Enriching the Mind, Inspiring the Heart

History of the World Baptist Fellowship

Background information leading to the formation of the World Baptist Fellowship

In an attempt to unify the fundamentalists across denominations, W. B. Riley helped found the World Christian Fundamental Association in 1919.  Membership was open to anyone willing to subscribe to a nine-point confession of faith.  J. Frank Norris became a leader within the group.  Riley led the organization to sponsor 20 bills in state legislatures against the teaching of Darwinism.  Riley himself frequently debated pro-evolution speakers.

In 1922, W. B. Riley, J. Frank Norris and T. T. Shields joined in forming the Baptist Bible Union to unite conservative Baptists of all conventions "who believe the Bible to be the Word of God".  At this meeting they adopted the Baptist Bible Union doctrinal statement, which with some additions and minor changes became the Articles of Faith of the World Baptist Fellowship.  The Baptist Bible Union was in existence from 1922-1932.

Secretary of the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, was invited by Dr. Norris to address the Bible School held at First Baptist Church in Fort Worth in October of 1932.  Many expressed their dissatisfaction over the way of conducting foreign missions, where only a small fraction of a dollar got to the foreign missionary field.  Dr. Stealey was asked to handle the funds and to seek out orthodox mission stations and mission fields.  It was at this time that the Premilliennial Baptist Missionary Fellowship was established.  A Holding Commission was formed as a legal safeguard of holding money in trust.  The commission consisted of one member from First Baptist Church of Fort Worth, Temple Baptist Church of Detroit, Hudson Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and Tabernacle Baptist Church of San Antonio.

The Premillennial Baptist Missionary Fellowship became the Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship in February of 1937.  Many felt like changing the name from "premillennial" to "fundamental"would clarify and make clear that we were Fundamental Baptists.

Because of the widespread territory covered by the Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship from North to South, from East and West, two offices were opened.  An office was opened in San Antonio, Texas.  Mrs. C. P. Stealey was the secretary.  The Northern office was located at the Temple Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan where the church provided the office space and equipment.  Louis Entzminger was elected as secretary/treasurer.

The newspaper published by Dr. Norris called The Fundamentalist, with a subscription list of 40 to 50 thousand, afforded the natural means of contact with many believers throughout the land.  The work grew and thousands of dollars were sent in.  The headlines in The Fundamentalist dated 9, 1938, "Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship Sweeping Texas Like Old Time Prairie Fire".  The executive committee was Howard C. Fulton (chairman), M. E. Dillion, William C. Boyd and F. S. Olleman.

The Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship became the World Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship

The World Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship was incorporated on April 8, 1938.  The mission program of the fellowship had grown to such large proportions that it was too much for one man to take care of.  A group of directors, composed of seven pastors in the fellowship, was elected and a full-time secretary was employed.  All officers were elected annually by the fellowship, including the president.  The offices in San Antonio and Detroit were closed in 1938.  An office was opened in the Midland Building in Chicago.

Hundreds of the pastors and preachers started preaching over various radio stations and a large number of the churches started publishing weekly papers and sending the message of redemption to widespread communities all over the world.

The name World Fundamental Baptist Missionary Fellowship was shortened to the World Baptist Fellowship in 1952.  The purpose of the Mission Fellowship is to help fulfill our Lord's great commission by evangelizing the world in the preparation of a trained ministry and the establishing of indigenous Baptist Churches.