GENERAL:

Question: What do you know about the EFCA?

    Background
        -Founded in 1940 with the  joining of two groups: Swedish Evangelical Free Church and the Norweigian-Danish
         Evangelical Free Church.
       -Headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn.

    Name
     -EVANGELICAL in name refers to it's beliefs about the proclamation of the Gospel and the inerrancy of scripture.
     -FREE in the name represents the form of autonomous government where each church is free to decide on issues by them
      selves, there is no higher controlling body than the local church.
     -CHURCH. They are a local gathering of Believers in Jesus Christ who meet together to worship God, build one another
      up in the Faith and share the Good News of JC with their community.

   Missions
     -Strongly Missions orientated
      -TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission)
      -1/3 of all EFCA churches support missionaries from this board.
      -Free Church Mission (Denominational Missions Board)
       -2/3 of all EFCA churches support this mission board.
      -450+ Missionaries
      -over 1000 foreign church plants worldwide
      -Local Missionaries: Local Churches
       -Individual church supports missionaries. EFCA gets/encourages regional support of  missionaries rather than national.
      -1 Time per year EFCA special missions offering to support the Free Church Mission Board staff.

    Education
     -Trinity University and Trinity Western University (Undergraduate)
     -Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Post Graduate)

    Misc.
     -Not involved in the ecumenical movement.

Question: What is the ecumenical movement?

     -Emphasis on discipleship
          -They developed T-Net Discipling Program. A national program for discipleship in thousands of churches in the US
            and world. (Individual and group discipleship)

    Membership
     -200,000 in 1250 churches in the USA. (160 per church ave.)
     -Bible EFCA in Yardley, Pa. 200-250 attenders.

DOCTRINE:
     -Cessationists

Question: What is a cessationist?

     -Fundamental and evangelical
     -Basically dispensational in doctrine

Question: What are the basic tenents of Dispensationalism?

     -Open on the issue of Tribulation.

 Statement of Faith
  The doctrinal position of the Evangelical Free Church of America is summarized in  their   twelve-article Statement of Faith. They believe...

1. The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original  writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.

2. In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. That Jesus is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins, according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Advocate.

4. That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.

5. That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained.

6. That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation  for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, and thus become children of God.

7. That water baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation.

8. That the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been  regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ of which He is the head.

9. That only those who are thus members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local church.

10. That Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.

11. In the personal and premillennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this "Blessed Hope"  has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of the believer.

Question: What does it mean to be premillennial?

12. In the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy with the Lord, of the         unbeliever to judgment and everlasting conscious punishment.

WORSHIP:
    Sacraments: Not a means to salvation.

Question: What do you know about EFCA's position on Baptism?

     -Baptism: Prerequisite for membership
          -Immersion of adult believers is the practice BUT
          -Baptism is believed to be an individual decision as to the mode...Therefore, infant baptism with an accompanying
            profession of faith at a later date is sufficient.
          -Denomination supports and accepts both infant and adult baptism.
           -They are not anabaptists.
          -Denomination has Lutheran background.
          -1% of EFCA members are baptized as children and not rebaptized.
           -Sprinkled or poured.
           -Not for salvation : same as infant dedication but with water.
          -99% of EFCA members are baptized as adult believers.

Question: What do you think about this?

     -Communion:
          -It is a remembrance, rededication, as well as a time of renewal and looking forward to Christ's return.
          -Open to all believers

    Style
     -Each local church decided it's own worship style.
     -Can be either expressive/charismatic in style or traditional
     -Some are seeker sensitive
     -Some have praise bands and worship teams
     -Some have traditional paino and organ.

GOVERNMENT:
    -Congregational form of government
    -Ordination of men only by the denomination.
    -Has no problem being called a denomination.
    -Annunal Conference
          -Each local church sends delegates.
          -Legislates national/international denominational policy

    Membership
         -Based on credible confession of faith and either infant or adult baptism by water.

 **** Does not require adherence to the churches statement of faith.

Question: What do you think about this?  What are it's implications for teaching?

     -Each local EFCA church must adhere to the denominational statement: especially the premillennial  position.
     -This church is strong in biblical prophecy: came out the that movement in the late 1800's.

Question: Does this seem consistent with their strong belief in local church autonomy? Why is it that a church must adhere to the denominational statement of faith but the membership does not  have to agree or sign the local churches statement?

     -Confirmation classes for all children ages 12-13.
          -To encourage a personal profession of faith.
          -Children only taken into membership after attending this class, professing faith in JC and either infant baptism or
            believer's baptism.

Question: From your experience with 'Confirmation classes' what do you think will be the result of such a class?
      Is the class in any way a manipulation of the child to get them to conform to the group?
      Is confirmation class Biblical? or part of a church tradition?
      Do you see anything positive about confirmation classes?