This is a common question, even sometimes asked by people who are already in Evangelical Free churches! We will answer this question by taking each word in turn:. We start by considering the word inside this word: evangel. This comes from the Greek word euangelion, or gospel. We are called "evangelical", because we want to be about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning.
Classroom is the educational resource for people of all ages. Based on the Word Net lexical database for the English Language. See disclaimer. What Does Evangelical Free Mean? Related Articles. It sets forth a Christian vision of human sexuality as a good gift of God. The divine design for sexual expression within the commitment of marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to the well-ordering of human society and is integral to human flourishing.
We desire to articulate this ethic as moral truth binding on us all while recognizing our need of God's grace and forgiveness in the ways that we all fall short of this divine ideal. God created human beings as male and female Gen. Scripture grants two life-enhancing options for sexual behavior: monogamous marital relations between one man and one woman Gen. In Scripture monogamous heterosexual marriage bears a significance which goes beyond the regulation of sexual behavior, the bearing and raising of children, the formation of families, and the recognition of certain economic and legal rights.
We regard marriage as a good creation of God, and marriage within the Church as a rite and institution tied directly to our foundational belief of God as creator.
We also regard marriage as a sacred institution which mirrors the mysterious and wonderful bond between Christ and His Church. Marriage is much more than merely a contract between two persons a secular notion. We therefore only authorize and recognize heterosexual marriages.
The EFCA as a denomination attempts to focus on the essentials of the gospel which means we have a parameter on some doctrinal issues. One of these issues is whether or not one affirms eternal security perseverance of the saints or apostasy one can fall away and lose one's salvation. The former view is generally held by those who would be more Reformed in their leanings, while the latter would be held by those more Arminian and Lutheran. Because the EFCA is a place for both Arminians including Lutherans and Calvinists, there is no official position mandating or prohibiting either position.
Our official position is that we are a place where both can serve and minister together. It is not to be a doctrine that causes division in the EFCA. Local EFCA churches lean in one theological direction more than another on this doctrine. But the church ought to be welcoming to the person who leans in the other theological direction.
This means this issue is local church specific and a local church distinctive. The EFCA believes cf. Article 7, The Church that one is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone key Pauline and Reformation truths. Evangelical Convictions: A Theological Exposition of the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America summarizes our understanding of the ordinances and affirms:.
Although the EFCA does not have an official policy on miraculous gifts, we do have a boundary stated in our Statement of Faith and a position rooted in our ethos. Other than this theological conviction, the EFCA is on a continuum from cessationist to continuationist, on this side of classic Pentecostalism.
We know that the Christian life, including the beginning, middle and end, is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit Romans ; Galatians Practically this means:. Within the parameters stated above, belief and expression are determined by and dependent on the local EFCA church. The EFCA does not ordain women, which is a general conference decision based on our understanding of the biblical text cf. B to those engaged in vocational ministry.
This certificate is available for men and women who are in a qualifying ministry and are not ordained. Regarding questions about women in leadership in the local church, woman usually do not serve as an elder in the EFCA, as most EFCA churches recognize that the biblical qualifications for the pastor serving vocationally in this capacity are the same qualifications for all other elders as well serving in a non-vocational capacity.
However, it must also be stated that because of our congregational form of church government, the local church is free to make its own decision on this matter. We affirm God created all from nothing ex nihilo. Adam and Eve are unique and special in that they are created in the image of God imago Dei. Though they may seem outdated to some, or watered down to others, we invite you to read the definitions below to get a glimpse of why they are foundational to us as a denomination. Though they may be older terms, they are as relevant today as when they were chosen by our EFCA forefathers.
The term "Evangelical" refers to our faith and our theology. Nor do we make minor issues of doctrine a test of fellowship in the local church.
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