Southwide Baptist Fellowship
The Southwide Baptist Fellowship is considered a conservative and “Fundamentalist” association of Baptist churches. It is made up of about a thousand churches. It is a member of the International Baptist Network.
The Southwide Baptist Church Fellowship believes what God revealed to the church in James 2:1 “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.” Come as you are, whatever your race, education, or financial status. No fine clothes required.
Most member churches of the Southwide Baptist Fellowship are Independent Baptist and remain “King James Version only.” They are not as staunchly devoted as other Baptist Fundamentalist Fellowships on the concept of absolute only KJV only. They are liberal on the local church independence.
The organizational structure of government and by-laws within the Southwide Baptist Fellowship are not available for public viewing, but the organization includes a moderator and one of its main purposes is to convene regularly for conferences.
History:
Southwide Baptist Fellowship was formed in 1956 at Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga under the leadership of Dr. Lee Roberson. Other leaders of the group were John R. Rice of the Sword of the Lord, Lester Roloff, Dolphis Price, Gary Coleman, and Raymond Hancock.
Lee Roberson became the pastor of Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1942. Under his leadership it became one of the largest churches in America. A few years after arriving, he founded Tennessee Temple College for the training of young men and women for Christian service. Although educated as a Southern Baptist, he eventually became a leader in the independent Baptist movement. He made J. R. Faulkner to become his right-hand man. Together they led the church and the school to greatness.
Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) – Founder of the Sword of the Lord (1934-1980). John R. Rice was born in Cooke County, Texas, December 11, 1895. Pastor of Baptist churches in Dallas and Shamrock, Texas. Dr. Rice held huge citywide crusades in Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, Seattle and other major Metropolitan centers. While pastor in Dallas in 1934, he founded The Sword of the Lord, a bi-weekly publication that grew into an influential fundamentalist Baptist newspaper. Lester Leo Roloff (June 28, 1914 – November 2, 1982) was an American fundamental Independent Baptist preacher and the founder of teen homes across the American South.
When it originated, the Southwide Baptist Fellowship was almost identical in teaching and attitude as the core of Independent Baptist Fundamentalism. It was heavily influenced by Lee Roberson and John R. Rice. Its code of behaviors such as men must wear short hair, women had to wear dresses, no mixed bathing, going to movies were forbidden, and no contemporary music. Theology was considered Dispensationalist.
Many of its members were openly antagonistic towards the Southern Baptist Convention and were outspoken critics of their policies.
Since the 1990s, the Southwide Baptist Fellowship has relaxed some of its more strict requirements of dress and behavior. One reason for current change is that Baptist Fundamentalism itself has been rocked by scandals adultery from some of its top leaders, child molesting in its churches when Dr. Bob Gray who had been disciplined by his Trinity Baptist Church for an “indiscretion.” That indiscretion was his admission he had “French-kissed” little girls in his church office. If the officers knew of Gray’s sin, they were serious compromisers; however, the Gray affair did not become big news until his arrest in May of 2006. There were reports of domestic abuse, other scandals, and a series of alarmist “trends” (hysteria over alleged demonic reversed lyrics in some modern music, an over saturation of fear regarding the Y2K threat) that have diminished the credibility of Baptist Fundamentalism. The “Young Fundamentalist” movement has raised questions and criticisms about superficial theology, shallow assurances of salvation without repentance.
He was Baptist all the way and he was known as a fundamentalist, but he never got involved in the name-calling that sullied so much of that movement. He simple did what he thought was right and did not publicly criticize others who saw things differently.
Belief:
Southwide Baptist Fellowship believes all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.
Southwide Baptist Fellowship believes the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Southwide Baptist Fellowship believes if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you confess and are saved. As the scripture says, “everyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame,” for there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
Southwide Baptist Fellowship believes by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Reference:
Official website for the Southwide Baptist Fellowship: http://southwide.org/
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Southwide Baptist Fellowship:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Oct 2013.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2484,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2013, October) “Southwide Baptist Fellowship:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2484,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2013) “Southwide Baptist Fellowship:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (October), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2484, (accessed).
