Question of the monthThe QuestionWhat is the origin of the EFCA's Distinctives? Are they an officially approved statement from the EFCA? If so, when and how were they approved? - David, CA
The AnswerHistoryThe Distinctives are an important statement of our movement, though they are certainly less important than the Statement of Faith. The Distinctives, which now appear in the pamphlet "This is the EFCA" and can be found here on the EFCA website, were put together by Dr. Tom McDill in 1978, shortly after he began his ministry as President of the EFCA (1976-1990). While speaking in EFCA churches across America, Dr. McDill recognized that the Statement of Faith was understood and embraced, but that many who were attracted to the EFCA and its SOF did not fully understand its ethos or unique make-up. Additionally, during these years the Free Church was stretching to become broader and more reflective of the ethnic changes that were happening all across America. The Free Church was a welcome place to many from various denominational, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. The Statement of Faith had kept us on track biblically and theologically, but there really was nothing that explained or described the living heart of the people who comprised the Free Church movement. Dr. McDill formalized the Distinctives for these reasons. AuthoritySince the Distinctives were spelled out by Dr. McDill, they intentionally did not have the authority of the Statement of Faith. They were more of a description of who we were, rather than a prescription of who we ought to be. Most in the Free Church simply agreed with them because Dr. McDill accurately described who the EFCA was. RevisionAs the Lord has matured us as a movement, what we were is no longer what we are. As He continues His work, what we are is not necessarily what we will be. As the movement grows, our Distinctives may change or need to be updated. Anchored in the authoritative and inerrant Word of God, we are continually being transformed into the image of Christ. In addition, it is important to remember that words change in meaning over time. For example, Distinctive 1 expresses that the EFCA is "inclusive not exclusive." This phrase originally meant a commitment to a believers' movement that recognizes our unity with all who have experienced salvation in Christ alone (inclusive), and we would not add to this or require uniformity on every fine point of doctrine in order to be a member in our denomination (exclusive). Today the term "inclusive" has connotations of embracing and promoting same-sex marriage and homosex, which we do not, while "exclusive" carries the meaning of embracing salvation in Christ alone, which we do. In the original document, the term "inclusive" was used positively, but today it is used by many in a way that is contrary to the clear teaching of Scripture; the term "exclusive" was initially used negatively, but today it is used to refer to the clear teaching of salvation in Christ alone. (A similar issue is encountered in the words "separatistic" in #2 and "ecumenical" in #3.) ConclusionThe Distinctives document is helpful and necessary to describe who we are. May we never be content to rest in what we are, but rather strive for what we are becoming: conformed into the image of Christ, individually and corporately. More Resources*These answers are not intended to serve as definitive EFCA policy statements. They are intended to help open discussion and dialogue about some of the challenging questions we all face in today's world. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Evangelical Free Church of America. Questions may be edited for clarity. |
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