Denominational Comparison

EPC=Evangelical Presbyterian Church

ECC=Evangelical Covenant Church

PC(USA)=Presbyterian Church (USA)—current SPC denomination

Demographics:PC(USA)EPCECC

Number of Churches:10,657300900

Number of Members:2,016,091115,000180,000

  1. What are the essential beliefs of the denomination?

PC(USA): The PC(USA) traditionally does not state essentials. However, these statements taken from the Book of Order give us some idea. There is stated belief in the Trinity, that Christ is Head of the Church, his body, and all things are under His lordship, that the Church “is to be a community of faith, entrusting itself to God alone, even at the risk of losing its life,” that the Church is to be apostolic, being sent “into the world to share the gospel of God’s redemption of all things and people,” that the true Church is where “the Word of God is truly preached and heard, the Sacraments are rightly administered, and ecclesiastical discipline is uprightly ministered, and that there is unity in diversity.

EPC: There are 7 essentials. The EPC affirms the sovereignty of God, the Trinity, that Jesus Christ was sacrificed for our sins, then was raised from the dead, that the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and gives us new life from within us, that we are saved by grace and faith alone, that the true Church is “where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity, where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained,” that Jesus Christ will come again, and that we are called to live out the Great Commission.

ECC: The ECC lists 6 essentials. These are: the centrality of the Word of God, the necessity of our being born again into new life in Christ, that we are to be committed to the whole mission of the church (evangelism and compassion/justice), that the Church is a fellowship of believers who are set apart for involvement in Christ’s mission in the world, that we are to be fully dependent upon the Holy Spirit, and that there is freedom in Christ to choose, within the bounds of what is permissible in Scripture, how to live out a life as Christians and how to be a faithful Church who serves Christ.

  1. What is the view of Scripture?

PC(USA): In the ordination questions one affirms that ordained officers “accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be, by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God's Word.

EPC: The primary statement made before the essentials are named is that the Scriptures are “infallible”, “uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit”, and “is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks.”

ECC: The first Covenant affirmation states that “The Holy Scripture, the Old and the New Testament, is the Word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.” Further they state that “the effective power of the scriptural word is inseparably associated with the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit never works independently of the word, and the word is made effective through the Holy Spirit.”

  1. What are the documents, other than the Bible, which give a theological understanding of the denomination?

PC(USA): The PC(USA) has a Book of Confessions, containing 11 confessions and creeds. Officers commit to be “instructed and led” by these confessions. No one confession takes precedence over any other.

EPC: The EPC uses the Westminster Confession and Catechisms as a standard for officers. According to their Book of Order, “The Westminster Confession of Faith constitutes a system of biblical truth that an officer of the EPC is required to believe, acknowledging that each individual court has the freedom to allow exceptions which do not infringe upon the system of the doctrine in the Westminster Confession of Faith.”“The confession begins with God's self-revelation in Scripture: God is the ``one living and true God, infinite in being and perfection, invisible, immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most holy, most free, most absolute.'' Out of nothing, God created all that is, including humans, whom God upholds, directs, and governs. Humans, however, did not remain in blessed harmony with God's will. Sin's intervention, which God permitted but did not cause, resulted in corruption of the human condition and of humans' relationship to God. Yet, God has made a covenant of grace with humans; through Christ, relationship to God is restored. The Christian life nurtured by prayer, preaching, and the sacraments, and lived in grace and glory prepares for God`s predetermined end of mercy (salvation of the elect) and of justice (damnation of the reprobate).” (Intro to Westminster Confession)

ECC: The ECC does not adopt any specific confession, but rather chooses to focus only on the Bible. In their Book of Order, it is stated, “The ECC adheres to the affirmations of the Protestant Reformation regarding the Bible...It affirms the historic confessions of the Christ Church, particularly the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, while emphasizing the sovereignty of the Word of God over all creedal interpretations.”

  1. What are the standards for ordaining officers and who determines how they are applied?

PC(USA): Ordains Elders, Deacons and Ministers. Churches elect and ordain Elders and Deacons, and Presbyteries approve ordination of Ministers. The standard is: “Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life. The governing body responsible forordination and/or installation shall determine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation. Governing bodies shall be guided by scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.”

