support their sermons, churches, ministries and pastors. They are correct on a free grace Gospel and the inspiration of the King James Bible. Some critics want me to expose and reject the New IFB movement over minor doctrinal flaws and Pastor Anderson's rough edges. I won't do it! I love and respect Pastor Anderson. Some people have accused him of not having a college degree. Neither did Jesus! All a college degree shows is that you paid money for a piece of paper, it doesn't mean that you are learned in the Word of God. Next to Pastor Jack Hyles, I have learned more about the Bible from Pastor Anderson than any other preacher.

One reason is because Brother Anderson has made a science out of the Bible, getting into the nitty gritty and the meat and potatoes. Next to myself, I do not know of a preacher who covers more topics than Pastor Anderson. I love that about him. He exposes the fraudulent Federal Reserve system. He exposes America's criminal injustice system. He exposes Johnny Nixon's insane “Born That Way” junk theology. He exposes the diabolical New World Order. What an awesome preacher! The Old IFB critics who want me to attack Pastor Anderson, unfortunately attend dead churches where their henpecked pastor never preaches against any of the aforementioned evils. So, no, I won't bite the hand that feeds me.

I love the zeal of the New IFB. I love their often soulwinning events. I love their focus on preaching the Gospel to the world. I love that they expose the Devil's modern corrupt Bible revisions. I love that they expose Bob Jones University's Lordship Salvation trash, and Dr. John MacArthur whom they idolize. I love that the New IFB preach against Calvinism and false prophets like Ray Comfort, Sam Adams and the cults. Where are the Old IFB churches on social media? Why is the New IFB doing nearly all the contending for the faith? I am supportive of BOTH Old and New IFB!!! I am for whoever is getting the job done for Christ. Dr. Hyles Hyles is right: “The most important job is the one that doesn't get done.

There are no perfect churches. I know that Pastor Anderson is wrong about Jesus burning in Hell for three days. In his book of the Holy Spirit, in chapter 20, Dr. Jack Hyles errantly teaches that the “Shekinah Glory” abode above the Mercy Seat in the Tabernacle. The “She” in “Shekinah” comes from the cult of Jewish Cabbalism, which refers to the female aspect of God. The Bible ALWAYS presents God only in a masculine form: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (who in John 16:13 is referred to with the masculine pronoun, “he”).  Wiccan witches, the occult, Asian false religions and Jewish mysticism pervert the Godhead, portraying God in feminine form.

The First Baptist Church of Hammond, since 2008, no longer believes or teaches their students at Hyles-Anderson College that the King James Bible is inspired by God. Dr. John R. Rice, in his book, “Dr. Rice: Here Are More Questions,” he teaches that it is a sin for a refined white woman to marry an unrefined Negro. What saith the Scripture in Hebrews 13:4? I'll let you decide. I personally do think that there are ethical concerns why interfacial marriage should be avoided, but it is not a sin. Pastor Peter Ruckman foolishly taught that abortion is okay. He also errantly taught that people were saved by works in the Old Testament. Acts 10:43 and Romans 4:4 call Ruckman a liar!

As much as I love Pastor Harry Ironside for his free grace Gospel preaching, he royally botched Matthew 24:13, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” In his book, “The Eternal Security Of The Believer,” Dr. Ironside errantly teaches that Tribulation saints will persevere (endure) to the end. This is heresy! That is not what Matthew 24:13 means! The Bible gives us the answer in Matthew 24:22, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” Verse 13 is referring to physically surviving the Tribulation period, it is not speaking about the spiritual new birth.

My point by sharing the preceding observations of false teachings with you, is that whether Old IFB or New IFB, no preacher is without doctrinal flaw. Most preachers change their doctrine over the decades, honing their theology to conform with the Word of God. Pastors all around the world relentlessly quote Charles Spurgeon, nearly all of which quotes were made by Spurgeon in his early twenties as a minister. He was just a stupid kid! Not surprisingly, Spurgeon's theology was full of bugs, contradictions and Calvinism.

Just To Clarify

I support both the Old and New IFB. God doesn't want us dividing over minor issues. Paul rebuked the church at Corinth for dividing into cliques (1st Corinthians 1:11-15). I hate when New IFB try to rid the Old IFB. The IFB is essentially Pastor Anderson, who has doctrinal issues; such as his blatant heresy that Jesus burned in Hell for 3 days. So I am 100% for the Old IFB too. I won't get into this cult mindset that the New IFB replaces the Old IFB, which is silly. I thank God for all pastors who are faithfully serving God. There are godly preachers in both the Old and New IFB. I think we need to be careful about becoming obsessed with this "New IFB" thing. There is only the local New Testament church.

I've had some wacky New IFB followers desperately try to get me to condemn and attack Old IFB pastors. One man attacked Pastor Jeff Owens, because 35 years ago he said in chapel at Hyles-Anderson College that we ought to have, “Hunt a homo day.” Twenty five years later Dr. Owens sincerely apologized for making that inappropriate statement, and I think he did the right thing. But Pastor Steven Anderson lashed out against Pastor Owens, calling him a bunch of names and scolding him for compromising his view on Sodomites. So a man on Facebook sent me a message recently, wanting me to abandon the Old IFB because of things like what I just mentioned.

In response to the preceding accusations, I reminded the man that as much as I love Pastor Anderson, he has some serious doctrinal issues. Like teaching that Jesus burned in Hell for three days and nights. Christ Himself told the repentant thief on the cross that they would be together in “Paradise” that very day. So unless you believe that Hell is Paradise, we know that Jesus did not burn in Hell for one second! Pastor Anderson is also in error concerning his Reprobate Doctrine. I've only mentioned these blatant doctrinal flaws by Pastor Anderson to prove a point, that there are flawed preachers in BOTH the Old IFB and the New IFB. 

