Evangelical Free Church of Singapore

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Credit & Source for EFCS Logo: Evangelical Free Church of Singapore

The Evangelical Free Church of Singapore (EFCS) is a national denominational coordinating body for the Evangelical Free Churches (EFC) in Singapore, which are churches that are congregationalist in polity. These churches share common heritage and Christian beliefs. However, each individual local church is self-governing as a congregational church with its own church board or council. EFCS was established in 1961.[1] It was registered as a charity in 1985.[2] Concurrently, evangelical free churches were also established in Malaysia from 1963. They eventually became the Evangelical Free Church of Malaysia, after Singapore and Malaysia became separate countries in 1965.[3]

Origin and Theological Affiliation

Following the Reformation, parts of Europe began adopting Protestantism in their national or state church. Later in Europe, Pietism and revival emerge with emphasis on the individual's personal Christian faith and piety. This led to the rise of free churches in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and other countries. These churches were autonomous, congregational in polity, and "free" from state churches and state control.[4] "Evangelical" as in the "evangelical free" church name shows their emphases on the Bible (sola scriptura), Gospel and personal faith.[5]

Subsequently, as Scandinavians emigrated to America, they brought their Christian faith and congregationalist polity to churches they founded. This gave rise to the Swedish and Danish-Norwegian Evangelical Free Churches.

Eventually, the merger of these two churches[6] in 1950 led to the founding of the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), which established the Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, and Trinity Western University in British Columbia. The former includes Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS), a theological seminary with professors such as D. A. Carson, Walter Kaiser Jr. , Wayne Grudem, Walter L. Liefeld[7] and others.

With its strong missions emphasis, EFCA then sent its missionaries to Singapore in the late 1950s.[8]

History in Singapore

In 1957, the first missionaries from EFCA arrived in Singapore. They were Arthur Linquist and his wife Annie. They were joined in 1960 by Eric McMurray[9] and his wife Dorothy, and by Benjamin Sawatsky and his wife Muriel.[10]

In 1961, Bethany Evangelical Free Church became the first evangelical free church to be established in Singapore. This was soon followed in 1964 by the Bukit Timah Evangelical Free Church, now known as Woodlands EFC.[11] In the 1970s, one of the churches, Covenant Evangelical Free Church, emerged and eventually became one of the larger churches in Singapore with several thousand Christians worshipping in three locations.

In over 60 years, more churches became part of the EFCS.[12] It is now a denomination among other national Evangelical Free Church denominations in several countries, which share common roots, heritage, and beliefs but are self-governing. These national bodies include EFC America,[13] EFC Canada,[14] EFC China (Hong Kong),[15] EFC Japan,[16] EFC Malaysia,[17] and EFC Philippines.[18]

Evangelical Free Churches in Singapore

There are 11 Evangelical Free Churches[19] in Singapore, which are also members of the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCSS):

  • Bethany Evangelical Free Church[20]
  • Charis Evangelical Free Church[21]
  • Covenant Evangelical Free Church[22]
  • Ebenezer Evangelical Free Church[23]
  • Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church[24]
  • Emmaus Evangelical Free Church[24]
  • Family of Grace Evangelical Free Church[25]
  • Geylang Evangelical Free Church[26]
  • Praise Evangelical Free Church[27]
  • S-Word Evangelical Free Church[28]
  • Woodlands Evangelical Free Church[29]

References

  1. ^ "Evangelical Free Church of Singapore". Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  2. ^ "Search Profile". www.charities.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  3. ^ "Singapore separates from Malaysia and becomes independent - Singapore History". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  4. ^ "History". www.efcp.ph. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  5. ^ "What is the EFC? - Faith Evangelical Free Church KL". 2017-01-02. Archived from the original on 2017-01-02. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  6. ^ "Evangelical Free Church of America | Protestant fellowship, United States | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  7. ^ Walter L. Liefeld. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  8. ^ "Evangelical Free Church began in Scandinavia". The Methodist Church in Singapore. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  9. ^ "Our Journey – WEFC". Archived from the original on 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  10. ^ "JOURNEY REFLECTIONS". EFC of Malaysia. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  11. ^ "EFC – The Denomination". Geylang Evangelical Free Church. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  12. ^ Lim, Adrian Chuan Wei (2011). Jubilee : celebrating 50 years of God's goodness : the Evangelical Free Church of Singapore. Singapore. pp. 1–132. ISBN 9789810893538.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ^ "EFCA". Archived from the original on 2023-05-01. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  14. ^ "EFCC". Archived from the original on 2023-05-06. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  15. ^ "EFCC-HK". Archived from the original on 2020-05-02. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  16. ^ "EFCJ". Archived from the original on 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  17. ^ "EFCM". Archived from the original on 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  18. ^ "EFCP". Archived from the original on 2023-04-28. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  19. ^ "FULL MEMBERS -". Archived from the original on 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  20. ^ "Bethany EFC". Bethany EFC. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  21. ^ "Home | Charis Evangelical Free Church | Singapore". Charis EFC. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  22. ^ "Covenant Evangelical Free Church — Authentic Discipleship and Intentional Disciple-making of a Certain Kind". Covenant Evangelical Free Church. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  23. ^ "以便以谢播道会 . Ebenezer Evangelical Free Church". 以便以谢播道会 . Ebenezer Evangelical Free Church. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  24. ^ a b "Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church Singapore". Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church Singapore. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  25. ^ "family,of,grace,evangelical,free,church,基督教恩家播道会". 基督教恩家播道会 FAMILY OF GRACE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  26. ^ "Home". Geylang Evangelical Free Church. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  27. ^ "Praise EFC". Praise EFC. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  28. ^ "S-Word EFC". S-Word EFC. Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  29. ^ "WEFC – Woodlands Evangelical Free Church". Archived from the original on 2023-04-19. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
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