The Statement of Faith Revision

There really is a need to review the EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH (world wide) Doctrine Number 11 Quote: In the personal and premilleannial coming . . .

EFCPhilippines is divided as regard to this belief. Do you have any sanctions if some of your leaders will declare contrary to this view. e.g. POSTMILLEANNIALISM. Although we have this internal agreement for those "postmill" not to openly declare it.

Rodrigo,

During the past few years the whole Statement of Faith has been discussed in preparation for a Proposed Revision now before the Conference. �Premillennialism� was one of the issues discussed. Though we are all premillennial in the Free Church, at least those who are credentialed, there were some similar questions being raised in the EFCA as in the EFCPhilippines. You can read about this in a summary statement on pages 3-4, footnote 4, of the Proposed Revision, which can be linked here: http://www.efca.org/about/media/sof_proposed_revision.pdf This means we agree with you that the topic was important to discuss.

If the Proposed Revision were to be passed by the Conference next summer, premillennialism would remain in our SOF. The sense of the Board of Directors was that the sentiment for those who desire to retain premillennialism was not a strong majority, but a sufficient number that would likely have prevented the passing of the document without it (66.6 % is necessary for the passing of the document). Rather than lose all the good things in the Revision, and for the sake of unity, the BOD decided to reinsert premillennialism. Prior to this, the draft revisions did not contain premillennialism, but rather attempted to state the essentials of eschatology while granting liberty/charity on some of the temporal specifics. This would have been similar to what we in the Free Church allow on soteriology (both Arminian and Calvinism) and baptism (both paedo [infant] and credo [believer].

What this means is that one who is not premillennial cannot be credentialed in the Free Church. That has been true in our past, and it would continue to be true in the future, if the Proposed Revision passes. But it is also important to know that this is a premillennialism that encompasses the spectrum, from traditional dispensationalism (Darby and Scoffield), to revisionist dispensationalism (Walvoord and Ryrie), to progressive dispenationalism (Bock and Blaising), to historic premillennialism. This also means that all of the tribulational positions � pre, mid, pre-wrath and post � are also acceptable. But at the present and, if the document passes, into the future, only those who are premillennial can be credentialed.

Now to the local church, that is a different matter. Because of our congregational polity, local churches can do what they think best under the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the church. Some Free Churches would allow one who was amillennial or postmillennial to become a member if 1) they knew and understood the Free Church position, viz. the Free Church is premillennial, and if 2) they agreed not to teach or speak contrary to this position, and if 3) they would not seek to win adherents to a position other than premillennialism. In churches where this is the practice, they would generally not allow the individual to teach on the doctrine of eschatology.

My attempt to down link to this file (proposed revision with references) was unsuccesful. I received a cryptic note about a bad dictionary. Help!

David Carlson

David,

Try this link:
http://www.efca.org/about/media/sof-proposed-revision-with-references.pdf

I just opened it with no problem, so I know there is not a problem with the link. If it still will not open, please let me know and I will send the document to you.

By the way, the Scripture verses are contained in the teaching notes as I worked through each article.

Becuase of Christ,
Greg

acrobat comes up with "bad encript dictionary" which is incomprehensible to me. It could be a problem with my version of acrobat. or maybe the position of the moon for all I know :>)

David Carlson

David,

David,

I asked here at the national office and here is the reply from IT:

Sounds like an old version of Acrobat--the latest update can be found here:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

I trust this solves the problem.

Grace and Peace,
Greg