Like most so-called "Independent Baptists," I came from connection with a convention — in my case, the Southern Baptist Convention. Strictly speaking, a Baptist does not belong to a convention: he belongs to a church which cooperates with a convention, usually through a district Association. I came from such a church and from many years of limited cooperation. In spirit, I am not an "Independent Baptist" spelled with a big "I" nor with a little "i." I am dependent on God and all who contribute to my life and success. So, if there is a way I can cooperate with my brethren, I want to do it, and I want to lead our church to do it. Hence, as I drifted away from the "Convention Movement," I sought other fields of cooperation.I must say I have found the "independent" groups so divided that I do not hope to cooperate with many of them in any definite fashion. This does not drive me back to "conventionism," but it does make me stand somewhat alone in my efforts. Certainly, not all whom I meet feel this way, but generally I have found a demand in each group of Independent Baptists that I conform in some measure, at least, to a pattern of work or of interpretation which they have already set. For some years I have tried to foster a get-together meeting of representative brethren in the different sections of the country, a meeting in which we talk "over the teacups" for a day or so, and discuss the matter of cooperation among Baptists who cannot conscientiously cooperate with one of the big conventions. I have met reluctance everywhere on this matter.
At this writing, I have found almost as much ecclesiasticism on the part of Independent Baptists as I do among convention brethren. It is a negative ecclesiasticism, genuinely fundamental in doctrine, but so possessed with a fear that we will do something similar to the programs of the conventions that we are afraid to do anything in a cooperative way. I have found myself thinking that I would about as soon belong to an ecclesiasticism which continually tells me what I must do to be a good Baptist as to belong to one which constantly tells me what I cannot do to be a good Baptist.
As the Apostle would say, "Brethren, these things ought not to be." I know how dangerous it is to say that the Bible does not specify how we are to do the Lord's work; that it lays down principles to guide us and leaves to our judgment the application of these principles. Conventionism has shown us how dangerous is this interpretation, yet, we must admit that in some measure this is true. The main things are set forth or plainly implied in the New Testament, either by precept or example, but there is still much implementation necessary to the carrying out of the commands of our Lord. For brethren to say or imply that every move we make is definitely stated and plainly set forth in the New Testament for all church life, as it was concerning the Tabernacle or Temple worship, is assuming a great deal that cannot be proven. It is fear that drives us to this conclusion. A great deal of what Independent Baptists do is not set forth in the Scriptures.
To be sure that we make this statement good, let us take, for example, the matter of transferring members from one church to another. We claim that a local church is "the body" of Christ in that place. Each member is a part of the body. Do we take a part of one body away and place it on another? In such a transfer of membership, are we instructed to grant letters? If we do not have a letter, do we not accept them "on statement?" Certainly I am not opposed to these things. But is that not implementation of our own in the spirit of the New Testament? Sometimes I have seriously wondered about this matter of transferring members from one church to another. Should we baptize them again, or let them remain in their own church where they started? You know what I do, just what all the rest do, but we are acting on judgment. This is only one of the many matters which we handle this way. So, we do take the liberty to use our sanctified judgment.
Doubtless many of the actions taken in the earlier days of the conventions were not unscriptural, but there are certain fundamental phases of this work which ought to have been guarded carefully in order to keep close to the New Testament order. These we should discuss at another time. Never-the-less, it is not unscriptural to take the position that we are to implement, in some suitable fashion the work our Lord has called us to do, and this is being done by Independent Baptists as well as all others. The difference is the method and degree.
Any basis of fellowship among Baptists must be, first of all, doctrinal. The tragedy of conventionism is that it has transferred the basis of fellowship to program instead of doctrine. I really believe that if a Baptist church sent its mission money through the Cooperative Program, it could teach locally the Book of Mormon without being questioned by the associations or the Conventions. So intent are they on making the program succeed that they have long since ceased to be worried about what churches teach. Certainly, that is true of their institutions. I remember when doctrine was the test of fellowship among Southern Baptists, and can cite events which prove this statement.
My own view of a doctrinal basis for fellowship among Baptists would be as follows: (1) Salvation by grace through faith alone, both in experience and preaching. (2) A local, visible church or assembly as the only Scriptural concept of a church of Christ. (3) Baptism and the Lord's Supper as ordinances through which the church preaches the doctrine of this salvation, and those, naturally to be administered by and in such a church. (4) Again, the faithful in Christ Jesus must go forth to do battle "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." The churches of Jesus Christ and prevailing prayer go hand-in-hand through the ages unto the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
The supreme challenge to real, independent, New Testament Baptists of today is to hear the word of God and keep it; to believe what God says, and act like it. They are faced with a formidable array of denominational machines which often foster unscriptural programs for the churches; foist upon the ministry and the churches schools teaching doubtful and heretical doctrine; building money pools that entice the weak in the faith, et. cetera, ad nauseam. The challenge to the ministry is to edify the churches by the Word of God "till we all come in the unity of the faith."
The challenge to true, New Testament Baptists is to hear and heed what the Spirit saith to the churches; to rise in the power of the Spirit of God and demonstrate to a gain-saying generation of Baptists and to an unbelieving world that they can operate, and cooperate successfully, now, in the fulfillment of the Great Commission of our Lord in all its parts, scope and purpose, with the promised presence and blessing of the Lord upon them, just as the plan and pattern for our obedience is set forth for all the faithful in Christ Jesus in the New Testament. "Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith ... Them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed" (I Sam. 2:30).
[From The Baptist Challenge, Jan.- March, 1961, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 7, 10.]
Buell H. Kazee