Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship
Full Gospel Baptist Seal
AbbreviationFGBCF, FGBCFI
ClassificationEvangelical Christianity
OrientationFull Gospel Baptist
TheologyBaptist beliefs, charismatic
PolityEpiscopal
GovernanceCouncil of Bishops
Presiding BishopJoseph W. Walker III
FounderPaul S. Morton
Origin1994
Separated fromNational Baptist Convention
SeparationsGlobal United Fellowship
Congregations10,000
Members2,000,000
Official websitefullgospelbaptist.org

The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship (FGBCF) or Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International (FGBCFI) is a predominantly African-American, Charismatic Baptist denomination established by Bishop Paul Sylvester Morton—a Gospel singer and former National Baptist pastor.[1] Founded as a response to traditional black Baptists upholding cessationism, Full Gospel Baptists advocate for the operation of Charismatic Christian spiritual gifts,[2] while also holding to some traditional Baptist doctrine.

Reminiscing early Baptist Christianity's acceptance of the bishopric being synonymous with the pastorate within congregationalist tenets per the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith (as Baptists originated in 1609 from the Church of England, which schismed with the Roman Church—both upholding the historic episcopacy),[3] Full Gospel Baptists developed a presbyteral-episcopal polity not found in the historic black Baptist denominations while maintaining congregationalist distinctives.[4]

The FGBCF was reported to have over 10,000 active members in 1993 and 20,000 in 1995;[5] in 1997 it claimed 1 million members and 5,000 churches throughout the United States.[1] As of 2020, they reported having approximately 2 million members;[6] in 2023, Full Gospel Baptists had approximately 10,000 churches.[7] Churches aligned with Full Gospel Baptists may affiliate with other Christian denominations, and aren't required to change their names.[4] Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship is led by Bishop Joseph W. Walker III, of Nashville, Tennessee as the Presiding Bishop, who was appointed to succeed Bishop Morton upon his retirement.[8]

History

The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship was established by Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. in 1994 within New Orleans, Louisiana,[2] though it initially began as a movement within the National Baptist Convention, USA in 1992.[5] From 25,000 to 30,000 attended the first conference of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship in 1994.[9]

Exploring the gifts of the Holy Spirit against traditionally cessationist Baptist pastors and laymen within the National Baptist Convention, National Baptist Convention of America, and the Progressive National Baptist Convention,[1] alongside establishing an episcopal Baptist governance, Morton and those affiliated with the fellowship "were lovingly advised to resign their posts with the NBCUSA before they were kicked out."[1] National Baptist leadership feared the movement would develop into a separate denomination, urging members to either remain within the convention or leave;[10] the National Baptist Convention's then-president, Rev. Henry J. Lyons, disapproved of the movement's belief in tongues and divine healing.[4] In 1995, Bishop Morton left the National Baptist Convention, USA following the controversies among traditional black Baptists.[10]

Attracting some of the largest churches by membership from the oldest black Baptist denomination—the NBC USA—New Birth Missionary Baptist Church became a notable affiliate before leaving the fellowship during Bishop Eddie Long's pastoral tenure after multiple controversies surrounding their leadership at New Birth.[11] Eddie Long was consecrated a bishop by Paul Morton in the 1994.[12][13]

In 2013, Bishop Morton announced his intent to resign as Presiding Bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship.[14] He appointed Bishop Joseph W. Walker III in Nashville, Tennessee as successor.[8] Walker, born in Shreveport, Louisiana and serving as one of the founding fathers of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, assumed presiding office in 2015 and Bishop Neil Ellis schismed through establishing the Global United Fellowship after resigning and losing the election to succeed Morton.[15][16]

Doctrine

Like most Baptist denominations, Full Gospel Baptists uphold believer's baptism by full immersion; soul competency; sola fide; and congregational autonomy. However, in addition to traditional Baptist doctrine, the fellowship also believes in Pentecostal-Charismatic doctrines such as speaking in tongues, laying on of hands, divine healing, and prophecy. Likewise, the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship places special emphasis on practicing holiness, or Christian sanctification;[2] overall, their theological distinctives tend to merge with the separate Protestant tradition of Wesleyan-Arminian theology.

Full Gospel Baptists ordain and consecrate a significant number of female pastors and bishops as well, although the majority of their clergy is still male. Its women clergy operate an organization called the Daughters of the Promise, or Full Gospel International Women's Fellowship.[17]

