Independent Fundamental Churches of America
The Fundamental Churches of America are also known as IFCA International. It is an association of independent Protestant churches. The Fundamental Churches of America replaced the American Conference of Undenominational Churches in June 1930. The Fundamental Churches of America holds on to the traditional, fundamental doctrines of Christianity and rejects the theological modernism.
Fundamentalist is a term that specifically refers to several Protestant denominations. The Fundamental Churches of America, like most fundamentalists, support the modern nation of Israel. They believe that Jews have a significant purpose that corresponds to the Christian churches. They believe Israel plays and important part for the End Times.
The Fundamental Churches of America are conservative and reject Ecumenism, which is the movement in the Christian Church that aims for unity between the different denominations on the basic issues. They believe in the bodily Resurrection of Christ and believes in the End Times. They forbid their member churches from joining any denomination.
The independent fundamental churches emphasize the use of the Bible in their regular church services. The Bible is revered as the guide for their Christian faith and their way of life. The life of their church is centered on the values and standards of the Bible. They believe the Bible is inerrant, and many fundamentalists believe it is important to avoid the modern translations of the Bible and hold the King James Version translation as the most accurate.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe there should be a personal experience of a new birth as a prerequisite to church membership. They also require a testimony of an individual’s salvation before they can gain membership.
The Fundamental Churches of America are an association that is administered by an elected president and a board of trustees. They hold an annual conference that is used to discuss any issues that is brought forward by the churches. The members have voting power.
History
The theology of Rationalism and Modernism spread through Europe in the 19th Century. The philosophy of Rationalism was based on the belief that it was by reason and logic that the sources of knowledge and truth should be relied upon to fine the truth of anything. These concepts came to America by European trained Americans.
There are many national and interdenominational Bible Conferences organized to give a platform for preachers to respond to the unbiblical teachings that the Rationalism and Modernism were disclosing to other denominations. Those denominations who opposed the Modernists were given the name as “Bible Believers” or the “Fundamentalists”.
This Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy in the 1920’s caused many congregations to leave their own denominations. There were new churches formed which caused some to follow the more modern and liberal theology and others to hold true to the traditional teachings of the denominations.
The Fundamental Churches of America were organized at Cicero, Illinois, in 1930. Representatives came together from various independent churches to preserve their fundamentalist doctrine. The name was changed to The Fundamental Churches of America by the president of the Wheaton College, Dr. J. Oliver Buswell.
The Fundamental Churches of America were determined to keep to the founding principles of their religion. Their aim was to protect their principles, their way of life and their belief of salvation.
Liberal Christianity Vs Conservative Fundamental Christianity
The Bible takes an important part in how churches relate to their faith and beliefs in the world today. A Liberal view of Scripture would be the Bible is a book written by men who were inspired by God. The Conservative Fundamental Christians which includes The Fundamental Churches of America view the Bible as a book written by men who were directly guided by God.
The Liberal Christians have the freedom to construct their own personal view of God and are free to have their own perception of how God moves and works in their lives. The Conservative Fundamental Christians are against the Ecumenism movement, which is the movement that desires unity of all Christians from all religions, and support the World Council of Churches and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States. The Conservative Fundamental Christians which includes The Fundamental Churches of America believes this movement is against the accordance with the Word and Works of God. The Conservative Fundamental Christians believes the Scripture is considered the Word of God and no person has the right to change it or disagree with it. They feel obligated to obey the Word of God. They do not believe they have the right to rewrite the Scripture.
Liberal Christians have a wide belief of salvation. They believe integrity and love are more important than a set of theological belief. They believe in the theology of individualistic views and personal values and religious experience is above doctrines, the Church authority or the literal word of Scripture. The Conservative Fundamental Christians which includes The Fundamental Churches of America believes salvation is the gift of God that is brought to man by grace and is received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins.
Liberal Christians have nontraditional views on heaven and hell. They have a wide range of belief which suite the individuals ranging from a separation from God to the belief that there is no heaven or hell. The Conservative Fundamental Christians which includes The Fundamental Churches of America believes in the bodily resurrection of all men with the saved given eternal life, and the unsaved given everlasting punishment. They believe the souls of the redeemed are absent from the body at death and are present with the Lord and awaiting the first resurrection. They believe the first resurrection is when the spirit, soul and the body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. They believe the souls of unbelievers shall remain in conscious misery of death unto the second resurrection. They believe the second resurrection is when the soul and body is reunited and they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of fire. They believe they will not be annihilated, but they will suffer everlasting conscious punishment.
Belief
The Fundamental Churches of America believe in some basic beliefs and hold them to be true and factual. They have faith in their belief and in their doctrine. The Fundamental Churches of America believes the full and complete inerrant inspiration of the Bible. They believe the virgin birth, absolute deity and the sinless life of Jesus Christ. They believe in the death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ to provide salvation for all. They believe in the person and the work of the Holy Spirit, the reality of satan and in the destructive work of satan in today’s world. They believe in the bodily return of Jesus Christ and the bodily resurrection of all men; some to eternal life and some to everlasting punishment.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They believe are co-eternal in being co-eternal in nature, co-equal in power and in glory.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and He became man, without ceasing to be God. They believe He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. They believe the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for all mankind as a representative, as a vicarious, as a substitute sacrifice, and that His atoning sacrifice was to accomplish the redemption and the justification of all who trust in Him. They believe those who trust in the Lord Jesus is assured of a physical resurrection from the dead. They further believe the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, and is now at the right hand of God. They believe He is their high priest, and the intercessor and advocate.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe on depending upon the direction of the Holy Spirit. They believe the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. They believe the Holy Spirit is the supernatural agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ. They believe the Holy Spirit is the indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. They believe the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher who guides believers into all truth.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe the Bible is a combination of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, both infallible and historically accurate. They believe the New Testament represents the new covenant between God and man and the fulfillment of the Old Testament. They accept the accounts of scripture to be literally true.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe in two ordinances; Baptism and Communion. Baptism is according to the Biblical teachings which is water baptism and is a testimony of their faith in Christ. Communion is done as a remembrance of Jesus Christ. All who are truly born-again are invited to share communion regardless of church membership.
The Fundamental Churches of America Fundamental Churches of America believe the body of Christ transcends all earthly denominations. They believe they are compiled of people who trust in Christ as their Savior regardless of their denominational affiliation. They believe they are loyal to Christ and His Word instead of any organization.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe that man was created in the image and the likeness of God. They believe that the fall of man began with Adam. Because of this they believe man has inherited a sinful nature, and has become alienated from God. They believe salvation is a gift of God bought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They believe it was the precious blood that the Lord Jesus Christ shed on Calvary that bought the forgiveness of sins for mankind.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe all the redeemed are kept by the power of God and are secured in Christ forever. They believe it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of the Word of God.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts. They believe the gifts are given to evangelists, pastors, and teachers and they are used to perfect the saints today. They believe speaking in tongues and in the working of sign miracles. They believe God does hear and answers the prayers of faith in accordance with His Own Will for the sick and afflicted.
The Fundamental Churches of America believe the Church is the body and the espoused bride of Christ. They believe the establishment of the local churches is taught and supported in the New Testament. They believe is self-government of all the local churches. They believe all local churches are responsible for any external authority or control of their individual churches.
The Fundamental Churches of America Fundamental Churches of America believe in the personal, pre-tribulation and pre millennial coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His redeemed ones. They believe His return to earth with His saints will be to establish His millennial kingdom.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Independent Fundamental Churches of America:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2729,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Independent Fundamental Churches of America:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2729,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Independent Fundamental Churches of America:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2729, (accessed).
