What We Believe
The
Evangelical Covenant Church is a denomination of more than six hundred
churches in the United States and Canada. It was founded by Swedish
immigrants in 1885 as a voluntary covenant of churches committed to
working together to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Covenant
churches emphasize the Bible's witness to new Life in Jesus Christ
expressed in a day to day walk with the Lord.
Consistent
with its affirmation of classical Christianity and its own historical
experience, the Covenant Church affirms as central to its life and
thought a number of evangelical emphases. Foremost among these are the
following:
The centrality of the word of God,The
Covenant Church states its view of Scripture as follows: “the Holy
Scripture, the Old and the New Testament, is the Word of God and the
only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.”
The necessity of the new birth,When
the Covenant Church affirms that it is evangelical, it proclaims that
the new birth in Jesus Christ is essential. We teach that “by the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God conquered sin, death, and
the devil, offering forgiveness for sin and assuring eternal life for
those who follow Christ.”
A commitment to the whole mission of the Church,The
Covenant Church has always been characterized by its involvement in
mission. The earliest name attributed to Covenanters was “Mission
Friends,” people who covenanted together for the purpose of common
mission both far and near. They understood the work of mission to be
evangelism and Christian formation, as well as the benevolent
ministries of compassion and justice in the face of suffering and
oppression.
The Church as a fellowship of believers,A conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit,The
Covenant Church, rooted in historic Christianity, affirms one God as
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit continues the creative
work of the Father and the redeeming work of the Son within the life of
the church. It is for this reason the Covenant Church has emphasized
the continuing work of the Spirit.
The reality of freedom in Christ.The
Covenant Church seeks tofocus on what unites followers of Jesus Christ
rather than what separates them. The center of our commitment is a
clear faith in Jesus Christ.
For more
information regarding the Covenant denomination and what we
believe, please refer to the
The Evangelical Covenant Church website.