Founding the “Un-Denomination”

In October, we celebrate the 140th anniversary of the foundational meeting for what would later become the Evangelical Free Church of America. As noted previously, the early Swedish lay preachers and itinerant evangelists from various church backgrounds had gathered periodically to discuss important questions about theology and about the local church. 

As they arrived by train from many towns and churches in the Midwest that Tuesday, October 14, 1884, in Boone, Iowa, they couldn’t have known that six days together would lead to a denomination of more than 1,600 churches and hundreds of missionaries in 40 countries. 

At the time, they didn't want to form a denomination, preferring to emphasize the independence of each local church while recognizing that churches could work together interdependently. They discussed baptism, allowing for different modes as each church saw fit. They considered ways to provide credentialing to itinerant preachers to avoid “deceivers.” They also planned to send a missionary to India. 

The church in Boone was made of wood and built in 1872, three years after the church started meeting. One of the earliest churches to become an official Free Church, it was a convenient gathering place for leaders. 

The EFCA archives at the national office has a wooden pew from that church. It’s easy to imagine some of those 22 delegates kneeling at this pew in prayer as they considered the big questions that later formed a denomination, based on principles of congregational governance. 

On Sunday, October 13, perhaps you could mention in your church this significant 140th anniversary milestone and celebrate what God has done over the decades.