20/20's Hit Piece Against Bible-Believing Baptists by David Cloud

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Related post: ABC's 2020 Program Attacks Independent Baptists (Catholic Propaganda) by Bryan Denlinger of Bible Believers Fellowship

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20/20's Hit Piece Against Bible-Believing Baptists

April 18, 2011 David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061,             866-295-4143 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            866-295-4143      end_of_the_skype_highlighting      , fbns@wayoflife.org

The 20/20 report “Victim’s Forced Confession” pretends to be a fair and balanced report on abusive churches, but instead it was a hit piece against Bible-believing Baptists everywhere.

The report a mixture of truth, slander, hypocrisy, and hatred of God and His Word.

Let’s begin with the truth.

The report covers the Independent Fundamental Baptist Cult Survivors, a loose Facebook network of those who claim to have been abused by Independent Baptist churches. It focuses on a couple of particular cases of sexual abuse that were allegedly covered up by churches. [Gee! A case of the pot calling the kettle black! Here the Roman Catholic CULT has jut gotten through paying another settlement of MILLIONS OF DOLLARS (it's hard to keep count of just how much money has been paid through the years!)] These cases involved married men who were members of IB churches who had sexual relationships with underage girls.

I have no reason to disbelieve most of the allegations that are made in this context, because I have been warning for decades that some IB churches are cultish. A former IB church member is reported by 20/20 as saying, “The whole culture is you don’t question the pastor.” [I just left one such church, the Calvary Baptist Church of Niagara!] Another person says, “A man who is essentially unaccountable to anyone else you have a recipe for abuse.” [DITTO, i.e., Matthew Furan!]

That is exactly right. I have written many reports about IB pastors such as Jack Hyles of First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana, and his predecessor Jack Schaap who require unquestioning loyalty and who treat all forms of “criticism” as an attack on their spiritual authority [Indeed! Given by God, as per Matthew Furan]. Sadly, this problem extends to many IB churches. First Baptist is one of the largest IB churches and its school, Hyles-Anderson College, has trained many preachers since its inception in 1972.

As for the coverup of sexual abuse and immorality in general, there is no doubt that it has happened. Pastors have been “reinstated” at some other church after committing adultery and homosexuality. [Same with the RCC!] I think of Jack Hyles’ son, Dave, who after committing adultery with women at Hyles Anderson was recommended to a pastorate in Texas, [Gee! Jack Hyles just slid a few notches down in my thinking of him!  Too bad! Perhaps he didn't read the Gospel of 1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1!] where he committed adultery with multiple women. This type of thing brings great reproach upon the name of Christ, who requires high moral standards of pastors and deacons (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). Every Christian is a mere sinner saved by grace, so it should not surprise us to learn that Christians sin, but God requires a lot of those who hold positions of spiritual authority. James said, “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1).

Now let’s consider the slander.

20/20’s accusation that Independent Baptists as a movement are a cult and are guilty of the type of abuse documented in the report is slanderous. They should have done a lot more research. The IB movement is very large and diverse. While First Baptist of Hammond and Hyles-Anderson College has a lot of influence, it is only one part of the IB movement. I have documented this in the report “What Is Independent Baptist?” Independent Baptist is not a denomination; it is simply a name that describes churches that are Baptist in doctrine and that are independent in polity.

There are differences among Independent Baptists in such matters as music, dress standards, the Bible version-text issue, Calvinism, Baptist briderism, the practice of communion, alien immersion, repentance and evangelistic practices, pastoral authority, church growth practices, relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention and evangelicals, and other matters touching on ecclesiastical separation.

The bottom line is that Independent Baptists are truly independent. I don’t doubt that there are “good old boys” networks [Yep! Calvary Baptist of Niagara is proof of this!] that operate in some IB circles, but there are also large numbers of IB churches that are outside of the influence of these “networks.” Independent Baptists are not yoked together in any organizational sense [Ah! But if one hears the sermon on "authority" given by Matthew Furan, one knows this is how he believes! BTW, it is a most UNSCRIPTURAL SERMON, which he was quick to erase when exposed! But, I downloaded it for anyone who wishes to hear it!] with other Independent Baptists who might hold a different doctrine or practice. Some of the larger IB schools, such as Hyles-Anderson, West Coast, and Crown, wield influence, but only in their own circles [this the "circle" experienced by Matthew Furan!]. None of them have a reach that extends to a majority of IB churches. Large numbers of IB preachers are trained either in their own churches or in the countless medium to smaller IB schools that are not under the influence of the larger institutions. IB preachers are a very independent-minded group of men. Large numbers of IB preachers refuse to bow down toward any man-made institution and refuse to kow-tow to the “big” boys.

To lump all IB churches together into one pot of cultic abuse is slanderous.

I have personally preached in hundreds of IB churches whose pastors do not demand “unquestioning loyalty,” whose pastors are humble men who know that they are under discipline just like anyone else in the church, whose deacons and teachers are godly, compassionate men and women and are nothing like those exposed in the 20/20 report.

20/20 interviewed and gave total credence to the criticisms of some people who were allegedly the subjects of abuse in IB churches, but they could have interviewed thousands of people who grew up in IB homes and churches and would testify that they were treated with Christian compassion and grace.

This brings us to the hypocrisy of the 20/20 report.

