The Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals (F.I.R.E.) is a fellowship of baptistic and Reformed churches and individuals. Baptist churches are part of a Christian movement often regarded as an Evangelical, Protestant denomination. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ...

A conference was held in Escondido, California in 1999 to explore the possibility of organizing an association of reformed evangelical churches. F.I.R.E. was organized May 1-3, 2000 in Chicago, Illinois. The national conference is held annually, and two regional conferences have been formed - Midwest and Southeast. Escondido is a city located in San Diego County, California just north of San Diego, California. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ...

According to its constitution, F.I.R.E. affirms "the five 'Solas' of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria. We stand in the tradition of the historic Reformed Confessions of Faith such as The London Baptist Confession of 1644 and The Second London Baptist Confession of 1689." Doctrine is Calvinistic and Reformed, with a baptistic emphasis on the church and the ordinances. Baptism is by immersion. Local church leadership is a plurality of elders. The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... In an unadorned church, the 17th century congregation stands to hear the sermon. ... The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations historically related by a similar Zwinglian or Calvinist system of doctrine but organizationally independent. ... Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ... In mathematics, an embedding (or imbedding) is one instance of some mathematical object contained within another instance, such as a group that is a subgroup. ...

To join the fellowship, a church must agree with the doctrinal statement and the Constitution, be "recommended by at least one member church by letter", and must be approved by the member churches. Individuals may join as associate members, but without the right to vote in business sessions. Officers include a moderator, secretary and an executive board.

In 2004, the fellowship consisted of 44 member churches, most of which are located in the United States. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

• Fellowship of Reformed Evangelicals (http://www.firefellowship.org/) - official web site