Jack Schaap’s Fall & the Future of the IFB Movement: Act 2

Just seven weeks ago the news broke about Jack Schaap’s fall. The pastor of the largest independent fundamental Baptist Church in the world had been fired under suspicions of sex abuse of a minor. Well today it was announced that he reached a plea agreement with the authorities and has admitted that he “he took a minor over state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity” (source Northwest Indiana Times). The Chicago Tribune adds that “Schaap admits that he had sex with the girl, the girl was under his care or supervision, and he used a computer to persuade the girl to have sex with him illegally.”

Following on the heels of that news, Ed Stetzer, an author and leader in the Southern Baptist Convention, posted another article on the future of the independent fundamental Baptist (IFB) movement (see his first article, expressing outrage over IFB leaders refusing to call this “sexual abuse”). In his piece he applauds Dr. Paul Chappell (pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church, home of West Coast Baptist College), for his response to the original news of Schaap’s fall. Far too many IFB leaders, in Stetzer’s opinion, were excusing Schaap and refusing to stand up for the reported victim of his sexual abuse.

Stetzer’s piece is worth reading, as is Chappell’s article. I hope that this high profile event does help the IFB movement to rethink its future. Instead of circling the wagons, I hope they rethink their philosophy and ask the hard questions. Something Chappell seems ready to do. And there are signs that other leaders in the IFB movement are also changing in positive ways.

Regardless, IFB leaders need to come to grips with the fact that their movement, whether fairly or not, has become identified with sexual abuse by predatory pastors in a very public way – and this is how the general public may think of the IFB movement going forward. The time for change is now. Now is the time to correct course, admit mistakes, stand up for victims, and take clear steps toward addressing even the hint of improprieties in this regard.

I encourage you to read Stetzer’s piece and join the movement for real reform in the IFB.

Don’t misunderstand me. Please know that there are very many good IFB churches, there are countless scores of faithful believers and sincere pastors. Ditching the movement, and maligning everyone in it is wrong. But so is acting like the problems of other IFB churches don’t say something is wrong with the wider IFB movement. It doesn’t matter where you think you are in the IFB movement, you must realize and admit this error and take pains to expunge it. Falling back on your “independency” will only allow the problem to grow and may blind you to some deep problems that aid and abet the spread of insular thinking and a mindset which facilitates abuse of all kinds.

2 thoughts on “Jack Schaap’s Fall & the Future of the IFB Movement: Act 2

  1. Mark,

    This latest episode of grotesque perversion from Hammond sickens me. I think all of Christendom can agree on that. I personally decided I had little in common with Hammond years ago because of the cult-like following and blind follow-ship. For me Schaap’s perverted teachings constituted ‘just one more reason’ why I’m decidedly ‘not like them’.

    My questions for you, as an IFB how can I tangibly “take pains to expunge…” this error? What do you expect from us? You say that we should, “realize” and “admit” the error as if we are all somehow responsible.

    The IFB folks with whom I fellowship have been very outspoken against Hammond and have publicly decried this latest episode of Jack Shaap’s debauchery. What more do you expect?

    We are not hiding under rocks. We are not Kool-Aid drinkers. We are simply independent and decidedly so.

  2. There’s very little in IFB circles that is independent. IFBs tend to have the most strongly denomination mindset of any Christians I’ve been around.

    It is the better part of Christian maturity, when a grotesque sin happens within the camp, to examine oneself humbly and morn over the sin. Name-calling and finger pointing at ‘other’ circles is not a sign of spirituality.

    I don’t pin this on you, Mark, but that is generally how I see the story unfolding – along denominational lines…er, uh… lines of fellowship.

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