Distinctives

The Evangelical Free Church is inclusive not exclusive.

Today's culture consists of people with sad histories of dysfunction, failed relationships, emotional trauma and scarring due to a variety of sins of the past. It is the conviction of Evangelical Free Church people that a person in Christ is a new creation of God. If such persons qualify to be members of the body of Christ, then surely they must be made welcome as members and participants in the Evangelical Free Church family. We seek to be inclusive!


The Evangelical Free Church is evangelical but not separatistic.

The Evangelical Free Church is born out of a heritage of commitment to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture. We have our convictions and we state them positively and with biblical persuasion, but we are not ready to draw battle lines over minor points. We do not make minor issues of doctrine a test of fellowship in the local church. We are evangelical, we believe in separated living, we promote personal holiness, but we are not separatistic in our mindset.


The Evangelical Free Church is ecumenical in spirit though not in structure.

The Evangelical Free Church of Canada cooperates with the Evangelical Free Church of America in a partnership relationship in overseas missions. It is also a member of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and its auxiliary relief agency, World Relief Canada. In addition, local Evangelical Free Churches, district organizations, and the national office of the EFCC are quick to join with other movements, causes, and organizations that seek to advance the cause of Christ. We want to be first Kingdom-minded and only secondarily denominationally-minded.


The Evangelical Free Church believes in liberty with responsibility.

We believe in Christian liberty, but freedom always has its limitations. Responsible people never abuse freedom. The Apostle Paul speaks forcibly on Christian liberty in the book of Galatians. He shatters the legalist with the doctrine of grace. But in the books of First and Second Corinthians and Romans, the apostle also rebukes believers when liberty is abused. He declares boldly the principles of Christian liberty but speaks with equal forcefulness about Christian accountability. The Evangelical Free Church desires to preserve our freedom in Christ, but wishes its people to be responsible, godly men, women and young people who want to live in obedience to the principles and precepts of God's Word and live in harmony with God's will for life as revealed in the Scriptures.


The Evangelical Free Church believes in both the rational and relational 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 to God the Father through Jesus Christ the Son and live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Sound Christian doctrine must be coupled with dynamic Christian experience.


The Evangelical Free Church is congregational in government.

The Evangelical Free Church is committed to a congregational form of government, as stated in Article 10 of our Statement of Faith: "We believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Head of the Church, and that every local church has the right, under Christ, to decide and govern its own affairs."

Strong pastoral leadership coupled with Spirit-controlled Christian lay people can produce efficient and effective church growth. The New Testament emphasizes the importance of the "body" of Christ ministering through the spiritual gifts that have been given to each believer. The congregational form of church government gives the fullest opportunity to harness and utilize the gifts to be used within the local church.