Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Q. What gives the Evangelical Presbyterian Church its distinctive character?
A. Its devotion to the essentials of the historic Christian faith; its commitment to the liberty of the Christian conscience in non-essential matters, where God's Word allows some variance of belief; its emphasis on holding truth and love in dynamic balance; its openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the individual and the church.

Q. What is the EPC view of Scripture?
A. Scripture is the infallible Word of God and a perfect and unified witness to God's redemptive revelation. The Bible, totally trustworthy and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority in all matters on faith and life.

Q. Is evangelism a priority of the EPC?
A. Yes! Unequivocally! Proclaiming the Good News by both word and deed is what the church is all about. Being faithful to Christ's mandate brings the assurance of Christ's abiding presence and blessing.

Q. How does the EPC view the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
A. The EPC affirms the gifts of God's Spirit as biblically valid for today, and counsels that they be exercised under the guidance of God's Word and the authority of the local session. Since the Holy Spirit is the source of Christian unity, we must ever guard against any use of the gifts which would lead to division within the church. We also affirm the priority of the fruit of the Spirit over the gifts in the Christian life.

Q. Is the EPC charismatic?
A. If you mean are we Pentecostal, the answer is no. If you mean are we open to the giftedness of the Holy Spirit, the answer is yes.

Q. What does "evangelical" mean?
A. The word "evangelical" refers to the joyous proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ on the authority of God's Word with an invitation to faith in Christ as Savior and commitment to serve Christ as Lord in the world.

Q. Does the denomination encourage worldwide missions?
A. Most certainly! World Outreach is the mission arm of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. At present, World Outreach supports 31 commissioned missionary families. Many additional missionaries are supported by the individual churches in the EPC under numerous sending agencies.

Q. What is the role of women as officers in the denomination?
A. Women officers are neither required nor forbidden in the EPC. Each congregation is free to study the Scriptures prayerfully and discern just how and where women may best minister in the life of that respective congregation.

Q. Does the EPC have a women's ministries program?
A. The denominational Committee on Women's Ministries encourages women of the EPC to develop their gifts and explore avenues of ministry on all levels within denominational life. A yearly Bible study is selected and each year a special project (Faith Focus) is chosen for support. National Leadership Conference is held every second year in the summer. Some presbyteries have annual retreats. The denomination now has a director of Women's Ministries.

Q. Does the denomination have programs for children and youth?
A. The denominational Student and Young Adult Ministries oversees some creative programs, including the annual Summer Jam conference and mission trips. The Christian Education and Publications Committee encourages and assists local churches in using available resources for children's ministries.

Q. Does the denomination have its own college and seminary programs?
A. Not currently. The EPC is concerned that institutional resources be developed cautiously. We believe that currently there is an adequate number of evangelical institutions to meet our educational needs. A warm cooperative relationship exists between the denomination and the major evangelical seminaries. The same exists with several colleges.

Q. Is there an official position on abortion?
A. The EPC affirms the personhood of the unborn child and urges the preservation of all such life. We counsel loving assistance to the mothers and exhort the fathers to be cognizant of their critical moral responsibility in the procreation of new life. A position paper on abortion is available.

Q. What is the EPC's position on the homosexual lifestyle?
A. The Scriptures clearly proclaim homosexual behavior as contrary to God's will and therefore sinful. The EPC affirms a life-changing gospel which can heal and transform even such a deep-rooted and serious deviation as homosexuality. A position paper on homosexuality is available.

Q. Does the EPC belong to the World Council or National Council of Churches?
A. No! We belong neither to the WCC nor NCC. We are however, a member denomination of the National Association of Evangelicals, the World Evangelical Fellowship and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. The EPC is in ecclesiastical fellowship with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Christian Reformed Church.

Q. Does the denomination take an official position on any other issues?
A. In addition to the position paper on abortion, the General Assembly has adopted position papers on the Holy Spirit, another on the sanctity of life, one on the ordination of women, and one on divorce and remarriage.

Q. Does the local church own its own property?
A. Yes, church property is owned, developed, and managed exclusively by the local congregation. The right is guaranteed irrevocably by The Book of Government, Chapter 7.

Q. What determines each church's representation at General Assembly?
A. Each church has direct representation to the General Assembly, as it does in its respective Presbytery. The basis of representation is that of two Ruling Elders to one Teaching Elder. This ratio applies both to General Assembly and Presbytery.

Q. Where are the national headquarters located?
A. The Office of the General Assembly has been located from its earliest days in the Detroit metropolitan area. It currently occupies office space in Livonia, Michigan, a suburban city west of Detroit.

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For further information contact:
THE EVANGELICAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
29140 Buckingham Avenue, Suite 5
Livonia, Ml 48154
313-261-2001