Third person of Trinity; gifts continue; cessationism vs. continuationism debated
The EFCA Statement of Faith (2008) affirms that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune God who convicts the world of sin, regenerates believers, and indwells, illuminates, guides, equips, and empowers the church for ministry. This is standard evangelical pneumatology, fully shared across the EFCA.
On the question of spiritual gifts — particularly whether miraculous gifts such as tongues, prophecy, and healing continue today — the EFCA deliberately holds a position of secondary doctrinal freedom. The 2008 revision of the Statement of Faith removed the previous language limiting tongues to a 'gift of the Spirit' that needed to be carefully qualified, allowing both cessationist and continuationist EFCA churches to coexist. EFCA churches span the spectrum from cessationist to open but cautious regarding charismatic gifts.
This position of 'agree to disagree' on spiritual gifts reflects the EFCA's broader philosophy of distinguishing essential doctrines (on which the Statement requires agreement) from secondary matters (on which diversity is welcomed). The EFCA's church planting work includes both cessationist and continuationist congregations, united by their shared commitment to the gospel and biblical authority.
Key Distinctions
- Personhood:
- third divine person, coequal with Father and Son
- Spiritual gifts view:
- open but cautious — gifts may continue; tongues not mandated as evidence
- Spirit baptism:
- occurs at conversion; subsequent experiences of filling are possible
Scripture References
Sources
- EFCA Statement of Faith (2008), Article 3: The Holy Spirit; EFCA position paper on spiritual gifts