Centrality of Scripture
Though the Evangelical Covenant Church does not have a formal creed, we are united in the following values and principles that we call “Covenant Affirmations.”
The Bible, Old and New Testaments, is the true and trustworthy Word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct. Rather than trying to reshape the scriptures to agree with our preferences, we seek to reshape our preferences to agree with the scriptures. In any theological discussion, a common Covenant question is. “Where is it written?”
Necessity of “New Birth.”
This is how one enters into God’s Kingdom. Jesus said, “No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). This new birth results in a life of continuing growth in knowledge, spiritual maturity and closeness to Christ. Covenanters are people with a passionate hunger for a vital relationship with the living Savior.
Compassion and Caring.
The Covenant has a comprehensive view of the mission of the church. Jesus gave us the “Great Commission,” to spread the gospel and make disciples; and also the “Great Commandment,” to love God and to love our neighbor. Our church is committed to reaching out to our neighbors with ministries of compassion and caring. We believe that God wants the lost to be found and the hurting to be helped.
Fellowship of Believers.
Church membership is by confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We do not require uniformity on all possible points of doctrine. Church membership is broad enough to embrace all who humbly submit to the Bible as the Word of God and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Ministry of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit guides and empowers the mission of the church. We do not place special emphasis on any specific spiritual gift. We simply acknowledge that His presence and power is essential to everything the church is called to do.
Freedom in Christ.
He delivers us from the power of sin and moves us by His grace into a whole new experience of obedience and life. This freedom allows us to have differences of opinion on non-essential issues of interpretation and doctrine while maintaining unity in Christ. We celebrate this freedom, and remain mindful that it exists only within the secure boundaries established by the authority of scripture.