What is the EFCA?

Evangelical Free Church of America
Pacific Northwest District

What is the Evangelical Free Church of America?

The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of churches that are united by a mutual commitment to serve Jesus Christ with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to the Word of God.

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.

We exist to glorify God by multiplying transfor­mational churches among all people.

EFCA church cooperate with each other in ministry and fellowship. In our district, pastors join together for support and training through our Healthy Church Network gatherings. District-wide events and conferences promote additional training and comradery. We aim to work together to multiply healthy churches among all people.

There are nearly 1600 autonomous churches in 45 countries. The Pacific Northwest District is one of 17 districts in the United States.

The term “Free” has two meanings. First, in reference to history, it refers to the fact that in Europe, the Free Church was free from the state church control. Second, in reference to theology, it refers to our local church polity in that each local church is autonomous, i.e. free from ecclesiastical and hierarchical control.

1. The Evangelical Free Church of America is a believers’ church—membership consists of those who have a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

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.

3. The Evangelical Free Church of America embraces a humble orthodoxy in partnership with others of like faith.

4. The Evangelical Free Church of America believes in Christian freedom with responsibility and accountability.

5. The Evangelical Free Church of America believes in both the rational and relational, i.e. the head and the heart, dimensions of Christianity.

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.

Details regarding these six distinctives can be found here.