20/20 found some abuse and possibly some coverup of sexual abuse. We wonder why that should be so shocking in the wicked society in which we live.

20/20’s ABC television network is culpable in creating the climate of moral relativism and the tearing down of divine authority that has produced rampant immorality, including the abuse of women and children. If man is merely an evolved worm, why should he not act out his impulses? If there is no supreme law-giving God, what is the basis for absolute morality? What moral culpability does a termite have when it eats the pillar of a house so that it collapses and injures people? If the Bible is a myth-filled book and Jesus was merely a “good man” and there are no moral absolutes, why would it be wrong for a man to abuse a child? What about homosexuals and their rights? If a homosexual acts out his “love” for boys, who is to say that is wrong? In fact, there are organizations of homosexuals that don’t believe that it is wrong. Will ABC expose them? Will it interview the boys who are the objects of homosexual advances? Will it treat them as victims the same way that it has treated the girls who were allegedly abused by IB church members?

Will 20/20 create a report about sexual abuse and coverup within the homosexual community?

Will 20/20 create a report about sexual abuse and coverup within the Muslim community?

No, because they are hypocrites with an agenda to discredit the God of the Bible, and they are not even handed or balanced in their reporting when it comes to such things.

This brings us to the final point, which is 20/20’s hatred of God and His Word.

Much of the report was devoted to their outrage at the fact that some people still take the Bible seriously.

The sexual abuse was indiscriminately lumped together with the alleged mental abuse created by fundamentalist preaching.

20/20 would have its viewers think that it is abusive to take the Bible seriously and to interpret it “literally.”

20/20 would have its viewers think that it is abusive to believe what the Bible says about corporal punishment. While we reject the foolish statements that were quoted by 20/20, such as spanking two-week-old infants or laying 100 stripes upon children (I have no idea where they dug up that nonsense), we do not reject the Bible’s wise teaching on corporal punishment. It wasn’t that long ago that corporal punishment was used in public schools in America. When I was in junior high school in Florida, our principle had a fearful paddle made from the end of a water ski with holes drilled in it! Most people then didn’t consider that abusive. Corporal punishment can be exercised properly without moving into the realm of abuse, and the vast majority of IB churches believe in a wise, compassionate use of the rod and are opposed to any sort of abuse.

20/20 would have its viewers think that it is abusive to believe that the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church. But the Bible’s teaching on this has been believed by most Christians for 2,000 years, and it was believed by the Jews for thousands of years before Christ came. It is 20/20’s feministic views that are the new kids on the block of human society. The Bible exalts women. Nowhere does it teach them to follow their husbands blindly. Husbands are under divine authority just like women are. Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church, which is a very high standard of love. Any husband that abuses his wife and who treats her with anything other than compassion and respect is disobeying the Bible. Women played a large role in Christ’s earthly life and in the early churches. It was women who were the first to visit the empty tomb and the first to believe in Christ’s resurrection. The church at Philippi started with a woman’s prayer meeting. Phebe was one of the apostle Paul’s helpers (Romans 16:1-2). Priscilla is always mentioned in the context of Aquila’s church planting efforts (Acts 18:26; Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19).

20/20 would have its viewers think that it is abusive to preach that there is only one narrow way of salvation through the blood of Christ and that those who reject God’s way will not be saved. But to think that this is abusive is to assume that the Bible is not true, because the Bible plainly teaches this doctrine and if it is true then it could not possibly be abusive to preach it and to warn men and women to be saved in the right way before it is too late. And it could not possibly be abusive to think that those who are not saved in the Bible way are lost. 20/20 painted those who believe this as self-righteous, and doubtless some are, but most Baptists who believe that there is only one way of salvation aren’t self-righteous. They know that they are sinners just like everybody else and they know that they don’t deserve salvation and could not possibly earn salvation through their good works. In fact, they know that their “good works” are filthy rags in the sigh of a holy God (Isaiah 64:6).

20/20 would have its viewers think that it is abusive to preach the Bible’s commands to live in a way that is separated from the wickedness of this present world system. They mock churches that encourage women to dress modestly in a society that flaunts immodesty. They mock churches that seek to maintain music that is “spiritual” in quality and to avoid music that is “conformed” to the pop culture. But the Bible says that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:11-12). God’s people are taught not to love the world (1 John 2:15-17), not to be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2), and are warned that to love the wicked world system is to commit spiritual adultery (James 4:4).

The 20/20 report “Victim’s Forced Confession” pretends to be a fair and balanced report on abusive churches, but instead it was a hit piece against Bible-believing Baptists everywhere.
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1 Timothy 3 (King James Bible)

 ¹This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

 ²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

 ³Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

 ⁴One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

 ⁵(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

 ⁶Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

 ⁷Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

 ⁸Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

 ⁹Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.

 ¹⁰And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

 ¹¹Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

 ¹²Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

 ¹³For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

 ¹⁴These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

 ¹⁵But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

 ¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Titus 1 (King James Bible)

 ¹Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

 ²In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

 ³But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

 ⁴To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

 ⁵For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

 ⁶If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

 ⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

 ⁸But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

 ⁹Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

 ¹⁰For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

 ¹¹Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

 ¹²One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

 ¹³This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

 ¹⁴Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

 ¹⁵Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

 ¹⁶They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

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