Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches
Encyclopedia
The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches is an evangelical
Christian
denomination with an Anabaptist
Mennonite
heritage.
in 1889 as the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Conference. This body originated among Russian Mennonite immigrants that came to Canada
and the United States
from Russia
around 1874. Their desire was to place greater evangelical emphasis on such doctrines as repentance, conversion, scriptural discipline and non-conformity to the world. A new confession of faith was published in 1907.
The Evangelical Mennonite Brethren and the Evangelical Mennonite Church began talks of merger in 1953, but the effort ended without success in 1962. In this period, the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Conference was also strengthening ties with the Evangelische Mennonitische Bruderschaft von Südamerika (Evangelical Mennonite Brethren of South America). These South America
n brethren shared similar background, language, doctrine, and practice. Affiliation was accomplished in 1958, with the South American group being made a district of the general conference, but with self-government.
Until 1983, the conference officially held the Mennonite position of non-resistance and not bearing arms in war. Since that year, the constitution, while maintaining the official position, has also recognized the individual's right to their own conscience concerning these matters.
The Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Conference changed its name to the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches (FEBC) on July 16, 1987. At that time the conference consisted of 36 congregations with a membership over 4500 (of which about 500 were in South America). The conference paper is the Gospel Tidings.
In the 1980s what became the Saskatchewan Diocese of the Evangelical Orthodox Church
separated from one of the Churches
inspiration
of the Scriptures, and is dispensational premillennial in eschatology. The body recognizes two ordinances — baptism
and the Lord's supper. They practice water baptism of believers by immersion, but will recognize as valid other modes when administered by others, or when immersion is impossible due to a medical condition. Open communion is observed with bread and fruit of the vine. The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches exists to increase fellowship between member congregations, promote evangelism and missions, and represent the congregations through membership in boards and organizations outside the FEBC.
In 2003 the FEBC in North America had 3620 members (Canada - 2170; USA - 1450) in 36 congregations (Canada - 20; USA - 16), as well as 5 churches in Argentina
and Paraguay
. The Fellowship Focus is a bi-monthly magazine published by the FEBC. The conference headquarters are located in Omaha, Nebraska
, having been moved there from Mountain Lake, Minnesota in 1956. They hold membership in the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (org. 1964), the National Association of Evangelicals (USA, org. 1942) and the Mennonite World Conference
.
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denomination with an Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
heritage.
Background
The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches was founded at Mountain Lake, MinnesotaMountain Lake, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,082 people, 817 households, and 531 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,540.3 people per square mile . There were 896 housing units at an average density of 662.9 per square mile...
in 1889 as the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Conference. This body originated among Russian Mennonite immigrants that came to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
around 1874. Their desire was to place greater evangelical emphasis on such doctrines as repentance, conversion, scriptural discipline and non-conformity to the world. A new confession of faith was published in 1907.
The Evangelical Mennonite Brethren and the Evangelical Mennonite Church began talks of merger in 1953, but the effort ended without success in 1962. In this period, the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Conference was also strengthening ties with the Evangelische Mennonitische Bruderschaft von Südamerika (Evangelical Mennonite Brethren of South America). These South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n brethren shared similar background, language, doctrine, and practice. Affiliation was accomplished in 1958, with the South American group being made a district of the general conference, but with self-government.
Until 1983, the conference officially held the Mennonite position of non-resistance and not bearing arms in war. Since that year, the constitution, while maintaining the official position, has also recognized the individual's right to their own conscience concerning these matters.
The Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Conference changed its name to the Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches (FEBC) on July 16, 1987. At that time the conference consisted of 36 congregations with a membership over 4500 (of which about 500 were in South America). The conference paper is the Gospel Tidings.
In the 1980s what became the Saskatchewan Diocese of the Evangelical Orthodox Church
Evangelical Orthodox Church
The Evangelical Orthodox Church is an Eastern Orthodox Christian movement with its origins in Evangelical Protestantism, particularly in the Campus Crusade for Christ student missionary organization, that came to embrace an Eastern tradition of Christianity....
separated from one of the Churches
Status
The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches holds an orthodox Trinitarian theology, the infallibleBiblical inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy is the doctrinal position that the Bible is accurate and totally free of error, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact." Some equate inerrancy with infallibility; others do not.Conservative Christians generally believe that...
inspiration
Biblical inspiration
Biblical inspiration is the doctrine in Christian theology that the authors and editors of the Bible were led or influenced by God with the result that their writings many be designated in some sense the word of God.- Etymology :...
of the Scriptures, and is dispensational premillennial in eschatology. The body recognizes two ordinances — baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and the Lord's supper. They practice water baptism of believers by immersion, but will recognize as valid other modes when administered by others, or when immersion is impossible due to a medical condition. Open communion is observed with bread and fruit of the vine. The Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches exists to increase fellowship between member congregations, promote evangelism and missions, and represent the congregations through membership in boards and organizations outside the FEBC.
In 2003 the FEBC in North America had 3620 members (Canada - 2170; USA - 1450) in 36 congregations (Canada - 20; USA - 16), as well as 5 churches in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. The Fellowship Focus is a bi-monthly magazine published by the FEBC. The conference headquarters are located in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, having been moved there from Mountain Lake, Minnesota in 1956. They hold membership in the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (org. 1964), the National Association of Evangelicals (USA, org. 1942) and the Mennonite World Conference
Mennonite World Conference
The Mennonite World Conference is a global community of Christian churches that facilitates community between Anabaptist-related churches and relates to other Christian world communions and organizations....
.
External links
- Official website
- Fellowship of Evangelical Bible Churches in Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online