Embracing a mixture of congregationalist, presbyterian, and episcopal polity, Full Gospel Baptists as a collective are governed by the Full Gospel Baptist Council of Bishops. The Presiding Bishop is the head clerical and executive leader of the fellowship, exercising authority along with other episcopates to provide administration. Within the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, its bishops claim apostolic succession through Bishop Morton's consecrator, the excommunicated Roman Catholic George Augustus Stallings. Relieved of religious duties within the Roman Catholic Church, the concept of "valid but illicit" ordinations guaranteed Stallings episcopacy remaining valid to whoever recognized it as such.[18][19] Apostolic succession though, according to Roman and Anglican churches however, effects the power and authority to administer the sacraments except for baptism and matrimony;[20] and it pertains to continuity of the universal teaching, preaching, governing, ordination, and grace.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Jacqueline Trussell. "The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship: Giving Baptists A Choice". Black and Christian. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  2. 1 2 3 "About – Full Gospel Baptist". Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. 2020-07-11. Archived from the original on 2020-07-11. Retrieved 2022-09-03. Established in 1994, our essence is best captured by the phrase "The Right to Choose", that freedom is based on the belief that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be promoted by recognizing the free expression of the gifts of the Spirit as a viable part of the Body of Christ. The Fellowship is convinced that the choice to exercise these spiritual gifts is imperative for the local New Testament Church to fully function as the dynamic organism God has intended.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ↑ "1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith | The Reformed Reader". Reformed Reader. Retrieved 2023-05-04. A particular church, gathered and completely organized according to the mind of Christ, consists of officers and members; and the officers appointed by Christ to be chosen and set apart by the church (so called and gathered), for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and execution of power or duty, which he intrusts them with, or calls them to, to be continued to the end of the world, are bishops or elders, and deacons. ( Acts 20:17, 28; Philippians 1:1 )
  4. 1 2 3 Broadway, Hamil R. Harris; Bill (1998-05-16). "A Booming Voice". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-05-04.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. 1 2 Sherry S. DuPree (13 September 2013). African-American Holiness Pentecostal Movement: An Annotated Bibliography. Taylor & Francis. p. 347. ISBN 978-1-135-73717-7. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Locations - Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship". Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. Archived from the original on 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2020-07-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ↑ "Four Pillars: The Official Platform of the International Presiding Bishop". Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. Archived from the original on 2023-05-04. Retrieved 2023-05-04Image derives from a splash screen on the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship's official website; in the first pillar it states: "10,000 churches communities representing 8 geographical regions across the country."{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  8. 1 2 "Bishop Walker's Biography". Bishop Joseph W. Walker III. Retrieved 2022-03-26. Bishop Walker currently serves as the International Presiding Bishop in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, International. In July 2013, he was chosen to succeed the founding International Presiding Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr.
  9. ↑ Double Honor. Walter Kambulow. pp. 95–96. GGKEY:3XBW0K49BJT. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  10. 1 2 "Pentecostal Baptist fellowship conference at Convention Center". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  11. ↑ Garcia, Elena; Reporter, Christian Post (2011-06-24). "Bishop Paul Morton's Message to Eddie Long: Repent and Apologize". The Christian Post. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  12. ↑ Jonathan L. Walton, Watch This!: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Black Televangelism, NYU Press, USA, 2009, p. 128
  13. ↑ Tagami, Ty. "New Birth wielded influence with political leaders, black and white". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2022-09-03. More than two decades ago, when he was consecrated as a bishop in a growing coalition of churches, Eddie Long said he and his cadre of youthful ministers were seen as something of a joke among more traditional black churches.
  14. ↑ "Full Gospel chooses Bishop Paul Morton's successor". Louisiana Weekly. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  15. ↑ Jones, Mike (2013-08-21). "Bishop Neil C. Ellis Resigns from Bishop Morton and the Full Gospel Fellowship | uGospel.com". Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  16. ↑ "Shock as Bishop Ellis resigns from Full Gospel community". The Tribune. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  17. ↑ "Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Women". fgbcfwomen.org. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  18. ↑ "If a priest leaves the priesthood, is he still able to perform the sacraments?". Catholic Straight Answers. 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2022-09-03. So what happens when a priest leaves the priesthood? Since Holy Orders is a character sacrament, once it has been validly received, it never is invalidated for any reason whatsoever. Granted, a cleric– deacon, priest, or bishop– may be freed from the clerical state and dispensed from the promise of celibacy by the proper authority. He may no longer have the obligations or the privileges to function as a cleric, but nevertheless he remains a cleric. Commonly, this practice is called laicization, meaning "returned to the state of the laity." (Code of Canon Law, #290-293.) Even though the cleric has been laicized and no longer functions as a deacon, priest, or bishop, he still has the sacramental character of Holy Orders. Technically, if he were to perform a sacrament in accord with the norms of the Church, that sacrament would indeed be valid. However, the sacrament would be illicit, meaning he violated Church law and would be culpable for this infraction since he no longer has the faculties to function as a priest.
  19. ↑ "Catholic Teaching on Apostolic Succession". The Vatican. International Theological Commission. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
  20. ↑ Catholic Teaching on Apostolic Succession, International Theological Commission, 1973, archived from the original on 4 October 2015
  21. ↑ Ramsey, Arthur Michael. The Gospel and the Catholic Church (translated from the Spanish edition published in the Dominican Republic: 1964, pp.134ff)
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