The Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) and the Evangelical Free Church of Crystal Lake (EFCCL)
GOD
1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.
Key References: Deuteronomy 6:4, Psalm 102:25-27, Matthew 3:16-17, 1 Peter 1:18-20, Revelation 5:9-14
THE BIBLE
2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
Key References: John 17:17, Romans 15:4, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Hebrews 10:23, 2 Peter 1:16-21
THE HUMAN CONDITION
3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
Key References: Genesis 1:26-27, Romans 5:12-21, Ephesians 2:1-3, Colossians 1:21-22
JESUS CHRIST
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel’s promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
Key References: Luke 23:44-24:7; John 1:1-3, 15-18; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 7:22-27
THE WORK OF CHRIST
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
Key References: Romans 3:21-26, Ephesians 2:4-8, Colossians 2:13-15, Hebrews 9:22-28
THE HOLY SPIRIT
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
Key References: John 16:7-15; Romans 8:9-11, 16-17; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 1:13-14
THE CHURCH
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
Key References: Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:4-6, 15-16; Hebrews 10:25
CHRISTIAN LIVING
8. We believe that God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
Key References: Matthew 5:13-16; Ephesians 2:10; 4:1, 20-32; 6:10-18; 1 John 5:1-5
CHRIST'S RETURN
9. We believe in the personal, bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
Key References: Acts 1:7-11, Titus 2:13-14, 1 John 3:1-3, Revelation 19:11-20:10
RESPONSE AND ETERNAL DESTINY
10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.
Key References: Matthew 25:46; John 1:12, 3:16; Acts 20:21; Revelation 20:11-21:7
Read the EFCA Statement of Faith with additional scripture references at go.efca.org.
Articles Unique to the Evangelical Free Church of Crystal Lake (EFCCL)
1. We believe in the existence of the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, prince of the power of the air, author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the lake of fire (Matthew 4:1-3, Ephesians 2:2, 2 Corinthians 4:4, and Revelation 20:10).
2. We believe that the New Testament baptism by immersion “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” is a symbol of our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Lord, and of our death to sin and resurrection to a new life. Candidates for membership are urged to be baptized, but baptism is not a prerequisite to church membership (Matthew 28:19, Acts 8:36-39).
3. We believe that the Lord ’s Supper is the commemoration of His death and should be observed until He comes again. Partaking of the Lord’s Supper is for believers only and should always be preceded by solemn self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:23-33).
4. We believe that the term "marriage" has only one meaning, and that is human marriage as sanctioned by God to join one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe that marriage is ordained of God and is further a human object lesson of a divine relationships (Genesis 2:18-25, Ephesians 5:21-33 and Hebrews 13:4) and is dissolved by the death of one of the partners (Romans 7:2-3 and I Corinthians 7:39). However, divorce is permitted because of fornication and adultery (Matthew 5:32, 19:3-9) or because the unbelieving partner forsakes the believing partner and institutes the divorce (1 Corinthians 7:10-24). We further believe that Christians should neither marry unbelievers, nor enter into any other entangling alliances with them (1 John 2:15-17, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Romans 14:21, Colossians 3:17).
Distinctives of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA)
“In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, charity. In all things, Jesus Christ.” — Chrysostom
1. The Evangelical Free Church of America is a believers' church — membership consists of those who have a personal faith in Jesus Christ.
The great heritage of EFCA people around the world includes the fact that fellowship and ministry opportunities in the local church are based solely on one's personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and trusting in Him alone for salvation. Membership requires commitment to sound doctrine as expressed in our Statement of Faith. However, a person is not excluded from membership because he or she does not agree on every fine point of doctrine. Within the EFCA, there is allowance for legitimate differences of understanding in some areas of doctrine.
2. The Evangelical Free Church of America is evangelical—we are committed to the inerrancy and authority of the Bible and the essentials of the gospel.
The EFCA was born out of a heritage of commitment to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture. We have deep convictions based on the authority of God's Word, but we do not draw battle lines over minor points. Nor do we make minor issues of doctrine a test of fellowship in the local church. We are evangelical. We believe in separated living and personal holiness, but we are not separatists.
3. The Evangelical Free Church of America embraces a humble orthodoxy in partnership with others of like faith.
We believe in the spiritual unity of the Church though not necessarily in structural union. We join with other Christians and other denominations of like, precious faith in common goals and ministries to accomplish the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. But we believe that there is strength in diversity and that it is important to preserve our distinctives. We recognize that union in structure does not guarantee unity of spirit. Our foremost concern is unity of spirit with our Lord, with each other and with other Christians.
4. The Evangelical Free Church of America believes in Christian Freedom with responsibility and accountability.
We believe in Christian liberty, but freedom always has its limitations. Responsible Christians do not abuse freedom. The apostle Paul wrote forcefully about Christian liberty in the Book of Galatians. He shattered the legalists with the doctrine of grace. But in First and Second Corinthians and Romans, the apostle also rebuked believers when liberty was abused. He declared boldly the principles of Christian liberty, but spoke with equal forcefulness about Christian accountability. The EFCA desires to preserve our freedom in Christ. We encourage our people to be responsible, godly men, women and young people who desire to live under the control of the Holy Spirit in obedience to the principles and precepts of God's Word, and in harmony with God's will for life as revealed in the Scriptures.
5. The Evangelical Free Church of America believes in both the rational and relational, i.e. the head and the heart, dimensions of Christianity.
We believe the Scriptures must be applied to our individual lives with warmth of heart, warmth of message and warmth of concern. We believe it is essential to have solid, biblical content in our doctrinal understanding of faith, but it is equally important to have a dynamic, vital relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son and to live by the power of the Holy Spirit. Sound Christian doctrine must be coupled with dynamic Christian experience. Ours is a ministry of love and spiritual reconciliation.
6. The Evangelical Free Church of America affirms the right of each local church to govern its own affairs with a spirit of interdependency with other churches.
The EFCA is committed to a congregational form of government as stated in our Articles of Incorporation: "The Evangelical Free Church of America shall be an association and fellowship of autonomous but interdependent congregations of like faith and congregational government . . ."
Strong pastoral leadership coupled with discerning and well-equipped Christian lay people can produce spiritual growth as well as significant church growth. While the EFCA affirms the right of each local church to govern its own affairs, we also believe in the biblical values of interdependence and cooperation. We are a movement of churches committed to working with one another in order to fulfill the Great Commission in the United States and abroad. This is only possible when there are strong ties with other EFCA churches, with local district organizations and with the national EFCA ministries.