Evangelical Christian Church in Canada facts for kids
The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) is a Christian church in Canada. It is a type of Protestant church that focuses on sharing its faith. The main office for the church in Canada is in Waterloo, Ontario.
Contents
How the Church Started
The Evangelical Christian Church started a long time ago in 1804. It began in Kentucky, USA, led by a person named Barton Warren Stone. This church is part of a bigger movement called the Restoration Movement. This movement began in the early 1800s in America.
People from different churches like Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians joined together. They wanted to be "Christians only" and follow the Bible closely. They believed in Christian unity and wanted to bring back the ideas of the early New Testament church.
The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) joined with other Canadian groups in 1832. The first church in Canada was started in 1810 in Stratford, PEI. It was founded by John R. Stewart, who came from Scotland. The first church building was a log cabin built in 1813.
After World War II, Canadian and North American Evangelical Christian Churches started working together. They wanted to connect and unite different churches and ministries in Canada. A big spiritual movement in the 1940s helped bring Christians together. They focused on the basic teachings of the New Testament.
The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) was reorganized as a separate group in 2001. Its leaders believed that all Christians should be united. They wanted to avoid divisions between different Christian groups.
How the Church is Organized
The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) in Canada is not tied to one main group. Each church manages itself. This is called "congregational polity." Ministers, who are also called Elders, follow the scriptures. They have the freedom to practice their faith without strict rules.
The church strongly believes in religious freedom and Christian unity. It also believes that all believers are like priests. The church only follows practices that it believes are found in the New Testament.
Canada is divided into 10 areas for the church. Each area has a superintendent who works with the churches and ministers there. There is also a national leadership team. This team includes provincial superintendents, a general minister, and a board of directors. Both men and women can be ordained as ministers. They lead the church and perform special ceremonies.
Church Activities and Goals
Early members of the Evangelical Christian Church came from different Christian groups. They did not want to change any specific group. Instead, they wanted to "restore" the "original" church based on the New Testament pattern. They believed their mission was based on the Great Commission found in the gospel of Matthew.
They thought that God's power would be poured out on the church. They believed this would happen without human-made religious doctrines. They hoped this spiritual movement would help spread the gospel of the Kingdom of God around the world.
To achieve this, they believed in the "Five-fold ministry." This idea comes from the Bible (Eph.4:11). It includes apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. They believed these roles should be active in the church.
Church Membership
In the mid-1990s, the Evangelical Christian Church in Canada had about 30 churches. It had around 3,500 members. This Canadian branch acts as a national church. It has full church status in Canada and around the world. All Christian faiths were free to set up places of worship. They could also train leaders and share their faith.
Important Ceremonies
The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) teaches that Jesus Christ started two important ceremonies. These are seen as ways to experience God's grace:
- Baptism: This is for people old enough to say they believe in Jesus. It is usually done by full immersion in water.
- The Lord's Supper: This ceremony is performed every week. All members share in the bread and cup, which represent Jesus.
Church Beliefs
The Evangelical Christian Church (Christian Disciples) in Canada has eleven "Articles of Faith." These are their main statements of belief.
Colleges and Universities
- Waterloo Bible College
Church Connections
The Evangelical Christian Church in Canada is a member of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The ECCC works with other Christian groups. They discuss important church issues and public matters that affect all evangelical Christians. The ECCC and its partner groups meet to promote teamwork and ministry partnerships.
Key People in History
- Barton Stone (1772–1844)
- Alexander Campbell (1788–1866)
- Thomas Campbell (clergyman) (1763–1854)
See also
- List of Christian denominations
- List of Christian denominations by number of members
- Christian Church
- Christian primitivism
- History of Christianity
- Second Great Awakening
- Christianity
- Christianity in the 18th century
- Christianity in the 19th century
