Landmark Association of Missionary Baptists

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1)

"Landmark Baptist sentiment in the Southern Baptist Convention

Landmarkism continued as the dominant ecclesiology among Southern Baptists well into the twentieth century and some Landmark concepts continue to influence the Southern Baptist Convention as evidenced by the recent decision of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board to require its missionaries to abstain from receiving alien immersions. In this vein it should be remembered that the original separation of the Landmark churches from the Southern Baptist Convention was as much a reaction against Conventionism itself than to any perceived drift of Southern Baptists away from Landmark principles of ecclesiology. Many Southern Baptists have no interest in Landmarkism and even those who embrace some Landmark concepts of ecclesiology usually disassociate themselves from the Landmark movement. There are exceptions to this, particularly in the Mississippi River valley (Southern Illinois, western Kentucky, western Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana), as well as in parts of Texas, Michigan, and Oregon. There are many Southern Baptists in these areas who are strong landmarkers in both doctrine and in name. " (taken from the Wikipedia article on Landmarkism)

"Though numerous churches and some organizations use the terms Landmark and Landmark Baptist in their name, there is no identifiable sub-group of Baptists known as the Landmark Baptist Church.

Landmark ideas of ecclesiology still exist within the Southern Baptist Convention, but are more closely associated with the American Baptist Association, the Baptist Missionary Association of America, and the Interstate & Foreign Landmark Missionary Baptist Association. Many Independent Baptist churches and most unaffiliated Missionary Baptist local associations also hold this ecclesiology...Some other Baptists, such as Primitive Baptists, hold ecclesiological viewpoints that are very similar to Landmarkism." (http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Landmark:Baptist:Church.htm)

This is definitely an avenue that I would like to explore more deeply. I have for a long time wished that all Baptist churches who are still standing for Bible truths on salvation and the church in both doctrine and practice could somehow unite into one fellowship.

This would include those who hold to what are considered the fundamental doctrines of Christianity such as: salvation by grace apart from works or ceremonies, the virgin birth, literal Creation, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, his incarnation and sinless humanity, security of the believer, substitutionary atonement, the divine inspiration of the original autographs and the preservation of the Scriptures in all native languages (especially the KJV in English), the indwelling of the Spirit in all believers from the point of saving faith, etc.

Also, they would need to hold to the cessation of the miraculous, spiritual manifestation gifts excluding only faith, hope, and charity with the close of New Testament revelation.

Also, they would need to hold to a literal, premillenial, personal, bodily return of Christ and the bodily resurrection of all those dead in Christ as well as the Great White Throne judgment of the lost at the expiration of Christ's thousand year reign.

They should also reject the five-points of Calvinism, or the TULIP doctrine.

Also, they should use unleavened bread and grape juice as the elements for the Lord's Supper.

Then, they should be Landmark Baptists in ecclesistical doctrine and practice including: that salvation is in no way based upon church affiliation or totally dependent upon church influence; that while those in other churches may be saved, Baptist churches are not Protestant churches, but rather predate Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and nondenominational churches, that these are schisms from Baptists and are therefore invalid churches; belief in the nature of the church to be local only; belief in the perpetual succession of Baptist churches from the shores of Galilee; that practice a strict discipline; the rejection of all alien immersions (non-Baptists), open communion, participation in ministerial alliances, union worship services, nondenominational conferences, singing conventions, or in any other function, cooperation in any secular cause, or support of any program or use of materials that would construe recognition of false churches and false ministers as gospel churches and gospel ministers or that directly promotes ecumenism; and their interchurch cooperation should be by support direct to missionary, benevolent, or Christian educational causes, sponsored by local churches or through an associated program of missions, benevolence, and Christian education which is based upon church representation, equality, independence, and sovereignty, and are under direct control of the churches.

As to a name, this fellowship could be called the Landmark Association of Missionary Baptists (LAMB) with the slogan being: "Proclaiming the Lamb which taketh away the sin of the world..." (John 1:29)

What think ye?