Some General Historical Info on EFC in Norway, Denmark and Sweden

• 1537 – Lutheranism forcefully made state religion by Christian III of Denmark and Norway.

• 1814 – Norway regained independence from Denmark and Norwegian Constitution instituted Lutheranism as state religion.

• 1842 – led by pietistic movements, congregational meetings were held within state churches. These were allowed initially but later forbidden by the state church when these became a bigger movement. As a consequence, these groups became ‘free churches’ (free from control of the state church).

• 1884, 1888 – Norwegian Mission Covenant and Danish Mission Covenant Established under the influence of Swedish Revivalist named Fredrik Franson (1850-1908). 

• Immigration brought the Free Church movement to the U.S.A. A few years after this movement began these Scandinavian people started coming to the United States. 

• Ironically, in the same year, (1884 ) two different free church bodies were formed into associations for the purpose of fellowship and ministry:

i. The Swedish Evangelical Free Church began in Boone, IA. 

ii. The Danish -Norwegian Evangelical Free Church Association began in Boston, MA. 

• In 1950 these two groups combined to form the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) in Minneapolis, MN. 

Sources:

http://christccevfree.org/bic/section3.pdf

http://www.naha.stolaf.edu/pubs/nas/volume28/Nor-Am%20Studies%20Vol%2028%20Article%20Four.pdf

EFCP in the Philippines

• 1951 – Rev. and Mrs. Lincoln Clubine, missionaries from EFCA came to Manila and later left due to bad health. The work was transferred to Cebu to establish the initial churches of EFCP

• This began the history of EFCP from then to the present.

• Currently, EFCP has 170 churches in 7 regions (Luzon, Cebu, Negros-Bohol-Iloilo, Leyte-Samar, Mindanao, Japan-Hongkong, USA-Qatar).

Some EFC Distinctives from Its History and Polity

• EFCP emphasizes the freedom of the local church under Christ to fulfil her role in society

• It also strictly adheres to the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice with a literalist hermeneutical stance (if the literal sense makes sense, find no other sense)

• It started as a lay people led movement, so it values laypeople participation in the ministry and minimize the division between clergy and laity

• EFCP also focuses on the imminent return of Jesus Christ. This creates deep longing for His literal presence and becomes the motivation for ministry and life.

• Due to Christ imminent return, fervor for evangelism is priority. This is where the evangelical heritage also lies. We live by the evangel and we value sharing it to the lost.