In Essentials, Unity: Why the EFCA Embraces Unity in Essentials and Liberty in Non-Essentials

It’s a phrase familiar to many in the Evangelical Free Church of America: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” At first glance, it might sound like a polite call to tolerance or a way of avoiding hard theological conversations. But rightly understood, it reflects a mature and thoroughly biblical posture—one that values gospel clarity, doctrinal discernment, and love-shaped living within the body of Christ.

A Gospel-Shaped Motto with Deep Roots

The phrase itself dates back to the early 1600s, most often attributed to a Lutheran theologian writing under the name Rupertus Meldenius. Amid deep religious conflict in Europe, he called Christians to distinguish between what must be held in common and what could be held in good conscience with difference. Later echoed by Richard Baxter and others, the phrase captured a growing desire for churches to be rooted in essential gospel truths while making space for liberty of conscience in secondary matters, all governed by the law of love.

The EFCA doesn’t include this phrase in its formal Statement of Faith, but it captures the theological posture that has marked the movement since its earliest days. The EFCA is committed to gospel-centered unity around a set of clear, biblical convictions. These include the inspiration and authority of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), the triune nature of God (Matthew 28:19), the full deity and humanity of Jesus Christ (John 1:1–14), the universal need for salvation (Romans 3:23), justification by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), and the bodily resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). The EFCA Statement of Faith (revised in 2008) defines these as essential. Every EFCA church and credentialed leader is expected to affirm them without hesitation.

At the same time, the EFCA has intentionally made room for differing convictions on matters not central to salvation or the definition of the gospel. These include views on the timing of Christ’s return, the mode and meaning of baptism, and the continuation or cessation of miraculous spiritual gifts. Local churches may teach and practice these doctrines with clarity and consistency, but the movement as a whole does not bind every church to one position where Scripture allows for reasonable and faithful differences.

How the EFCA Lives This Out

One particularly helpful example comes from the 2008 revision of the EFCA Statement of Faith. The original 1950 version had explicitly affirmed a premillennial view of Christ’s return. But in 2008, after careful study, prayer, and discussion, the EFCA adopted language that removed the requirement to affirm premillennialism while still strongly affirming Christ’s bodily and glorious return. This change was not made to avoid conflict, but to sharpen focus. The EFCA chose to emphasize what Scripture makes absolutely clear—that Jesus will return as Lord, Judge, and King—without requiring agreement on the details of prophetic timelines. It was an expression of theological conviction and gospel prioritization, not doctrinal indecision.

A Pattern Grounded in Scripture

This posture of unity in the gospel and liberty in secondary matters is not just practical; it is profoundly biblical. Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be one, just as He and the Father are one. That unity was not based on uniformity in every matter, but on the truth of God’s Word and the shared life believers have in Him. Paul echoes this in Ephesians 4 when he exhorts the church to maintain “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” grounded in “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

At the same time, Paul carefully distinguishes between core gospel truths and disputable matters. In Romans 14, he instructs believers not to quarrel over opinions or pass judgment on fellow Christians who differ on secondary issues such as food, drink, or the observance of certain days. “Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind,” Paul writes, calling the church to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us, all for the glory of God.

In Acts 15, the early church faced one of its first major theological crises: Should Gentile believers be required to follow the Jewish law—particularly circumcision—in order to be saved? The apostles and elders met together to seek the Spirit’s guidance. They upheld salvation by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ and, with pastoral wisdom, chose not to impose secondary requirements that would obscure the gospel or burden new believers. Their decision reflected a deep commitment to both doctrinal clarity and gospel freedom.

Why This Still Matters Today

That same kind of wisdom is desperately needed today. We live in a culture that encourages both division and indifference. On one side, people are quick to draw sharp lines over every disagreement. On the other, people are tempted to flatten or discard doctrine for the sake of superficial peace. The church must do neither. We must hold tightly to the essentials of the faith, clearly and courageously. But we must also resist the impulse to treat every disagreement as a test of fellowship. And above all, we must be governed by love, the kind of love that is patient, kind, humble, and grounded in truth (1 Corinthians 13).

For the EFCA, this commitment is about building churches that are doctrinally rooted, relationally wise, and shaped by the Spirit of Christ. “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” This is not an escape from theological seriousness. It is an invitation to theological maturity. And it remains as relevant today as ever.