2002 – The Local Church and Its Ministry Today

WHEREAS, the local church is God’s ordained, corporate institution for carrying on His work today, being in all matters of membership, polity, associations, government, discipline, finances and benevolence the final authority (Matthew 18:15,18; 1 Timothy 3:15), and

WHEREAS, the local church is promised God’s power, presence and blessings until His return (Matthew 16:18; 28:18:20), and

WHEREAS, God expects all believers in this age to be faithful members of a local church involved in its worship, fellowship, service, support, accountability and outreach (Acts 2:42,47; 15:14; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:11,16; Hebrews 10:24,25), and

WHEREAS, the Word of God reveals some very special and specific terms for the Church, terms which denote how God views that which was purchased by His Son’s own shed blood (Acts 20:28): House of God (1 Timothy 3:15); a Holy Temple of the Lord (Ephesians 2:21); Family of God (Ephesians 3:15); Wife (Revelation 19:7); Body (Ephesians 1:22); Golden Candlestick (Revelation 1:12,13,20); and Flock of God (1 Peter 5:2), and

WHEREAS, there is a concerted attack upon the Church today from various sources, ranging from heretical radio preachers declaring the local church is no longer valid and ought to be discarded to fundamental Baptist mission agency executives who deny the local church’s authority over missionaries sent out by that local church if assisted by a mission agency, to name a few, and

WHEREAS, para-church organizations, such as schools, mission and social agencies, youth programs and evangelistic ministries are proliferating and are more and more usurping the preeminence and place of the local church in ministry, support and loyalty,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that we, the members of the Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America (IBFNA) meeting in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, on June 25-27, 2002, do hereby call all believers to lift up, honor, .support, and actively participate in the ministry of their local, fundamental, Bible-believing, Christ-honoring, Baptist Church; and that if a believer is not now a member of a local church where the Word of God is taught, honored and obeyed, he ought to seek out such a church so he can fulfill the God-given mandate to be involved with and under the discipline of a local church. We also call upon all believers to give a preeminence in service and support to the local church itself and not to para-church organizations or any other ministry that purports to support or complement the local church.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon all fundamental Pastors to proclaim the wonderful truth of God’s Word as it relates to the local church and its special place in the heart of God and that they clearly teach the Christian’s need for both allegiance and responsibility to the local church. We call upon all para-church organizations to clearly declare their practical subservience to the local church in its autonomy and authority in all ministry.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the IBFNA as an organization reaffirms its commitment to the authority and autonomy of the local church.