ARBCA vs FIRE

[Romans Road]

Hello,

My wife and I are in the process of switching churches due to Biblical reasons (long story). We are hold to the Baptism Confession (1689). We found two great churches in our area! We are looking into both of them and devoting the issue to prayer.

Reformed Baptist Churches are "new" to us, so that leads to a question.

One church is a confessional church and belongs to the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches of America (ARBCA).

The other belongs to The Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (FIRE).

Does anyone have any experience with either organization (ARBCA or FIRE)? If so, anything we should know/look out for?

Thanks!

 

[JM]

Good question....

 

[JM]

Better ask on the www.puritanboard.com

 

[JM]

A quote from PB:
http://www.puritanboard.com/f47/arbca-fire-154/

FIRE is an association of independent churches that hold to a simple Reformed Baptistic common confession - http://www.firefellowship.org/confession.htm . Most FIRE churches do hold to the 1644 or 1689 Baptist Confessions, but this is not a requirement.

ARBCA is also an association of independent churches that requires its members to hold strictly to the 1689 Baptist Confession. http://65.71.233.194/arbca/

The real difference is operational. FIRE allows each church to join with other churches in ministry/missions/etc but the local church that initiates the project carries it out and the other churches that want to help do just that, they assist financially or otherwise sending gifts directly to the other church.

ARBCA also is such a fellowship, but also collects money from the local churches for a general fund for the association to disburse.

So bottom line, FIRE is a loose association of independent like minded churches and ARBCA is really a Reformed Baptist denomination.

A churches involvement depends on whether they want other 1689 churches only, or allow other confessions as long as there is basic agreement on primary issues. And there is also the question of structure. Some prefer the ARBCA system, others the FIRE system.

Our church is a 1689 church that is a member of FIRE.

Phillip