The Eleven Articles Of Faith

The following eleven Articles of Faith are considered to be a brief summary of the essentials of orthodox Biblical beliefs of the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada (Christian Disciples).

This historic Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement is not committed to man-made ecclesiastical standards or self-made religious doctrines that is repugnant to human reason (Col. 2:20-22). On the other hand, if judged by the Word of God as authoritative, the doctrinal statement of the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada is fundamentally sound, and many persons of ability are attracted to it by its evangelical and orthodox character. 

"Unity in the essentials, Liberty in the non-essentials, Charity in all things." 

The Evangelical Christian Church seeks desperately to go back to a "simple Christianity," founded on the Bible and the Bible alone. This is called Christian primitivism, also known as restorationism; it is the belief that a purer form of Christianity should be restored using the early church as a model. Fundamentally, "the Evangelical Christian Church's vision" seeks to correct faults or deficiencies [in the church] by appealing to the primitive church as a normative model, and return it to its original biblical structure, belief, and practice by escaping the thraldom of human creeds. Beginning with the new commandment of John 13: 34-35, the Evangelical Christian Church asserted that the church is founded not upon doctrinal agreement, Arminianism, Calvinism, creeds, church claims, names, rites, or rituals, but solely upon the individual's relationship with Jesus Christ. The Evangelical Christian Church rejects the use of man-made confessions or creeds as equal in authority with Holy Scripture. Creeds or Confessions are only viewed as teaching resources or as "testimonies of faith" in the church (Ekklesia) of Jesus Christ, but they are never used as "tests of faith" for the priesthood of all believers." In the Evangelical Christian Church, ministers are encouraged to study and examine the Bible and come to their own private scriptural interpretation. Often the best teaching in the Evangelical Christian Church comes in the concept, "Aside from the Articles of Faith, I can not tell you what I think, but read the Bible for yourself, and then study and pray about it, but if upon reading a particular passage, you have come up with an interpretation that has escape the notice of every other Christian for two thousands years, abandon it." John 14:26, says, "...the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things..." We grant these theological freedoms and liberty to preach the gospel to all Evangelical Christian Church ministers."

As there is a wide diversity among Evangelical Christian Church ministers in what individuals and congregations believe; it is not uncommon to find individuals in the Evangelical Christian Church who seemingly hold diametrically opposed beliefs from the speaking of tongues, to eternal security within the same congregation. This allows others the freedom to hold a variety interpretations and opinions on a number of issues, while simultaneously giving the power of interpretation back to each minister, including the local congregation. The Evangelical Christian Church tolerates diversity of opinion, and grants all ministers and congregations the right and liberty to practice their faith without human restrictions that teach on  "after the commandments and doctrines of men" (Col. 2:22), but a faith that is established on the new covenant of grace which was founded in Jesus Christ.

Evangelical Christian Church clergy remain open to Calvinist, Wesleyan and Armenian theological trends, with the Calvinists believing in predestination, and the Armenians insisting that people can exercise free will; however, the Evangelical Christan Church's theological position is only Bible centered. That is why the Evangelical Christian Church celebrates our ministers difference of opinion, and does not expects everyone's interpretation of the Bible, or living the Christian life to be identical. Freedom of religious belief and private scriptural interpretation of the Bible allows many to commit to the basic fundamental truths found in the Holy Scriptures. 

"Where the scriptures speak, we speak, Where the scriptures are silent, we are silent."

Evangelical Christian Church member clergy may serve other denominational or independent bodies while holding credentials with this Christian body. The purpose behind all restoration movements is to tear down the walls of separation by a return to the practice of the original, essential and universal features of the Christian faith found in Christian unity. Different groups have tried to implement the restorationist vision in different ways; for instance, some have focused on the structure and practice of the church, others on the ethical life of the church, and others on the direct experience of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. This has also been described as "practicing church the way it is perceived to have been done after the simplicity of primitive Christianity found in the New Testament." That is why the Evangelical Christian Church does not advocate extremism or fanaticism of any kind, unless it is consistent with the Word of God, and does not engender a spirit of fear, intimidation, division, or confusion.

As all the basic teachings of Christ are studied and applied to life, there is the freedom to all Evangelical Christian Church members to interpret Jesus Christ's teachings in different ways.  All members are encouraged to study the scriptures, to participate in the life and mission of the church, and to examine their own experiences as they grow in understanding and response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why The Evangelical Christian Church guarantees freedom of thought and conscience to practice those teachings found in the Bible.

Evangelical Christian Church clergy are also at greater liberty to hold other Christian personal views on matters pertaining to dress, hair length or observation of days, etc., and are free to do so as long as they do not conflict with these eleven Articles of Faith.