IFCA REGIONAL LEADERS' HANDBOOK - IFCA International

to The Independent Fundamental Churches of America in a motion offered by
Dr. J. Oliver Buswell, president of Wheaton College. By this time a new
Constitution and a more comprehensive doctrinal statement had been prepared
and were adopted unanimously. The former magazine, The Pioneer of a New Era
was renamed VOICE - An Independent Church Journal.
A TIME TO STAND FIRM ON FOUNDATIONS
"Has the time come for Fundamentalists to promptly and literally obey the
emphatic commandment given to believers in II Cor. 6:14-18; Eph. 5:11 and II
John 9-11?" This question was asked in the Moody Monthly for February, 1930.
The inception of the IFCA four months later was an affirmative answer and by
1940, there were 665 members of IFCA and by 1950, there were 1,067 members.
(This question in Moody Monthly also led BIOLA University historian, Dr. J. O.
Henry to title his 1983 History of the IFCA, For Such a Time as This. )
The new name, IFCA International, adopted in 1996, reflects the world-wide
missionary vision and the increasing number of individual members serving in
foreign lands. But it also contains the historical significance of the original name.
"F" (Fundamental) indicates that the movement stands firmly upon "the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief
corner stone" (Eph. 2:20). "I" (Independent) and "C" (Churches) speak of the
nature of the fellowship not being a "church" as a denomination, but comprising
individual bodies of believers controlled by the Head of the church through the
Holy Spirit. The Articles of Faith and Doctrine are essentially the same as at the
beginning. The only changes are to strengthen or clarify them. They include the
cardinal beliefs of the historic biblical Christian faith and those Scriptural
principles necessary to jointly participate in the Lord's work. It is outstanding
among such statements of various Christian organizations, providing a sure
foundation for this fellowship of biblical churches and ministries.
A TIME TO STAND FIRM BY OCCUPATION
Jesus said, "Occupy [do business (NKJV)] till I come." (Luke 19:13). The primary
occupation of the independent local church is to proclaim the Gospel and to
foster Scriptural Christian living. But this applies to world-wide outreach as well
to the home field.
The early churches set the example by being interdependent as well as
independent. They circulated the Scriptures and extended assistance to one
another in times of need. IFCA International provides for such activity. There are
many national benefits of interdependence as seen throughout the pages of this
issue of the Voice.
But if IFCA International was to continue its growth, it had to do more than
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IFCA International Regional Leadership
Handbook