Free Evangelical Fellowship
Encyclopedia
The Free Evangelical Fellowship (Norwegian
: De Frie Evangeliske Forsamlinger, DFEF), formerly called "The Free Friends" (De frie venner) is one of the Free Church
congregations in Norway
. The Free Evangelical Fellowship is a nationwide movement with sixty seven parishes and contact addresses in Norway
. The churches are legally independent. It is estimated that the local churches comprise a total of 8,000-10,000 members. Churches are mainly in the south and west of the country. Its origins date from the 1880s
, but it became an established organization after 1900 under the leadership of preacher
Erik A. Nordquelle
(1858–1938). Its "Home and Mission Committee" is a joint mission conducted in several countries in Africa
, Asia
, Europe
and South America
. The Free Evangelical Fellowship believe in baptism of the Holy Spirit through speaking in tongues and healing
by prayer
. They also practice baptism
and Holy communion (open to non-members). The movement's theological standing is seen as near Pentecostal, but they had historically separated themselves out to be opponents of the member registers. The Free Evangelical Fellowship is therefore not registered as a separate religious branch in Norway.
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
: De Frie Evangeliske Forsamlinger, DFEF), formerly called "The Free Friends" (De frie venner) is one of the Free Church
Free Church
The proper noun Free Church may refer to:Europe-wide:* Evangelical Lutheran Free Churchin Germany:* Evangelical Lutheran Free Church * Independent Evangelical-Lutheran Churchin Iceland:*Reykjavík Free Churchin Norway:...
congregations in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The Free Evangelical Fellowship is a nationwide movement with sixty seven parishes and contact addresses in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The churches are legally independent. It is estimated that the local churches comprise a total of 8,000-10,000 members. Churches are mainly in the south and west of the country. Its origins date from the 1880s
1880s
The 1880s was the decade that spanned from January 1, 1880 to December 31, 1889. They occurred at the core period of the Second Industrial Revolution. Most Western countries experienced a large economic boom, due to the mass production of railroads and other more convenient methods of travel...
, but it became an established organization after 1900 under the leadership of preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
Erik A. Nordquelle
Erik Andersen Nordquelle
Erik Andersen Nordquelle was the leader of the Free Evangelical Fellowship in Norway, also known as the Free Friends,. regarded by many as part of the Pentecostal movement.-History:...
(1858–1938). Its "Home and Mission Committee" is a joint mission conducted in several countries in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. The Free Evangelical Fellowship believe in baptism of the Holy Spirit through speaking in tongues and healing
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
by prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
. They also practice baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and Holy communion (open to non-members). The movement's theological standing is seen as near Pentecostal, but they had historically separated themselves out to be opponents of the member registers. The Free Evangelical Fellowship is therefore not registered as a separate religious branch in Norway.