Perhaps you’re seeking a church that balances unity and liberty. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church might be what you are looking for. This church stands as a testament to faith and freedom.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church formed from prayer meetings in 1980 and 1981. Pastors and elders felt alienated by liberalism. They sought a more conservative path. Two key cases fueled their separation. The Kenyon Case in 1975 and the Kaseman Case in 1981 highlighted the growing divide.
Wynn Kenyon refused to participate in women’s ordination. Mansfield Kaseman faced accusations of denying Christ’s traditional attributes. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church chose a different direction. It permitted differing views on women’s ordination. It emphasized traditional teachings about Jesus Christ.
The first general assembly met in Livonia, Michigan in 1981. They drafted a list of essential beliefs. This list was intentionally short. It aimed to preserve unity around core theological tenets.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church adopted “The Essentials of Our Faith.” This list states the sine qua non of Evangelical Christianity. It sought to avoid theological problems. These problems had plagued parent denominations. “The Essentials” is a fuller version of the “Five Fundamentals.” Many ministers had rejected these fundamentals.
These essentials include the inerrancy of the original Bible manuscripts. They also include Christ’s virgin birth. Christ’s vicarious atonement is another essential. Christ’s bodily resurrection is also key. The reality of miracles is also recorded in the Bible.
Originally called “The Fundamentals of Our Faith,” the name changed. The change avoided negative connotations of “fundamentalism.” This document assures the EPC keeps primary importance for all evangelical Christians. It maintains the irenic orthodoxy. This orthodoxy has always been the hallmark of the denomination.
For over forty years, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has become active in missions. It plants churches in the United States and abroad. A significant step was incorporating the St. Andrews Presbytery of Argentina. This presbytery became the national St. Andrews Presbyterian Church of Argentina.
In 2007, the EPC created a temporary presbytery. It was called “New Wineskins Presbytery.” This provided a home for churches seeking a new denominational home. These churches found their home in the PCUSA unsuitable. The New Wineskins Presbytery dissolved in 2011 after completing its mission.
Jeff Jeremiah announced a significant increase in congregations in 2012. The number of EPC congregations doubled. It grew from 182 in 2007 to 364 in 2012. By August 2017, the number exceeded 600.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church has an official statement of “Essentials Of Our Faith”. These essentials are detailed in the Westminster Confession of Faith. The EPC associates with Reformed bodies. These bodies hold similar beliefs.
The EPC is more conservative than the PCUSA on theology and ethics. It is more moderate than other conservative Presbyterian denominations. The EPC’s ethos allows freedom in non-essential areas. This is summarized in its motto. “In Essentials, Unity. In Non-Essentials, Liberty. In All Things, Charity; Truth In Love.”
The EPC considers women’s ordination a non-essential matter. Presbyteries decide whether to ordain female ministers. Individual churches decide on female elders and deacons.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church is more tolerant of the charismatic movement. Some prominent charismatic Presbyterian churches are members. The EPC has a three-tiered approach to theological issues. These are “A,” “B,” and “C” issues. “A” issues relate to the “Essentials of Our Faith.” There is no disagreement on these issues. “B” issues are essential to the Reformed understanding. The EPC allows exceptions to the Westminster Standards. “C” issues are those on which orthodox Christians can disagree. This includes women’s ordination.
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church continues to uphold its motto. It balances essential beliefs with freedom. It maintains charity in all things. Consider how its history and ethos resonate with your own spiritual journey.