We are an Evangelical Free Church in the Twin Cities. Since 1886, we have been unashamedly committed to teaching and understanding the Bible. For details on daily church life, click here. To read more about our founding and history, ask the Church Office for a copy of our Membership Packet.

Mission

We exist to glorify God by making and maturing disciples of Jesus Christ to minister to the world with the gospel by the Holy Spirit.

Core Values

Our Statement of Faith states that by God’s grace, our church is devoted to:

• THE WORD: Jesus Christ reigns over His church through His Word. We intentionally keep the Bible central to all ministry and teaching.
• PRAYER: Conversation with God is integral to all we do. We demonstrate dependence on the Spirit of God by empowering His people for His work through prayer.
• WORSHIP: We praise God reverently in spirit and truth. All elements of our corporate worship are God-centered, Christ-focused and Spirit-filled.
• COMMUNITY: We connect and develop meaningful relationships with other believers by serving one another, growing as disciples, being accountable and functioning in unity.
• DICSIPLESHIP: We come alongside new and veteran believers by bolstering spiritual maturity, facilitating Jesus-rooted relationships and entrusting them with ministry responsibilities.
• STEWARDSHIP: We are generous with all the Lord has provided – our time, our talents, our spiritual gifts and our material resources.
• LOCAL OUTREACH: We initiate community connection by meeting physical, spiritual and emotional needs in Maplewood and local suburbs.
• GLOBAL OUTREACH: We are passionate about the Good News and mobilize our congregation to reach people of every tribe and nation. Many go on short-term trips each year.

Our Name

Our full name is The First Evangelical Free Church, Maplewood, Minnesota. Most of us call it First Free Maplewood, but the long version tells a story. We were the very first “free” church founded in the Twin Cities. “Free” originally referred to being free from state control, and a movement of “free churches” began in Europe in the 1800s. Any church that was not owned, operated and overseen by the official religion of that state was a “free church”. The Evangelical Free Church of America has roots in this movement from Scandinavian countries.

“Evangelical” comes from the Greek word euangelion in the New Testament which means “good news”. We frequently find this word translated in our Bibles as “Gospel”. Broadly speaking, an evangelical is one who commits to living and communicating the Good News: God sent a Savior in the person of Jesus Christ to rescue us from sinful alienation and restore relationship and communion with Him forever. Ultimately, this means we believe:

• The VERACITY and AUTHORITY of the Scriptures without error as God originally gave them.
• The NECESSITY of personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior for one’s salvation.
• The URGENCY of seeking the conversion of spiritually rebellious and alienated men and women to Jesus Christ.