# New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement

The New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement (also known as the New IFB or NIFB) is an association of Christian right, independent Baptist, King James Only movement churches. The New IFB began with Steven Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church in response to perceived Liberalism in other independent Baptist churches. The New IFB does not consider itself to be a denomination. As of 2019, the New IFB listed 32 affiliated congregations on its website, most in the US, with some in Australia, Canada, the Philippines, and South Africa.
New IFB churches have caused controversy on several occasions because of their opposition to homosexuality, including praise for the Pulse nightclub shooting, a 2016 terror attack where an attacker murdered 49 people and injured 53 others at a queer nightclub in Orlando, Florida. They are described by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as "a loose network of independent churches concentrated in the U.S. connected by their belief in certain religious doctrines and a shared brand of deeply anti-LGBTQ and antisemitic teachings." According to the ADL, "Anti-LGBTQ bigotry and antisemitism are fundamental to New IFB ideology, as demonstrated by the doctrinal statements on their websites and the content of their sermons." The group has been able to spread their views across the world through the usage of internet and social media.
Some former New IFB pastors have charged the association of being a cult.

## History

The New IFB was formed by Anderson and other Baptist pastors in an attempt to revive what they perceived older independent Baptist churches once represented.
A split in the New IFB occurred in January 2019, after Donnie Romero, pastor at Stedfast Baptist Church-Fort Worth (SBC), resigned after it was revealed he had hired prostitutes, smoked marijuana and gambled. Adam Fannin, the lead preacher at SBC's Jacksonville satellite campus, refused to acknowledge the authority of Jonathan Shelley, another Texas New IFB pastor who took over SBC–Fort Worth following Romero's resignation. Anderson, Fannin and Shelley traded accusations of financial wrongdoing and running a cult. Fannin was later ejected as the lead preacher of SBC-Jax.
In 2021, the NIFB-affiliated First Works Baptist Church in El Monte, California was bombed with an improvised explosive device. The explosion caused property damage but no injuries or deaths. First Works had previously been the site of protests by activists opposed to its anti-LGBTQ teachings, but police reported there was no evidence linking the protesters to the bombing.
Auckland, New Zealand, New IFB pastor Logan Robertson was deported from Australia in July 2018 after being accused of harassing Muslims at two Brisbane mosques. Robertson had previously stated that gay people should be shot and New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern should "go home and get in the kitchen".
In 2021, Tarrant County, Texas preacher Dillon Awes advocated in a sermon that "every single homosexual" in America be lined up against a wall and shot in the back of the head. This led to calls to evict Stedfast Baptist Church from its location at a strip mall in Watauga, Texas. Landlord Cody Johnson later agreed not to evict Stedfast Baptist from the Watauga location after communicating with Stedfast's lawyer.

## Size

The New IFB currently lists 30 affiliated congregations on their website. 22 of the congregations are in 16 U.S. states, one in British Columbia, three are in the Philippines, two are in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, and one congregation is located in the South African town of Middelburg.

## Beliefs

The New IFB website states that it is not a denomination and that New IFB pastors have differing views over minor theological issues. However, the churches are united by several doctrines. The New IFB's website lists its core doctrines as salvation by faith alone, once saved always saved, King James Bible-only, the Trinity, soul-winning, "hard" preaching, prewrath post-tribulation rapture, and opposition to worldliness, Calvinism, dispensationalism, liberalism, and Zionism. They oppose birth control, Lordship salvation, Scientology, Messianic Judaism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, the usage of television, Bible colleges, animal rights, and Sabbath keeping. They have preached against the form of trinitarianism taught by classical theologians, instead arguing that each of the persons of the Trinity has their a mind, will and their own "spiritual body". Additionally, in a sermon called "Nothing but the blood", besides making a critique of John MacArthur's soteriology, Steven Anderson protested against other Protestant theologians who would deny that the body of Christ is divine itself. They also believe that the bible prohibits Eucharist in churches, instead preferring to take it at individual homes. The group also teaches that there is no universal church where all who are saved belong to, instead they believe that only Baptist churches have succession from the Apostles, arguing that other denominations are a part of the corrupt lineage born from Constantine. They believe that even individuals who are saved, but outside Baptist churches need to be separated from, because they "walk not after the tradition which he received of us".
The New IFB has been described as antisemitic by the ADL. Steven Anderson has made multiple sermons against Jews and has protested against using a Hebrew-language name for Jesus, arguing that anyone who uses it is "not saved" and is trying to make "Christians into Jews". They teach that people turn homosexual as a result of hating God, arguing that homosexuals are "reprobates" who cannot receive justification, instead teaching that the government should kill them. The New IFB considers the modern nation of Israel to be a fraud, and it also teaches that Christians, rather than Jews, are God's chosen people. Anderson has also produced videos in which he attacks Judaism and engages in Holocaust denial.
The NIFB has as its doctrine that Jesus was punished during the harrowing of Hell as a part of the atoning work.
They have argued that the Christian Flag represents the religion of the anti-Christ.
Despite the website's claims that each church is independent, some followers and former followers of the New IFB have accused Anderson of having complete control over the organization and ejecting anyone who has a minor disagreement with him.
New IFB pastors have been the subjects of controversy on numerous occasions. The New IFB is strongly opposed to homosexuality, with several pastors advocating the belief that the government should execute homosexuals. Anderson and other New IFB pastors have praised the Pulse nightclub shooting. On the weekend of the third anniversary of the shooting, the New IFB held a "Make America Straight Again" conference at an Orlando-area New IFB church. Also in June 2019, Grayson Fritts, pastor at New IFB-affiliated All Scripture Baptist Church and a former detective for the Knox County, Tennessee, Sheriff's Office, delivered a sermon calling for the execution of gays.