The Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) is an association of autonomous evangelical Christian congregations. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

History

The Swedish Evangelical Free Church and the Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Free Church Association merged in June of 1950 to form the Evangelical Free Church of America. The merger conference took place at the Medicine Lake Conference Grounds near Minneapolis, Minnesota. The two bodies represented 275 local congregations at the time of the merger. Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: City of Lakes Motto: En Avant (French: Lets go!) Location in Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota. ...

The Swedish group formed as the Swedish Evangelical Free Mission in Boone, Iowa in October of 1884. Several churches that had been members of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Ansgar Synod and the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Synod, along with some independent congregations, were instrumental in organizing this voluntary fellowship. Also in 1884 two Norwegian-Danish groups, in Boston, Massachusetts and Tacoma, Washington, began to fellowship together. By 1912 they had formed Norwegian-Danish Evangelical Free Church Association. Boone is a city located in Boone County, Iowa. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Nickname: Location in Massachusetts, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Massachusetts County Suffolk County Government  - Mayor Thomas M. Menino (D) Area  - City  89. ... Nickname: The City of Destiny Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Coordinates: Country United States of America State Washington County Pierce Government  - Mayor Bill Baarsma (NP) Area  - City 62. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

The EFCA shares some early ties with those who formed the Swedish Evangelical Covenant Church. It has been a member of the National Association of Evangelicals since 1943, the year after that organization was formed. The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) is an evangelical Christian denomination of more than 750 congregations in the United States and Canada with ministries on five continents of the world. ... The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) is an agency dedicated to coordinating cooperative ministry for evangelical denominations of Christians in the United States. ...

Doctrine

The Evangelical Free Church of America claims six distinctives: that it "is inclusive not exclusive...evangelical but not separatistic...ecumenical in spirit though not in structure...believes in liberty with responsibility and accountability...believes in both the rational and relational dimensions of Christianity...and...affirms the right of each local church to govern its own affairs." The church is Trinitarian in theology, moderately Calvinistic in soteriology, congregational in ecclesiology and polity, and premillennial in eschatology. The church holds two ordinances, water baptism and the Lord's supper. They summarize their doctrinal position in a twelve-article statement of faith (available on the church web site). Trinitarianism is the Christian doctrine that God, although one being, exists in three distinct persons (hypostases) known collectively as the Holy Trinity. ... Calvinism is a theological system and an approach to the Christian life that emphasizes Gods sovereignty in all things. ... Soteriology is the study of salvation. ... Congregationalist church governance, often known as congregationalism, is a system of church governance in which every local congregation is independent. ... In Christian theology, ecclesiology is the study of doctrine pertaining to the Church itself as a community or organic entity, and with the understanding of what the church is —ie. ... Polity is a general term that refers to political organization of a group. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about Premillennialism in Christian... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christian theology, Christian eschatology is the... Baptism in early Christian art. ... The Lords Supper is a variation of the name and the service of The Last Supper or Eucharist. ...

The EFCA in December 2005 unveiled a proposed revision of its statement of faith. The revision is longer than the denomination's original statement, adds language that excludes Open Theism, and seeks to eliminate premillennialism and congregational polity as doctrinal standards. The accompanying explanatory document also expresses the intent of accepting the Reformed view of the Lord's Supper alongside the denomination's historic memorial view. The current statement of faith, as well as the proposed drafts of the revision are available at the EFCA website. Open theism, also known as free will theism, is a theological movement that has developed within Evangelical Protestant Christianity as a response to certain ideas that are a part of the synthesis of Greek philosophy and Christian theology. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about Premillennialism in Christian...

Organizational Structure

The President, the National Leadership Team, and the Board of Directors of the EFCA provide denominational leadership. The EFCA is divided into 20 regional districts to serve the needs of the local church. In 2006 the denomination had 1,278 autonomous member congregations, with an average weekly attendance of 349,795. The denomination maintains headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and engages in ministries in education, publications, camps, senior housing, children's homes, and camp facilities. The EFCA operates the Trinity International University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, Trinity Law School in Santa Ana, California, and Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Nickname: City of Lakes Motto: En Avant (French: Lets go!) Location in Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota. ... Trinity International University is an evangelical Christian institution of higher education headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. ... Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) is an evangelical Christian seminary located in Deerfield, Illinois. ... Trinity Western University (TWU) is a private, Christian liberal arts university located in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. ...

Notable EFCA Leaders & Pastors

EFCA Presidents

• William J. Hamel: 1997-present
• Paul A. Cedar: 1990-1996
• Thomas A. McDill: 1976-1990
• Arnold T. Olson: 1951-1976
• E.A. Halleen: 1950-1951

Others

Radio teacher/preacher Chuck Swindoll is a former EFCA pastor. He is also a former president of Dallas Theological Seminary. Charles R. Chuck Swindoll (born October 18, 1934) is an evangelical Christian pastor, educator and radio preacher. ... Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) is a conservative graduate-level theological seminary located in Dallas, Texas, which has been, according to its mission statement, equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of His Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide since its founding by Lewis Sperry Chafer...

Donald Arthur (D.A.) Carson is an evangelical Christian scholar. He is currently a research professor of the New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, which is based in Deerfield, Illinois, USA. Donald A. (D.A.) Carson is an evangelical Christian scholar. ... John 21:1 Jesus Appears to His Disciples--Alessandro Mantovani: the Vatican, Rome. ... Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) is an evangelical Christian seminary located in Deerfield, Illinois. ...

External links

• Evangelical Free Church of America - official Web Site
• NorthCreek Church, Walnut Creek, CA
• Trinity International University
• Adherents.com

References

• Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor poo poo face

• Handbook of Denominations in the United States, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood
• Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States (2000), Glenmary Research Center