EPC: Ordains Elders, Deacons and Ministers. Churches elect and ordain Elders and Deacons, and Presbyteries approve ordination of Ministers. Those who fill the office of Minister “should, according to the Scripture, have certain qualifications. They should be sound in the faith and have an aptitude for teaching. Their lives should reflect holiness and discipline which brings honor to Christ and which causes them to be well thought of by those outside the Church. They should have wisdom and discretion and should have adequate training to equip them for their task.” The offices of Elder and Deacon list the Scriptural qualities found in 1 Tim. and Titus as qualifications. This includes the fidelity/chastity passage removed as a PC(USA) standard. All officers must affirm the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms, though they are allowed to justify disagreement with certain parts by a Scriptural defense. They also must affirm the 7 Essentials.

ECC: Ordains Ministers at the Annual Meeting of the Denomination. The offices of Elder and Deacon are optional in the structure. If a church organizes itself with a Presbyterian structure, then the responsibility for standards rests at the local level. Standards for ministers are those listed in 1 Timothy 3:2-7. This includes the fidelity/chastity passage removed as a PC(USA) standard.

  1. What is the position on women in ministry?

PC(USA): Ordains Elders, Deacons, and Ministers who are women. Churches are required to include women on their Sessions and also to interview a woman when a pastoral position is open. Women have historically served in many of the highest positions in the denomination, including Moderator of General Assembly, and in the lead positions in both presbyteries and synods.

EPC: Ordination of women in all offices is declared “non-essential.” Churches may choose to ordain women as Elders and Deacons, but are not required to do so. Presbyteries also may choose to ordain women, and if a church is in a Presbytery open to women’s ordination, that church may call a woman to a pastoral position. The Presbyteries in the Western United States have indicated a willingness to ordain woman pastors. Women have not served in the middle and upper levels of the EPC, with the exception of one woman who serves in the lead position of the Rivers and Lakes Presbytery.

ECC: “The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) has long affirmed the full participation of women in all ministries of the church,and in 1976 passed a recommendation to go on record as favoring the ordination of women. Since that time, women have served in all levels of ministry and leadership positions within the church.” From “Called and Gifted,” the publication of the ECC on that subject.

  1. What is the structure of the denomination?

PC(USA): The structure is “Presbyterian” which is governance by Elders. The local church is governed by its Session. Each church belongs to a Presbytery and sends representatives to that Presbytery. The Presbytery is responsible for the ordination of ministers, for management of the churches especially during times of difficulty, for acting as judicial body (court) in disputes, and for equipping the churches for mission. Each Presbytery is a member of a Synod, which is a multi-state body. Presbytery sends commissioners to the Synod. Main functions of the Synod involve coordination of mission and dealing with more serious judicial matters. Presbytery also sends commissioners to the General Assembly, which is a national gathering held bi-annually. The General Assembly is responsible for voting for any changes in the Constitution, as well as to oversee denominational missions. The highest court in the denomination is also part of the GA structure. The goal of participation at all levels is 50% Elders and 50% Pastors.

EPC: The structure is identical to the PC(USA) with these exceptions: there are no Synods, only Presbyteries. The General Assembly meets annually, and instead of receiving commissioners from the Presbyteries, it invites representatives from all EPC churches. The goal of participation at all levels is 2/3 Elders and 1/3 Pastors.

ECC: The structure is “Congregational” which is governance by the members of the churches. Each church has the freedom to choose one of three structures:

  • Board Form: This structure can take the form of a Presbyterian one, including the election of Elders and Deacons. A Board of Christian Discipleship can also be included. The Board makes many decisions, though the power to hire/fire pastors and approve the budget and any extra major expenditures lies within the congregation.
  • Council Form: This structure is a single Council, with membership elected by the congregation. This one Council makes most day-to-day decisions for the church, though the power to hire/fire pastors and approve the budget and any extra major expenditures lies within the congregation.
  • Leadership Team: this team is comprised of leaders of the major ministries of the church. The focus is to empower ministry, though the day-to-day management of the church is included. The power to hire/fire pastors and approve the budget and any extra major expenditures lies within the congregation.

