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If you consider yourself a Christian, did you come to Christ while within the IFB or after you left?
I honestly remember the Gospel clicking for me the first time a few months after I had graduated and left.
I honestly remember the Gospel clicking for me the first time a few months after I had graduated and left.
I prayed the sinner’s prayer many times as a kid, but it wasn’t until I was 19 or 20 that I had a conversion experience and felt I actually grasped the gospel.
There was so much emphasis on dates in your bible and repeating a prayer, but I never felt awe of God.
There was so much emphasis on dates in your bible and repeating a prayer, but I never felt awe of God.
I mainly just felt freaked out by hell, so I prayed a lot of tearful prayers.
But recognizing the Lordship of Christ? Desiring Him? Having any clear understanding of repentance?
That was never a part of it.
But recognizing the Lordship of Christ? Desiring Him? Having any clear understanding of repentance?
That was never a part of it.
I’m not saying my experience the standard - I know many have been converted within IFB churches, but I look back at the messages I personally heard, and it feels like more relied on guilt and manipulation than rich exposition and the proper proclamation of the Bible.
If it was properly preached for salvation, the gospel was disastrously mishandled when it came to sanctification.
I remember so many messages about “God crying” or being angry when we weren’t “doing our all” for him as Christians. We needed to constantly earn God’s approval.
I remember so many messages about “God crying” or being angry when we weren’t “doing our all” for him as Christians. We needed to constantly earn God’s approval.
When it came to salvation, it was preached, “You don’t have to DO, because God said ‘DONE’”...
But once you got “saved,” you were expected to do, do, do - in order to maintain a good standing before God.
It’s as if Christ’s death was enough to save us but not to keep us.
But once you got “saved,” you were expected to do, do, do - in order to maintain a good standing before God.
It’s as if Christ’s death was enough to save us but not to keep us.
Sure, you could go to Heaven if you had prayed the prayer, but you can forget any perks.
It was almost a pseudo prosperity gospel - but your focus was eternal rewards, as opposed to your focus being an eternal relationship with Christ.
