District Development - 2010  

The 119^th Annual Conference of the Rocky Mountain District was held at First Evangelical Free Church in Colorado Springs on April 13-14. The Rocky Mountain District was created by the local member churches of our district 119 years ago and still remains an organization under the authority of our 84 churches and church plants. We are here to support and serve our churches. Each church gives direction and definition to the district through their delegates who attend the conference and vote on all District issues.  

At this historic conference the statement of faith adopted by the conference in the early 1950s was changed from the 12 point 1950 statement of faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America to the newly developed 2008 10 point doctrinal statement of the Evangelical Free Church of America. To remain a viable district in the national association we were required by national conference vote to accomplish this move by December 31, 2010.  

The mission statement of the National Evangelical Free Church states that we are a movement which seeks to “multiply healthy churches among all people.” Our 117^th and 118^th district conference emphasized this theme. At this year’s conference I announced the initiative within our district to begin a training program offered by the National Evangelical Free Church for pastors who are serving churches and who do not have the ability for a seminary education but would like theological credentialing (license and ordination) with our movement.  

This ministry is called “Gateway.” Two of the churches in our association are seriously considering offering this ministry within our district association. For more information on Gateway you can go to www.efca.org/reachnational/efca-gateway. 

With great joy we announced the transition of our church plant in Gillette, Wyoming to full church status within the past year. We also voted as a conference to adopt Pilgrim Church in Denver, Colorado as a full member of the Evangelical Free Church of America and member of the Rocky Mountain District. 

In addtion we celebrated the many interdependent relationships and ministries occurring within our association. There are more exciting days ahead as we serve together.