What We Believe

• Evangelical, but not exclusive
• Biblical, but not doctrinaire
• Traditional, but not rigid
• Congregational, but not independent

What does the Evangelical Covenant Church believe?
On one level, the answer is quite simple. When new members join a Covenant church, they are asked two questions about belief: "Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior and promise to follow him as Lord?" and "Do you accept the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments, as the word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct?" They are then asked if they intend to live as faithful followers of Christ and members of the church and denomination.

That's all. That is enough.

But on another level, of course, the answer is a good deal more complex. While the Covenant Church does not require adherence to any written creed, we take our theology very seriously, and our history as well. We are a Reformation church, a part of the Church universal, and an evangelical church. In that heritage, we share certain central beliefs, which draw us together in faith and fellowship and make possible a freedom among us on more widely ranging issues.

We describe those central beliefs as "affirmations," and they are outlined in the document available for download below.

Covenant Affirmations
The purpose of Covenant Affirmations is to make clear the values and principles that have guided the Evangelical Covenant Church since its founding in 1885.

We affirm the centrality of the word of God. We believe the Bible is the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct. The dynamic, transforming power of the word of God directs the church and the life of each Christian.

We affirm the necessity of the new birth. New birth in Christ means committing ourselves to him and receiving forgiveness, acceptance, and eternal life. It means being alive in Christ, and this life has the qualities of love and righteousness, joy and peace.

We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the Church. We follow Christ’s two central calls. The Great Commission sends us out into all the world to make disciples. The Great Commandment calls us to love the Lord our God and our neighbors as ourselves.

We affirm the Church as a fellowship of believers. The church is not an institution, organization, or building. It is a grace-filled fellowship of believers who participate in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. It is a family of equals.

We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who enables our obedience to Christ and conforms us to his image, and it is the Spirit in us that enables us to continue Christ’s mission in the world.

We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ. United in Christ, we offer freedom to one another to differ on issues of
belief or practice where the biblical and historical record seems to allow for a variety of interpretations of the will and purposes of God. We in the Covenant Church seek to focus on what unites us as followers of Christ, rather than on what divides us.

Click here to read the 17 page booklet "Covenant Affirmations" or see the preview video to the Covenant Affirmations DVD.  A brief form of the "Covenant Affirmations" can be accessed here.

Other Resources of the Evangelical Covenant Church

Covenant Resolutions

Covenant Resources

Covenant News

Articles and Newsletters

More information can be found at the Evangelical Covenant Church's website http://covchurch.org.