The Evangelical Covenant Church has its roots in Pietism in Sweden, from the Protestant Reformation through the Lutheran Church of Sweden to the 19th-century Spiritual Awakenings.
A product of this Awakening was the Swedish Mission Covenant Church in 1878. The state-sponsored Church of Sweden, a Lutheran denomination, discouraged rival denominations, and it was people from this movement who emigrated to the United States to form the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America in 1885. The new Protestant body was to be a voluntary association of congregations joining together for fellowship and to provide a means of ministerial training.
The denomination's name was changed to the Evangelical Covenant Church of America in 1954, and the national designation was dropped later when a Canadian conference was added.
The denomination maintains ties with the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden.
Within the ECC, local congregations are administered by an elected board. Its ministers are ordained by the denomination, and generally called through the guidance of the denomination's Department of Ordered Ministry and the conference superintendent.
The denomination is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ECC operates North Park University, North Park Theological Seminary, and Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, as well. Other colleges associated with the denomination are in Alaska and California.
The ECC is divided into eleven regional conferences, which include the Canada Conference, Alaska Conference, Central Conference, East Coast Conference, Great Lakes Conference, Midsouth Conference, Midwest Conference, Northwest Conference, Pacific Northwest Conference, Pacific Southwest Conference, and the Southeast Conference.
Within the denomination, the highest authority is the Annual Meeting, which is made up of delegates sent by local congregations. An administrative board, elected by the Annual Meeting, implements the decisions of the Conference in between Meetings.
The publishing arm of the Evangelical Covenant Church is Covenant Publications.
Membership is highest in the United States and Canada, and is concentrated in the Midwest, along the West Coast, and in the Great Plains regions of the United States.
Historically Lutheran, the theological orientation of the Evangelical Covenant Church is evangelical and pietistic.
The ECC adheres to the affirmations of the Protestant Reformation as pertaining to the Bible as the only rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct. Although the denomination has no quarrel with the Apostles' Creed, the Scriptures are emphasized as sovereign over creeds.
The ECC holds to the doctrines of the new birth, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the reality of freedom in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The church is viewed as a fellowship of believers, who may have theological differences.
The ECC recognizes two sacraments; that of baptism and the Lord's Supper. Traditionally, the denomination baptizes infants, but it also recognizes believer's baptism. In some congregations, infant baptism is viewed as a dedication ceremony, in which parents promise to bring the child up to live a Christian life.
The Evangelical Covenant Church is the focus of websites listed in this category, which may include denominational sites as well as those of any of its affiliated ministries, organizations, arms, or corporations. Sites representing any of its regional conferences or associations are also appropriate for this category, as are informational sites, even those offering an oppositional perspective of the denomination.
The websites of local churches should be submitted to the Local & Global category representing the church's geographical location, however.
Recommended Resources
Situated in Soldotna, Alaska, ACC is affiliated with the Alaska Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education, and specifically designed to serve Alaska Native students. Its programs and academic catalog are discussed, along with its admissions policies, tuition and costs, financial aid programs, and administrative contacts.
http://www.alaskacc.edu/
Associated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada, the Christian Camp & Conference Association, and the Alberta Camping Association, the church camp is situated near Westerose, Alberta. Its age-specific summer programs are highlighted, including dates, fees, and other details, and its programs and facilities are described and shown in photographs. Staff and volunteer opportunities, rental policies, and contacts are posted.
http://www.covenantbay.ca/
The bookstore of the Evangelical Covenant Church offers a variety of Covenant resources, including Bibles and books on evangelism and outreach, social justice issues, clergy and leadership resources, books on theology and religion, Bible study and reference books, Christian fiction, and Christian classics, as well as church supplies, DVDs, magazines and periodicals, and other items, some of which may be available to Covenant churches at no cost.
https://covbooks.com/
Organized in 1889, the association that is now the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church was originally known as Mission Friends. Covering twelve East Coast states and the District of Columbia, its history, purpose, and member churches are defined, along with its church planting, strengthening, and staffing services, associated networks and affiliates, clergy credentials, and demographics are featured.
http://eastcoastconf.org/
MA is a Christian school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving students in preschool through the twelfth grade, through two campuses. A ministry of the Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, a history and profile of the school is given, along with an employment directory, employment opportunities, and its admissions policies and registration procedures. School schedules, its programs, and services are discussed.
http://www.minnehahaacademy.net/
Located in Chicago, NPU was founded by the Evangelical Covenant Church in 1891 and continues to have ties with the ECC. Its location, history, and accreditation status are set forth, along with its admissions policies, registration procedures, tuition and fees, financial aid options, and an overview of its academics, athletics, campus life, and alumni programs. Applications may be made online and contacts are posted to the site.
https://www.northpark.edu/
The Pacific Southwest Conference represents churches of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. An overview of the denomination and the focus and responsibilities of the Pacific Southwest Conference are set forth, including its work in planting and strengthening churches, its ministries to children, youth, and families, a calendar of events, and a church directory.
http://pswc.org/
The Evangelical Covenant Church
The Protestant Christian denomination is concentrated in the United States and Canada, with ministries on five continents. General information about the denomination is put forward, including a history, its identity, leadership, and a staff directory. Other resources include affirmations, resolutions, and research papers, an overview of its various programs and ministries, publications, and member churches.
https://covchurch.org/
The Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada
The ECCC represents the churches, regions, and ministries of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Canada. A history and profile of the denomination and its work in Canada are set forth, and member churches may be found through a search by location or name, or through an interactive map. Its beliefs and identify are set forth, and its church planting and strengthening services, leadership development, and a calendar of events are included.
http://www.covchurch.ca/