All churches belong to a Conference. That Conference meets annually, and its administration assists churches with calling pastors, empowering ministers and congregations, and with church-planting. Other responsibilities and powers are determined by the Conference. All churches also participate in the denominational annual meeting. All changes to the constitution occur at those meetings. Congregations send delegates to the Annual Meeting. In addition, the Covenant denomination has a Ministerium, which is made up of all ministers in the denomination. This group meets annually, and is responsible for determining suitability of new ministers, as well as to hold one another accountable and to strengthen and support one another.

  1. What is the process of calling a pastor?

PC(USA): Call is opened upon departure of current pastor. Often an Interim Pastor serves in the position vacated, though the New Form of Government has given more flexibility in choosing appropriate leadership during the interim time. If desired, it is usually possible to identify an Interim within a couple of months. When the interim tasks have been completed, including analyzing mission and ministry direction and identity of the church without the former pastor, a Pastor Nominating Committee is elected by the congregation. A Church Information Form is completed and with Presbytery approval, is posted on the denominational Church Leadership Connection online. Pastors who have entered their Personal Information Forms are then matched with the church CIF. All matches are sent to the church, as well as those PIF’s sent by pastors who “self-refer”. The PNC works to identify the candidate, then asks for Presbytery approval. If that approval is given, the candidate is presented to the congregation for a vote. At this time there are fewer pastors seeking calls than calls available nationwide (though usually there is a good response for calls open in the Pacific Northwest.) Ordination/Installation is by the Presbytery.

EPC: Call is opened upon departure of current pastor. Interim Pastors may serve, but there are few available pastors to serve in that capacity. A Search Committee is elected by the congregation when deemed appropriate. The Search Committee works with the Ministerial Committee to identify the right candidate. To help with that identification, the Annual Meeting holds Face-to-Face gatherings to announce openings. Word of mouth is an important component as well. Currently there are fewer pastors than available calls. Ordination/Installation is by the Presbytery.

ECC:Call is opened upon departure of current pastor. Interim periods are staffed by either “pulpit supply” (having available pastors preach when needed), by Interim Consultants (working with the Session and Staff, preaching 3 times per month, and providing pastoral care. Church management is the responsibility of current staff and the governing board), or in cases of extreme church conflict, by traditional Interim Pastors. Many available interims. A Search Committee is formed and works closely with the District Superintendent (head of the Conference). The Superintendent receives the Church Information Form and inputs it into CovConnect. The computer program matches with possible pastoral candidates. The Superintendent conducts initial phone interviews with candidates, then sends a list to the Search Committee. This process continues until a candidate is identified, then elected by the congregation. Currently there are more pastors than available calls, and many interested in placement in the Pacific Northwest. Ordination/Installation is at the Covenant National Meeting and is by the entire denomination.

  1. What is the process for the church to join and how long does it take?

PC(USA): Not applicable.

EPC: The church requests to begin formal discussion with the EPC. The church then applies to be accepted into membership, including identifying all members who wish to join. The Presbytery then begins conversation with the Session, eventually examining each Elder on their understanding of the Reformed Faith and specifically the Westminster Confession. If an Elder has an objection to the Confession, it must be Scripturally defended. A second examination of the Session is sometimes required, but upon passing this examination, the Presbytery votes at its next meeting to receive the church. The Presbytery meets in Oct., Feb. and May, so timing may be dependent upon those meetings. The EPC is able to receive a church whenever it is released, giving it transitional status for up to one year in order to accomplish the examinations. Pastors go through a separate process, first being examined by the Ministerial Committee of the Presbytery, then again by the floor of the Presbytery. After being accepted by the EPC, no further

training is required, and the installation and ordination of officers is transferred.

ECC: The Session, congregation and pastors begin ongoing conversations with the Superintendent of the Conference. Elders and pastors are invited to various events as “Friends of the Covenant” to determine whether it seems to be a “match” for the church. If all agree, then a constitution is drawn up for the church, including identifying members and the governance structure desired. Application is made to the denomination, and final approval is given at the Annual Meeting in June of each year. Pastors go through a separate process. If they desire to transfer, they make application to the denomination. Following a successful interview, they are granted a license to continue in their current call. Before being fully ordained, however, they must take several Covenant Orientation courses and write a paper for the denominational office in charge of ministers. Following acceptance, they are ordained at the June Annual Meeting. The pastoral process can take a couple of years, but the licensing enables them to continue all pastoral duties without disruption.