Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches

Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches

Logo of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.
Classification Protestant
Orientation Evangelical
Theology Reformed[1]
Polity Independent
Leader John Stevens is the FIEC Director (wef 1 September 2010)
Associations FIEC is linked to Affinity, which was previously called the British Evangelical Council.[2]
Region mainly United Kingdom
Founder Rev Edward Joshua Poole-Connor[3]
Origin FIEC was formed in 1922 under the name A Fellowship of Undenominational and Unattached Churches and Missions, but was later renamed The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.
Congregations 545[4]
Members 39,000[4]
Official website http://www.fiec.org.uk

The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) is a growing network of over 500 independent, evangelical churches mainly in the United Kingdom that preach an evangelical faith.

History

The FIEC was formed in 1922 under the name A Fellowship of Undenominational and Unattached Churches and Missions, but was later renamed The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches. The Fellowship brought together many independent churches and mission halls, which had been somewhat isolated.[3]

The FIEC is in the Independent tradition. According to the National Director of FIEC, "An ‘Independent’ church is self-governing. Each individual local church has ultimate control over its own affairs. It does not belong to any external body or institution which has control over it."[5] Some trace the routes of Independency to separatists, such as Robert Browne in the time of Elizabeth I and James I of England, but "separatism" may be an unhelpful term to use in the present day to describe FIEC, because although a church has to be autonomous and self-governing to affiliate to the FIEC, one of the main purposes of the FIEC is that local churches should work together to share resources as they seek to advance the Christian Faith. However, it is correct to note that a number of churches joined FIEC when they separated from a denomination that moved away from what they considered to be historic orthodox biblical Christianity. For example, Westminster Chapel Westminster_Chapel, a leading church in the Independent tradition, joined the FIEC when the Congregational Union merged with the English Presbyterian Church to form the United Reformed Church denomination (URC). Many Independent churches within the FIEC are Baptist churches but the FIEC is open both to churches that only baptise adults and also to churches that baptise the children of believers.[6]

Former Presidents include Rev. Theodore Harold Bendor-Samuel (1967, 1978).[7]

FIEC Practical Services

FIEC Limited is a registered charity and trust corporation working under the title FIEC Practical Services. It holds church property in trust for many churches and also provides legal advice to churches and other charities. In most cases where it holds property in trust for churches, its role is limited to acting in accordance with the lawful instructions of the church for which it holds the property, although in some cases, it does also have decision making powers concerning the use of the property.

Church Planting

The FIEC has been very active in church planting over recent years and has a number of resources available to help churches and individuals considering starting a new church.

The main FIEC website also provides a map of recent church plants here

The "Go Into" project from the FIEC highlights 50 places across Great Britain with little or no evangelical witness relative to population size to help those thinking about starting a new church.

Relations with other churches

FIEC is the largest corporate partner of Affinity, which was previously called the British Evangelical Council.[2]

They also believe that Ecumenism in the form of Churches Together is not a positive move, citing various reasons including the liberal stance of other churches.[8] The Trust Board has recently affirmed that formal membership of Churches Together (CT) is inconsistent with the FIEC Statement on Ecumenism. However a number of fellowships publicly profess their affiliation to CT.

Issues raised by the Bible League Quarterly from 2009 to 2012

Allegations of engagement in ecumenism by a missionary to Poland of Carey Baptist Church have also been made in articles in the July 2009[9] and January 2010[10] issues of the Bible League Quarterly,[11] a journal once edited by the Fellowship's own founder, Rev E. J. Poole-Connor.[3] it now has a circulation of just over 1000 copies per issue. This issue is regarded by some as controversial as it is alleged to be a violation of the Fellowship's own statement in 1996 opposing ecumenism.[12] As an association of autonomous churches, the FIEC has defended the responsibility of Carey's elders to examine the allegations, but declined to examine them independently. The concerns were first raised in November 2008.[13] On March 23, 2012, a modified statement on ecumenism was published [8] and the old withdrawn.[12] Further concerns about connections between prominent FIEC personalities and the Polish ecclesiastical scene were raised in 2012 by the same journal.[14]

Pastors

The FIEC offers numerous services to pastors, including a national support team, help for pastors looking to find a church to serve in or for churches looking for a pastor to come and serve, accreditation, training and support.

The FIEC believes the classical Complementarian view which recognises that the distinctive calling to be a pastor or elder in the local church, and to be the head of the home, is a calling for men. It also recognises and encourages a wide calling of ministries within the church for women and men.[15] [16]

Notable member churches include...

References

  1. ↑ www.fiec.org.uk/about-us/beliefs
  2. 1 2 Affinity. "The FIEC is the largest constituent member body of those which make up Affinity."
  3. 1 2 3 Fountain, David (22 March 2005). Contending for the Faith: E. J. Poole-Connor - A Prophet Amidst the Sweeping Changes in English Evangelicalism. London: Wakeman Trust. p. 174. ISBN 9781870855327.
  4. 1 2 http://www.fiec.org.uk/AboutUs/tabid/446/Default.aspx
  5. ↑ http://www.fiec.org.uk/what-we-do/strand-blog/independent-but-not-alone
  6. ↑ http://www.fiec.org.uk/what-we-do/strand-blog/all-in-the-family-baptism-1
  7. ↑ Theodore Bendor-Samuel, April 1998, Evangelical Times
  8. 1 2 "FIEC's policy on uniting with other churches and groups". FIEC statement on Gospel Unity, official website. Archived from the original on 2014-05-28. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  9. ↑ "More downgrade in the FIEC" (PDF). Bible League Quarterly. July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-01.
  10. ↑ "Deepening Downgrade In The FIEC" (PDF). Bible League Quarterly. January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-01.
  11. ↑ Bible League Quarterly retrieved May 18, 2010
  12. 1 2 the 1996 FIEC Council Statement on Ecumenism
  13. ↑ Published appeal for action retrieved August 6, 2010
  14. ↑ "Continued FIEC Cooperation with Polish Ecumenists" (PDF). Bible League Quarterly. October 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-01.
  15. ↑ http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/papers/womenbishops.pdf
  16. ↑ http://www.fiec.org.uk/Home/SupportingWomeninministry/tabid/522/Default.aspx

External links

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