Community of the Free Evangelical Churches of Greece
The Community of Free Evangelical Churches of Greece ( Greek Κοινωνία Ελεύθερων Ευαγγελικών Εκκλησιών Ελλάδας , Kinonia Eleftheron Ekklision Elladas) is an association (federation / federation) of 60 independent, local evangelical congregations throughout Greece . There are also some communities of Greeks in exile in Canada , Australia and Germany . The municipalities are derived from the traditions of the Baptist churches of the Brethren ( Brethren ) and other free-church movements in the early 20th century in Britain , Germany and America have emerged. In its website, the community traces itself back to the churches of Christ ( Εκκλησίες του Χριστού , Ekklesies Tou Christou), which had emerged since the beginning of the 20th century. The community federation also belong to the international federation of Free Evangelical Congregations .
history
The association emerged from several Protestant initiatives in different places in Greece. This included a congregation founded in Chania in 1886 by two Englishmen who were employed by the British consulate there, and a congregation in Athens founded by the Brethren missionary Eric Devine (?) From Ireland . Another congregation was founded by Theofani Zafiropoulos (Θεοφάνη Ζαφειρόπουλος) in Patras with the support of the Open Brothers from Switzerland . In 1911 Athanasios Katsarkas (Αθανάσιος Κατσάρκας) founded communities in Komotini and Adrianoupoli , which were moved to Thessaloniki in 1914 . The most influential pastor of the congregation in Athens was Kostas Metallinos (Κώστας Μεταλληνός), who is also the co-founder of the Community of Free Evangelical Congregations in Greece. Institutionally, the association was founded around 1946.
Teaching
In the Free Evangelical Congregations, the Bible, as the word of God, is the top priority. Beyond that there is no uniform creed . However, there is great agreement on the following principles:
- The church of Jesus is a creation of God's word. The preaching awakens, strengthens and corrects the faith of the individual and demands his answer. Preaching the gospel is a prerequisite for a person to come to believe. Those who come to believe in Jesus Christ are invited to be baptized on the basis of their personal confession.
- Not baptism, but personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is decisive for salvation.
- The local believing church “administers” the word and the signs of baptism and the sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ. She delegates this task to individual parishioners.
- The Lord's Supper is primarily understood as a memorial meal.
It is also important to the congregations that they are independent from foreign churches and mission societies.
structure
The communities are largely independent. A general assembly takes place every year. This general assembly elects the executive diaconate (Εκτελεστική Διακονία, Ektelestiki Diakonia) from representatives of the parishes for two years , whose members are responsible for the implementation of the general assembly and the administrative affairs of the community. The association now has around 5,500 members.
Web links
- Homepage of the Community of Free Evangelical Congregations in Greece
- Youth organization of the free congregations
- Operation World