A new website has launched with the aim of helping single New Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (NIFB) find each other for hopes of love and matrimony, with a niche focus and stringent guidelines being a feature, not a bug.
The website, New IFB Singles, is a ministry of Veracity Baptist Church and is lead by New IFB pastor Roger Jimenez, a man who might go down as the only preacher that hates gay people more than Steven Anderson. (“If I go down in history as the hardest preacher against homos, praise the Lord.”)
Jimenez made national news after the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting which saw 50 gays and lesbians mowed down in a hail of gunfire when he peached a sermon replete with these provocative sentiments:
“Are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today?” Um no, I think that’s great! I think that helps society. I think Orlando, Florida is a little safer tonight.” …“The tragedy is more of them didn’t die…I’m kind of upset he didn’t finish the job!”…“If we lived in a righteous government, they should round them all up and put them up against a firing wall, and blow their brains out.”
The website was created with the purpose of connecting singles that attend New IFB Churches with other New IFB and Old IFB churches, by focusing on accountability and the personal involvement of the participant’s pastor. He plays a crucial role in vouching for their eligibility and identity.
Side note. As far as the New IFB/ old IFB distinction, New IFB churches is an association of conservative, KJVO, Independent Fundamentalist Baptist churches that take the old, typical IFB churches and crank them up to eleven. It was started by Steven Anderson as a response to liberalism within old IFB churches and has about 30 churches in the association. It has also been the subject of intense drama and infighting that would rival any junior high school.
In a promo video, posted below, Jimenez says:
This is not a dating website, in the sense we’re going to be matching you up or setting you up with anyone. This is just a place for you to be able to connect with other people to develop relationships.
Consequently, the process of joining is different from most dating websites, which involves matching profiles and private chat. Rather, New IFB Singles has a different process.
The first step is to fill out the form provided on the site with information about yourself and the church you attend. NewIFBsingles will then verify the information given by contacting the pastor to ensure you’re in good standing and attend regularity.
The pastor will also vouch for your character, as well as the financial situation to ensure that the man can support a family. If a woman is applying, she is exempt from the latter part.
Also unique is that once people pass the verification process there won’t be the ability to private message each other, but rather the website will be run as a forum, with all conversations happening publicly and out in the open, thereby ensuring accountability. Site moderators will add topics and ask questions and encourage people to engage.
In short, it’s pretty much like a Facebook group without the ability to slide into each others DM’s.
