Our Mission

 

On March 1 and 2, 1950, a group of ministers and laymen met at National Bible Institute, New York, to organize a faith mission board.  After considering particularly the needs of Italy it was decided to hold another meeting at the same place March 29 and 30, and to invite a larger number of men representing the various bodies of the American Council of Christian Churches.  At this meeting it was decided to hold another meeting at Altoona, PA.  This meeting was held in the Calvary Baptist Church, April 27th, at which time the IFM was formally organized and a Board of Directors elected.

This board was established firmly on the basis of separation from apostasy and without reservation declares its position to be that of the "American Council of Christian Churches" and the "International Council of Christian Churches."  Each person ever accepting a place on the board, each missionary ever accepted or serving under this board and all employees of this board must declare themselves to be in favor of the position taken by the two above mentioned councils at their inception (namely separation from such apostasy) as is seen in the leadership of the Federal Council of Churches and World Council and must re-affirm his position each year thereafter.  Any one who refuses or evades to, thus declare his position shall be automatically disqualified for membership on the board or to serve as a missionary or employee.

As we the Board of Directors read the Preamble in the spring of 1998, we realize that much has changed since the inception of IFM in 1950.  IFM has not changed and we desire to preserve the original intent of the founding of the mission.  In that light, clarification is necessary with regard to some of the organizations which are mentioned.  For example, the Federal Council of Churches has become the National Council of Churches.  Also, the makeup of the International Council of Christian Churches has changed so that we would no longer claim fellowship.  The American Council of Christian Churches has continued to stand against the inroads of a apostasy.  Many churches that support the missionaries with IFM are outside the framework of these organizations.

We feel it would be well for us to re-affirm our commitment to Biblical Christianity and to a strong separatist position.  A number of years ago, we adopted a line underneath the name of Independent Faith Mission which states, "A Fundamental Baptist Mission."  Our use of the term fundamental stems from the great doctrinal controversies which arose in the early years of this century.  We hold to those doctrines which were outlined as the great fundamentals of the faith.  As a Baptist mission we hold to a separatist position believing that the Word of God prohibits fellowship which would compromise the integrity of those great doctrines.