About Us
WHO WE ARE
Salem is an autonomous congregation affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America.
The history, distinctives and values of the EFCA can be found online here.
We are inclusive and we value freedom and fellowship in Christ. Like all families, we have
traditions that are meaningful to us, but we hold to them loosely because they aren't the
most important thing. We are a congregation of young and old, so our worship and our
ministries are a blend of old and new.
Salem is an autonomous congregation affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America.
The history, distinctives and values of the EFCA can be found online here.
We are inclusive and we value freedom and fellowship in Christ. Like all families, we have
traditions that are meaningful to us, but we hold to them loosely because they aren't the
most important thing. We are a congregation of young and old, so our worship and our
ministries are a blend of old and new.
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WHAT WE VALUE
We recognize that there are plenty of things over which people can legitimately and lovingly disagree. A wise Christian long ago wrote: "In essentials,
unity. In non-essentials, charity. In all things, Jesus Christ." That looks good on paper, but it can be tough to live out. We're trying, though. God is
gracious and patient with us, so we try to be the same way with one another. We have deep convictions about the authority of God's Word, but we
don't draw battle lines over minor points. And we don't make minor issues of doctrine a test for fellowship or a measure of anyone's faith. We value
unity, kindness, and love.
We know that God's Kingdom is much greater than our congregation and that we don't have a monopoly on truth or wisdom. We didn't invent
Christianity and it doesn't stand or fall with us. That means people who worship Jesus and respect the authority of the Bible are friends. We gladly join
with others in working to do God's will and spread the good news of His saving and transforming love for us in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ has set us free -- not to go crazy, but to lives of truth, beauty, and goodness for His glory and our blessing. It's essential to have a solid
foundation of biblical truth for our faith, but it's just as important to have a dynamic, vital relationship with Jesus. Knowing the truth isn't enough. God
wants us to know, love, trust and obey His perfect will for our lives. That brings joy and purpose. We value truth that transforms our lives.
Most of all, we value people. Jesus came to forgive us, to rescue us, and to change us. We're all in process. We'd love to get to know you and hear
what God's doing in your life -- because you matter to God. That means you matter to us.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
God created us to know him, love him, and live out his purposes for our lives. The Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and without mistakes as
originally written. It is the complete revelation of His will for our salvation and the only unfailing rule of faith and practice for the Christian life.
One God, creator of all things, eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and these three are co-eternal and of equal dignity and
power. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ; his miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit; his virgin birth; his sinless life; his substitutionary death on
a cross; his bodily resurrection; his ascension to the right hand of the Father; and his personal, imminent return. We believe in the present ministry of
the Holy Spirit indwelling, enabling, and empowering the life and ministry of all believers.
Man was created by and for God. By man's disobeying God, every person has earned spiritual death, which is separation from God, and physical death
as a consequence. All of us are sinful by nature, practice and choice.
Jesus Christ died for our sins so that all who believe in Him are declared right before God are in the right relationship with God because of his sacrificial
death. Jesus rose from the dead to give us new life and to remove both the penalty and the power of sin. Forgiveness and new life are gifts of God's
grace alone, received by faith alone in Christ alone.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all who have ever lived; the everlasting joy of those in right relationship with God, and the everlasting
punishment of those who reject Jesus. We are called to please and honor God, to love one another, to grow more like Christ, to use our gifts in
ministry, and to tell others the good news of Jesus.
WHERE WE'VE BEEN and WHERE WE'RE GOING
Our congregation was formed in 1885 by German Evangelical families in north St. Louis. Soon after, the first church building was dedicated and a school
was opened. For many years Salem was part of the old Evangelical and Reformed denomination (which later became part of the United Church of
Christ). In 1960 Salem moved to our present location in North St. Louis County. In 2002, Salem voted to leave the UCC. In 2003, Jeff Schultz was called
as Pastor. Jeff’s passion is to bring God’s word to life in faithful, exciting and relevant ways.
Salem has a long heritage of biblical faith, warm fellowship, compassionate care, and outreach into our community. We believe that by God's grace,
that's part of our future as well. We exist to grow in God's truth, share God's love, and spread the good news of Jesus Christ to St. Louis and beyond.
We recognize that there are plenty of things over which people can legitimately and lovingly disagree. A wise Christian long ago wrote: "In essentials,
unity. In non-essentials, charity. In all things, Jesus Christ." That looks good on paper, but it can be tough to live out. We're trying, though. God is
gracious and patient with us, so we try to be the same way with one another. We have deep convictions about the authority of God's Word, but we
don't draw battle lines over minor points. And we don't make minor issues of doctrine a test for fellowship or a measure of anyone's faith. We value
unity, kindness, and love.
We know that God's Kingdom is much greater than our congregation and that we don't have a monopoly on truth or wisdom. We didn't invent
Christianity and it doesn't stand or fall with us. That means people who worship Jesus and respect the authority of the Bible are friends. We gladly join
with others in working to do God's will and spread the good news of His saving and transforming love for us in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ has set us free -- not to go crazy, but to lives of truth, beauty, and goodness for His glory and our blessing. It's essential to have a solid
foundation of biblical truth for our faith, but it's just as important to have a dynamic, vital relationship with Jesus. Knowing the truth isn't enough. God
wants us to know, love, trust and obey His perfect will for our lives. That brings joy and purpose. We value truth that transforms our lives.
Most of all, we value people. Jesus came to forgive us, to rescue us, and to change us. We're all in process. We'd love to get to know you and hear
what God's doing in your life -- because you matter to God. That means you matter to us.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
God created us to know him, love him, and live out his purposes for our lives. The Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God and without mistakes as
originally written. It is the complete revelation of His will for our salvation and the only unfailing rule of faith and practice for the Christian life.
One God, creator of all things, eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and these three are co-eternal and of equal dignity and
power. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ; his miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit; his virgin birth; his sinless life; his substitutionary death on
a cross; his bodily resurrection; his ascension to the right hand of the Father; and his personal, imminent return. We believe in the present ministry of
the Holy Spirit indwelling, enabling, and empowering the life and ministry of all believers.
Man was created by and for God. By man's disobeying God, every person has earned spiritual death, which is separation from God, and physical death
as a consequence. All of us are sinful by nature, practice and choice.
Jesus Christ died for our sins so that all who believe in Him are declared right before God are in the right relationship with God because of his sacrificial
death. Jesus rose from the dead to give us new life and to remove both the penalty and the power of sin. Forgiveness and new life are gifts of God's
grace alone, received by faith alone in Christ alone.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all who have ever lived; the everlasting joy of those in right relationship with God, and the everlasting
punishment of those who reject Jesus. We are called to please and honor God, to love one another, to grow more like Christ, to use our gifts in
ministry, and to tell others the good news of Jesus.
WHERE WE'VE BEEN and WHERE WE'RE GOING
Our congregation was formed in 1885 by German Evangelical families in north St. Louis. Soon after, the first church building was dedicated and a school
was opened. For many years Salem was part of the old Evangelical and Reformed denomination (which later became part of the United Church of
Christ). In 1960 Salem moved to our present location in North St. Louis County. In 2002, Salem voted to leave the UCC. In 2003, Jeff Schultz was called
as Pastor. Jeff’s passion is to bring God’s word to life in faithful, exciting and relevant ways.
Salem has a long heritage of biblical faith, warm fellowship, compassionate care, and outreach into our community. We believe that by God's grace,
that's part of our future as well. We exist to grow in God's truth, share God's love, and spread the good news of Jesus Christ to St. Louis and beyond.
Salem Evangelical Free Church
of Florissant, Missouri
of Florissant, Missouri