Evangelical Free Church
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Accidentally come across the "Abt us" of Evangelical Free church...quite interesting....
http://www.wefc.org.sg/www/about/efcs.html
Quite forceful and convincing in my opinion....anyone from this church?
e.g...
The Evangelical Free Church is inclusive not exclusive. The great heritage of Free Church people in he United States, Canada, and around the world is this - fellowship and membership in the local church is based solely on personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and trusting Him alone for salvation. It is this truth that makes us a member of the body of Christ, and it is this truth that makes eligible for membership in the local church. A person is not excluded because he is not confirmed, because he is not baptised, or because he does not see eye to eye on every fine point of the doctrine. Within the Free Church there is allowance for legitimate difference of understanding in some areas of doctrine. However, there must be agreement and commitment in all essentials of faith.
Chrysostom, an early church father, put it well when he said," In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, charity. In all things, Jesus Christ." Within the Evangelical Free Church there can be close Christian Fellowship even though there may be differences of opinion in some minor areas of doctrine. We are inclusive, not exclusive. We include any member of the body of Christ who desires to live in obedience to the Lordship of Christ, and who is in agreement in all the essential elements of the faith. We do not exclude any from our fellowship because of minor differences of belief.
The Evangelical Free Church is evangelical but not separatistic. Some of our evangelical brethren in other denominations come out of a background of separatism from liberalism that permeated the denominations of which they were a part. The years of tension and strife within that denomination left marks on many of these evangelical friends in which they developed a fighting mood, a separatistic attitude, and a suspicion toward all that were not of their own belief.
The Evangelical Free Church is not a part of that tradition. It was born out of a different heritage. Evangelical Free Church people have their convictions. We state them positively, we affirm our faith, we are Biblical in our persuasion, but we are not ready to draw lines over minor points. We do not make minor issues of doctrine a test of fellowship in the local Church. We are not fighting fundamentalists. We are fundamental, we are evangelical, we believe in separated living, we promote personal holiness, but we are not separatistic in our mind set though we are committed to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture. -
What?! Quoting Church Fathers?
But that's not in the Bible!!
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who is this church father? u noe or not?Originally posted by SingaporeMacross:What?! Quoting Church Fathers?
But that's not in the Bible!! -
St. John Chrysostom, who lived in the 4th century.Originally posted by laoda99:who is this church father? u noe or not?
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08452b.htm
regards,
siginah -
thank thank!Originally posted by siginah:St. John Chrysostom, who lived in the 4th century.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08452b.htm
regards,
siginah -
Originally posted by laoda99:
This is nice sounding but it is not quite a workable formula if 'all essentials of faith' are not defined. Some would argue that baptism is an essential of faith, while others not.
Accidentally come across the "Abt us" of Evangelical Free church...quite interesting....
http://www.wefc.org.sg/www/about/efcs.html
Quite forceful and convincing in my opinion....anyone from this church?
e.g...
The Evangelical Free Church is [b]inclusive not exclusive. The great heritage of Free Church people in he United States, Canada, and around the world is this - fellowship and membership in the local church is based solely on personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and trusting Him alone for salvation. It is this truth that makes us a member of the body of Christ, and it is this truth that makes eligible for membership in the local church. A person is not excluded because he is not confirmed, because he is not baptised, or because he does not see eye to eye on every fine point of the doctrine. Within the Free Church there is allowance for legitimate difference of understanding in some areas of doctrine. However, there must be agreement and commitment in all essentials of faith.
[/b][/b]
regards,
siginah -
well...at least they tried...Originally posted by siginah:This is nice sounding but it is not quite a workable formula if 'all essentials of faith' are not defined. Some would argue that baptism is an essential of faith, while others not.
regards,
siginah
siginah are u a christian? -
Bro, i'm from this church.Originally posted by laoda99:Quite forceful and convincing in my opinion....anyone from this church?
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hi there!!!!Originally posted by OrneryBoy:Bro, i'm from this church. -
Originally posted by laoda99:
got free access to their huge library.
Accidentally come across the "Abt us" of Evangelical Free church...quite interesting....
http://www.wefc.org.sg/www/about/efcs.html
Quite forceful and convincing in my opinion....anyone from this church?
e.g...
The Evangelical Free Church is [b]inclusive not exclusive. The great heritage of Free Church people in he United States, Canada, and around the world is this - fellowship and membership in the local church is based solely on personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and trusting Him alone for salvation. It is this truth that makes us a member of the body of Christ, and it is this truth that makes eligible for membership in the local church. A person is not excluded because he is not confirmed, because he is not baptised, or because he does not see eye to eye on every fine point of the doctrine. Within the Free Church there is allowance for legitimate difference of understanding in some areas of doctrine. However, there must be agreement and commitment in all essentials of faith.
Chrysostom, an early church father, put it well when he said," In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, charity. In all things, Jesus Christ." Within the Evangelical Free Church there can be close Christian Fellowship even though there may be differences of opinion in some minor areas of doctrine. We are inclusive, not exclusive. We include any member of the body of Christ who desires to live in obedience to the Lordship of Christ, and who is in agreement in all the essential elements of the faith. We do not exclude any from our fellowship because of minor differences of belief.
The Evangelical Free Church is evangelical but not separatistic. Some of our evangelical brethren in other denominations come out of a background of separatism from liberalism that permeated the denominations of which they were a part. The years of tension and strife within that denomination left marks on many of these evangelical friends in which they developed a fighting mood, a separatistic attitude, and a suspicion toward all that were not of their own belief.
The Evangelical Free Church is not a part of that tradition. It was born out of a different heritage. Evangelical Free Church people have their convictions. We state them positively, we affirm our faith, we are Biblical in our persuasion, but we are not ready to draw lines over minor points. We do not make minor issues of doctrine a test of fellowship in the local Church. We are not fighting fundamentalists. We are fundamental, we are evangelical, we believe in separated living, we promote personal holiness, but we are not separatistic in our mind set though we are committed to the authority and inerrancy of Scripture.[/b]
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oh yes, baptism is very very essential. i'm talking here of dry baptism.Originally posted by siginah:This is nice sounding but it is not quite a workable formula if 'all essentials of faith' are not defined. Some would argue that baptism is an essential of faith, while others not.
regards,
siginah
basically all Christian groups are agreed on the essentials of the faith.
1) salvation by faith alone
2) Bible alone
3) Trinity
As liberalism came into the fore during the1800's..we added to it:
4) the virgin birth of Christ
5) the physical and literal resurrection of Christ
6) the literal Second Coming of Christ
7) inerrancy of the Bible.
You could be a covenant theology advocate, you could be a presbyterian, or you could be an episcopalian, an arminian in theology or a pentecostal or a paedo-baptist, 4,3,2,1 or 5 point calvinist, or a dispensationalist etc. as long as your church adheres to the essentials listed above we consider you as Christian. We extend to you our hand of fellowship.
The ones listed above are the essentials of the faith.
Not workable?
we've been practicing this for hundreds of years. MaNY Pastors conferences have been interdenominational. Pastors from different persuasions and denominations have gatherd together to sharpen each other to better serve the body of Christ. Methodists, Baptist, Presbyterian and etc. pastors meet together to discuss essential issues [not minor points].
many Christians from different denominations sometimes go to worhsip in other churches of other denominations as long as that particular church adheres to the essentials of the faith.
We adhere to this motto by Augustine:
In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity [love].