Liberty Baptist Fellowship
Encyclopedia
Liberty Baptist Fellowship is a fellowship of independent Baptist
churches that grew up around Jerry Falwell
, Thomas Road Baptist Church
of Lynchburg, Virginia
, and Liberty University
. Most pastors of the Fellowship are alumni of Liberty University. In 1994, the Liberty Baptist Fellowship had 100 churches, including the 21,000 member Thomas Road church, which was also affiliated with the Baptist Bible Fellowship International
. In 1996, the Thomas Road church joined the newly formed Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia
, thereby aligning itself with 3 Baptist bodies. With its leading church and pastor affiliated with Southern Baptists
through the Virginia
Convention, the future of Liberty Baptist Fellowship is unclear.
The Liberty Baptist Fellowship (LBF) was started in 1981 with the mission of planting New Testament local churches and endorsing chaplains in the military. Since then, hundreds of churches have been planted and 24 chaplains are currently serving around the world.
LBF pastors/churches and their full time staff receive a scholarship to the External Degree Program at Liberty University and its schools. Many have taken advantage of this scholarship. In addition, students sent from churches to Liberty University receive a scholarship.
Independent Baptist
Independent Baptist churches are Christian churches generally holding to conservative Baptist beliefs. They are characterized by being independent from the authority of denominations or similar bodies. Members of such churches comprised three percent of the United States adult population according...
churches that grew up around Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
, Thomas Road Baptist Church
Thomas Road Baptist Church
Thomas Road Baptist Church is a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia. It currently claims 24,000 members and is headed by Jonathan Falwell.-History:Started in 1956 by a group of 35, including Jerry Falwell, Thomas Road now claims over 24,200 members...
of Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, and Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
. Most pastors of the Fellowship are alumni of Liberty University. In 1994, the Liberty Baptist Fellowship had 100 churches, including the 21,000 member Thomas Road church, which was also affiliated with the Baptist Bible Fellowship International
Baptist Bible Fellowship International
The Baptist Bible Fellowship International is a separatist, fundamentalist Baptist organization formed in 1950 by members who separated from the World Baptist Fellowship. It is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri...
. In 1996, the Thomas Road church joined the newly formed Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia
Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia
The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia is a fellowship of 547 conservative Southern Baptist churches in Virginia and in surrounding areas. It is supportive of the national Southern Baptist Convention . It was formed in 1993 when conservative Virginia Baptists across the state founded the...
, thereby aligning itself with 3 Baptist bodies. With its leading church and pastor affiliated with Southern Baptists
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
through the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Convention, the future of Liberty Baptist Fellowship is unclear.
The Liberty Baptist Fellowship (LBF) was started in 1981 with the mission of planting New Testament local churches and endorsing chaplains in the military. Since then, hundreds of churches have been planted and 24 chaplains are currently serving around the world.
LBF pastors/churches and their full time staff receive a scholarship to the External Degree Program at Liberty University and its schools. Many have taken advantage of this scholarship. In addition, students sent from churches to Liberty University receive a scholarship.
See also
- Thomas Road Baptist ChurchThomas Road Baptist ChurchThomas Road Baptist Church is a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia. It currently claims 24,000 members and is headed by Jonathan Falwell.-History:Started in 1956 by a group of 35, including Jerry Falwell, Thomas Road now claims over 24,200 members...
- Liberty UniversityLiberty UniversityLiberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
- Jerry Falwell Ministries
- Southern Baptist Conservatives of VirginiaSouthern Baptist Conservatives of VirginiaThe Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia is a fellowship of 547 conservative Southern Baptist churches in Virginia and in surrounding areas. It is supportive of the national Southern Baptist Convention . It was formed in 1993 when conservative Virginia Baptists across the state founded the...