Landmarkism; Baptist Successionism

[Elijah Craig]

Landmarkism is fairly common among all kinds of Baptists in two areas: the Ohio River valley (Lexington, Kentucky is ground zero) and east Texas/Oklahoma. It is more common in the north than in the south. The older IFB churches in the north are not likely to be Landmark churches. There is a distinction between IFB churches in the north and IFB churches in the south, left over from the old division between the Southern Baptist Convention and Northern Baptist Convention.

[Elijah Craig]

(01-26-2011 01:48 PM)exIFB Wrote:  Why do you think they call them "First Baptist Church of Hammond" etc - it's because they think they are the original and best. There could be 10 southern baptists and other IFB's in the area, but they will call themselves first because they are the "true" baptist church with a lineage etc

Yeah, it's a quote by Hyles.

Ummm... it's named First Baptist Church because it was the first Baptist church in Hammond. Many towns have a First Baptist Church. It's typically right downtown near the courthouse and city hall, and often where the movers and shakers who are Baptist attend church.

[hac84]

(01-26-2011 05:16 PM)Elijah Craig Wrote:  

(01-26-2011 01:48 PM)exIFB Wrote:  Why do you think they call them "First Baptist Church of Hammond" etc - it's because they think they are the original and best. There could be 10 southern baptists and other IFB's in the area, but they will call themselves first because they are the "true" baptist church with a lineage etc

Yeah, it's a quote by Hyles.

Ummm... it's named First Baptist Church because it was the first Baptist church in Hammond. Many towns have a First Baptist Church. It's typically right downtown near the courthouse and city hall, and often where the movers and shakers who are Baptist attend church.

Actually, it was First Baptist of Hammond back when it was part of the American Baptist Convention.

[TruthSeeker]

My church does not believe in the universal church here are 10 reasons why they believe in a local church only.


Here are some Scriptural reasons why the Church was not established on the day of Pentecost, but rather, was established during the lifetime of Jesus:

1. It had a rule of discipline before Pentecost (Matthew 18:17).

2. We read that Jesus sang in the church (Heb. 2:12). The only time that Jesus ever sang, so far as we have any record of it, was at the institution of the Lord's Supper (Mark 14:26). This was before Pentecost.

3. They had a business meeting before the day of Pentecost and elected a successor to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:15-26).

4. The apostles were in the church before the day of Pentecost (1 Cor. 12:28). The first ones who were put in the church were the apostles, and this was at least three years before the day of Pentecost.

5. The church had its commission to preach before Pentecost (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15).

6. The church had its authority to baptize before Pentecost (John 4:2).

7. The church had the Lord's Supper before Pentecost (Matthew 26:30).

8. The keys of the kingdom were given to it before Pentecost (Matthew 16:19).

9. It had a church roll before Pentecost with names on the roll (Acts 1:15).

10. To this church there were about 3,000 additions on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:42). If I were to tell you I was going to add $200 to my bank account, this would imply that I have a bank account to begin with. In view of the fact that 3,000 were added to the church on the day of Pentecost then we are led to believe that the church was in existence before Pentecost.

Let any other man who believes that the church was founded on the day of Pentecost, answer these ten reasons. Until such an answer is forthcoming, accept only the Word of God, and not the words of men.

[C_Fresh]

(10-09-2011 07:26 PM)TruthSeeker Wrote:  Your church: Let any other man who believes that the church was founded on the day of Pentecost, answer these ten reasons. Until such an answer is forthcoming, accept only the Word of God, and not the words of men.

I'll have a go at this. I'm no Biblical scholar and have almost no knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. These are my thoughts based off of reading the passages surrounding the cited verses and how I understand them. I did some concordance referencing in this as well which was new to me. All references are from KJV since I'm most familiar with it and based on your description of your church it sounds like what they would be using as well.


1. I think this point is the strongest one out of the ten. The Greek word used here for church is ekklesia (Strong's 1577) and is translated as 'church' 115 times and 'assembly' 3 times. [Interestingly, the 3 translations as 'assembly' are all found in Acts 19:32,39,41 and refer to the assembly that Dimetrius addressed and stirred up against Paul. Most decidedly not a church.]

I'll have to finish this when I get home...