What is an independent Baptist?
The Bible teaches that a true church is not a building or a religious system, but a group of baptized believers modeled after the example of the New Testament, which is only under the authority of the Bible.
We believe in the autonomy and independence of the local church. The word “independent” means that the church is independent of any human hierarchical structure, but invariably dependent upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The New Testament teaches that He is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23) and the Great Shepherd (1 Peter 5: 4). The local pastor is the sub-pastor (Hebrews 13: 7, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11) or the leader of the assembly.
The Independent Baptist Church has a form of congregational government, meaning that each member has the right to vote and that all church decisions are taken by the local assembly following the guidelines of the New Testament.