The term "free church" refers to a Christian denomination that is intrinsically separated from government (as opposed to a theocracy, or an "established" or state church). A free church does not define government policy, nor have governments define church policy or theology, nor seeks or receives government endorsement or funding for its general mission. The term is especially relevant in countries with established state churches.
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The Free Church is a pattern that evolved in the Americas, while much of Europe maintains some government involvement in religion and churches via taxation to support them and by appointing ministers and bishops etc., although free churches have been founded in Europe outside of the state system [1][2]
Protestant historians would typically argue that this is historically what the Christian church was before Emperor Constantine and the State church of the Roman Empire, see Early Christianity, and did not appear again until the Protestant Reformation in groups such as the Calvinists and some particular radical movements such as the Anabaptists.
A number of churches in Scotland and Northern Ireland, mainly of the presbyterian tradition, have used the name 'Free Church'. The most important of these to persist at the present time is the Free Church of Scotland.
Within present-day China the largest free churches are the True Jesus Church, Local Churches and Born Again Movement. Possibly several millions of persons in China belong to isolated radio churches.
Among the Methodist Churches, calling a church "free" does not indicate any particular the relation to a government. Rather the Free Methodist Church is so called because it does not rent out pews to its parishioners. Thus, parishioners may sit at church free of charge.
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