What We Believe

North Park Covenant Church is a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), a rapidly growing multi-ethnic denomination in the United States and Canada with ministries on five continent of the world. Founded in 1885 by Swedish Immigrants, the ECC values the Bible as the Word of God, the gift of God's grace and ever-deepening spiritual life that comes through faith in Jesus Christ, the importance of extending God's love and compassion to a hurting world, and the strength that comes from unity within diversity.

What does the Evangelical Covenant Church believe?

On one level, the answer is quite simple. When new members join North Park, they are asked two questions about belief: "Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior and promise to follow him as Lord?" and "Do you accept the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments, as the word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct?" They are then asked if they intend to live as faithful followers of Christ and members of the church and denomination.

That's all. That is enough.

But on another level, of course, the answer is a good deal more complex. While North Park Covenant Church does not require adherence to any written creed, we take our theology very seriously, and our history as well. We are a part of the world-wide Evangelical Covenant Church, a Reformation church, a part of the Church universal, and an evangelical church. In that heritage, we share certain central beliefs, which draw us together in faith and fellowship and make possible a freedom among us on more widely ranging issues.

The ECC describes those central beliefs as "affirmations." We hope that as you read these affirmations you will find yourself identifying with them in your own faith experience. If they raise questions for you or you would like to read further, we would encourage you to send us an email or visit the church and ask one of our leadership team for more information.

For Covenant people, our essential beliefs are summed up in what we call Covenant affirmations:

• We affirm the centrality of the word of God.
• We affirm the necessity of the new birth.
• We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the Church.
• We affirm the Church as a fellowship of believers.
• We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.
• We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.

We are always ready to help you with any questions or concerns you may have, or just to help you work through questions you might have. Please feel free to contact us.