What is Evangelical Free?

The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of some 1,500 autonomous and interdependent churches united by a mutual commitment to serve our Lord Jesus Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and obedience to the Word of God. We are committed to cooperate with one another in ministry and fellowship as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission which Christ has entrusted to His Church. The growing ministry of the EFCA currently extends to some 50 countries of the world.

The terms "Evangelical" and "Free" in our society have come to mean different things to different people. Though they may seem outdated to some, or watered down to others, we invite you to read the definitions below to get a glimpse of why they are foundational to us as a denomination. Though they may be older terms, they are as relevant today as when they were chosen by our EFCA forefathers.

What does "Evangelical" mean?

The term "Evangelical" refers to our faith, our theology. We are committed to the proclamation of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, and to the Scriptures as being the inspired, inerrant, authoritative and sufficient Word of God.

What does "Free" mean?

The term "Free" refers to our polity, our structure and organization. We are committed to a congregational form of government.

In sum, we are evangelical, which is an affirmation of our "like faith," our theology, our theological convictions (Statement of Faith); we are free, which is an affirmation of our polity, our structure, our organization–we are autonomous, congregationally governed, and interdependent (Constitution & By-Laws).