Doctrinal Distinctives

Our denomination, the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), has 12 Doctrinal Points which summarize the denomination's statement of faith. In addition to following this creed, each local EFCA church has the freedom to have its own theological nuances. Because of this, some local churches within our denomination may be quite different in their theological tradition or the way they approach “doing church.” For example, some churches might baptize babies and others might not; or, some churches might be committed Calvinists and others might be diehard Arminians. There’s a good amount of flexibility within our creed, and yet a defined security that protects each local church from straying away from orthodoxy and our EFCA heritage. The following Doctrinal Distinctives are what make up our own local church’s theological convictions.

The Interpretation of Scripture:

We interpret the Scriptures literally, and at face value, using the historical-grammatical hermeneutic method of interpretation, taking into consideration literary devices such as poetry, figures of speech, illustrations, types, and symbols. We believe that there is one sense or meaning for each passage of Scripture, while granting that there may be many applications.   (Luke 1:1-4; 24:35; 44-46, 48; Acts 10:8; 17:11-12; 26:6-7; 26-27).

Dispensationalism:

We believe that the Bible presents the fact that God has not always dealt with mankind the same way in every age. According to Biblical terminology, these distinct periods are called "administrations" in regard to the purpose of God or "stewardships" concerning the responsibility of man as originated from the New Testament usage of the Greek word "oikonomia."  We believe that dispensationalism is the system that best represents the Biblical teaching on this matter.  Dispensationalism is distinguished by: 
   · A consistent literal interpretation
   · A clear distinction between Israel and the Church
   · Taking into account progressive revelation
   · Recognizing the glory of God as the ultimate purpose of God in the world 
(Eph.1:10 3:2, 9).

Election:

We teach that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies (Rom. 8:28 30; Eph. 1:4 11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Pet. 1:1 2). We teach that sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord. (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; John 3:18 19, 36; 5:40; Rom. 9:22 23; 2 Thess. 2:10 12; Rev. 22:17). Nevertheless, since sovereign grace includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation as well as the gift itself, sovereign election will result in what God determines. We teach that the unmerited favor that God grants to totally depraved sinners is not related to any initiative of their own part nor to God's anticipation of what they might do by their own will, but is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy (Eph. 1:4 7; Titus 3:4 7; 1 Peter 1:2).

Eternal Security

We teach that all the redeemed once saved are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (Jn 5:24; 6:37 40; 10:27 30; Rom 5:9 10; 8:1, 31 39; 1 Cor 1:4 8; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 7:25; 13:5; 1 Pt. 1:5; Jude 24). It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God's Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for sinful living and carnality. (Rom. 6:15 22; 13:13 14; Gal. 5:13, 25 26; Titus 2:11 14).

The Pre-Tribulational Blessed Hope:

We believe that the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the rapture, that is, the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus, and that this event is the blessed hope set before us in the Scripture, and for this we should be constantly looking (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14). We believe that the rapture of the church will be followed by the fulfillment of Israel's seventieth week, (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6:1 - 19:21), which will be a time of judgment on the whole earth (Mt. 24:15-21). We believe that this period of tribulation in the earth will be climaxed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth as He went, at which time His millennial Kingdom will be established, Israel will be restored, and the Abrahamic Covenant will be fulfilled.

The Eternal State:

We believe that at death the souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain after death conscious of condemnation and in misery until the final judgment of the Great White Throne at the close of the millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power (Luke 16:19-26; 23:42; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Judge 6 - 7; Rev. 20:11-15).

▪ We reject the over emphasis of spiritual gifts or experiential signs and wonders to the exclusion of Bible teaching.  

▪ We reject any teaching that goes against the clear biblical teaching that salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing can be added to His work on the cross, or to the proclamation of one's personal faith and trust in His finished work of eternal redemption.

▪ We reject the teaching that says a true Christian can be demon possessed.

▪ We reject racism. All men are created equal. 

▪ We reject the eschatological views of post-tribulationsim, mid-tribulationsim, prewrath view, amillennialism, postmillinnialism, or preterism.    

▪ We reject kenotic theology. 

▪ We reject the views of postmodernism and any sort of relativism that would deny the existence of absolute truth which is knowable.

▪ We reject the view known as the Openness of God theory that says, in so many words, that God does not know the future.  He is "open" to the free choices people make, and then responds to their free agency. This view violates the omniscience of God. It also violates the fact that in sovereignty, He has ordained all things!

▪ We reject modern secular feminist agenda. 

▪ We reject darwinian macro-evolutionary theories as scientifically valid. They are false.

▪ We reject the practice of ordaining those to minister who are living sinful lifestyles.

▪ We reject the teachings of extreme "positive confession."

▪ We reject the teaching of subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

▪ We reject the majority of teachings of the Word Faith movement.  

▪ We reject the emphasis of teaching hypercalvinism, which creates a fatalism allowing no room for free will or arminian theology, which allows no room for God’s sovereignty. 

▪ We reject the idea of human prophecy which supersedes or bypasses scripture.

▪ While we believe that in the body of Christ men and women stand spiritually equal and that women have had and always will have their God-given gifts and roles within this body, we reject the ordination of women into the office or role of elder, which is a position reserved for only men (1 Tim. 2:9-15; 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; 2:1-8; I I Cor. 14:34-35).

▪ We reject the emphasis of humanistic and secular psychology into Bible teaching.

▪ We reject teaching that states salvation is not eternally secure.