Therefore, I love them all, though faulty they may be! The truth is that there's not a preacher who has ever walked the face of this earth, except Jesus Christ Himself, who wasn't doctrinally flawed on something. I do the best I can to be accurate in my doctrine, and to correct anything wrong in my preaching. I'm sure my teachings are not perfect, because I am not perfect. That is why I always encourage my web and blog visitors to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES, to verify what I teach you (John 5:39; Acts 17:10-11).

So I admonish you dear reader not to get caught up into this pissing contest between the New IFB and the Old IFB. Pastor Anderson spearheaded the New IFB movement, for which I am grateful, but the New IFB movement is not perfect, neither in their doctrines or methods. The Old IFB certainly has many ongoing issues as well, which likely won't be resolved anytime soon. The Old IFB lacks zeal. The Old IFB refuses to contend for the faith, to get their hands dirty by offending the local community with the truth.

I remember many years ago, when I was attending Hyles-Anderson College, that some good friends of mine from Cleveland, Ohio, invited me to come with them to their home. I was delighted to do so. While in Ohio they took me the Pastor Roy Thompson's Cleveland Baptist Church. I will never forget what the sign read in front of the church: “Abortion is cold-blooded murder!” That pastor instantly won my heart and respect. As far as I'm concerned, that was the New IFB!

Pastor Steven Anderson is not the first preacher to be zealous and stand for God. Pastor Jack Hyles was the New IFB of his generation. So much so that the Southern Baptist Convention stripped him of his membership and kicked him out the door!!! There is nothing “new” under the sun. Please remember that friend. During his time in the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah was the New IFB in town! In every generation, it is necessary for godly preachers to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

There are some faithful pastors in what is now called the “Old IFB,” who are diligently serving the Lord with zeal. The so-called “New IFB” is actually the movement that Pastor Steven Anderson started in 2006, when he started the Faithful Word Baptist Church. It should also be pointed out that the New IFB drastically departs from the orthodox Old IFB belief in a Pretribulation Rapture (which I think is unfortunate). If you rightly divide the Word of Truth, you can only conclude a Pretribulation Rapture. Anything else and we would know exactly when Jesus is returning, which Mark 13:32-37 says in impossible. So I very much disagree with the New IFB on their PreWrath Rapture theory.

I would like to also say that I don't like this New IFB versus Old IFB cult mindset that some people have today. I am not calling the New IFB a cult, I am saying that some of the New IFB followers have a cult mindset. I saw this in the Old IFB too. The First Baptist Church of Hammond was not a cult, but Pastor Jack Hyles had a cult following. Some of Pastor Hyles followers broke into Brother George Godfrey's home and stole the honorary doctorate's degree that Dr. Hyles awarded him at Pastor's School. That is a crime! That is wicked! That is so awful! No one has a right to break and enter into someone's home to steal from them!!!

When I attended Hyles-Anderson College (1985-1993), a man that I knew in the Bus Ministry literally attacked another student and broke his collar bone, sending him to the local hospital, for critiquing Dr. Hyles. That is wicked and wrong and a crime! The Lord Himself teaches us to turn the other cheek, and to be as harmless as doves, not go around beating people up. I am not saying that Dr. Hyles' ministry was a cult, God forbid. The New Testament church is not a cult. 

However, when you start shunning, rejecting and ostracizing people for not dotting their i's and crossing their t's, who are less than perfect, you are behaving like a cult. The Bible teaches in Galatians 6:1-3, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” So when we see a weaker believer who is struggling with worldliness and sin, we out to humble ourselves esteeming our self lower than them, and in meekness try to restore them to fellowship with God.

Sadly, most Baptists do the exact opposite, we cast them out and ban them from attending church anymore. That is what Pastor Jeff Redlin wickedly did to me at Campus Church, at Pensacola Christian College, which is a cult. They are a cult because of the way they abuse and mistreat individual people who they don't like. The cult system always comes first at PCC, individual people do not matter. SHAME on PCC's terrible leadership. There is a cult following at PCC, so that if you offend them, they will hurt you. They will shun, ostracize and even sue you, as they did one of their own alumni. PCC totally disregarded 1st Corinthians 6, which forbids suing another believer. SHAME on PCC! They disregard the Holy Bible on a whim.

Having said all that, I love and am thankful to God for all of the New IFB preachers and their followers. I thank God for the Old IFB and the New IFB alike. I will not take sides. There are flaws in both camps. There are bad and good churches in both camps. There are deadbeat and zealous pastors in both camps. The New IFB has a greater presence on social media, so they appear to be more zealous.

However, there are still some great churches across the United States. I am not for or against the Old IFB or New IFB. I am for truth-tellers. I am for principles and right doctrine. I am for righteousness. I am for God. I am for unconditionally loving sinners and uncompromisingly preaching against sin. There is a proper balance that we must maintain. Loving sinners without hard preaching against sin is ungodly compromise. Preaching hard against sin without loving people produces hatred and contempt. People don't care what you know until they know that you care.

I agree that the New IFB is more willing to 'agree to disagree' than the Old IFB, particularly over the subject of the Pretribulation Rapture. I am for SOULWINNING!!! That is why I love and support New IFB churches, because they are making an impact for God. So also are many Old IFB churches. God is doing a great work through Pastor Jeff Fugate in Lexington, Kentucky and their Commonwealth Baptist College. I thank God for their soulwinning ministry and I support them fully. So I encourage you not to think in terms of “Old or New IFB”; but rather, there are only local New Testament churches.

We're all in this thing called Christianity together. Every time I see this beautiful photo of Pastor Steven Anderson's church congregation, I rejoice in the Lord that he was born. One man plus God can make an impact for Jesus Christ...

Faithful Word Baptist Church