Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) - Comprehensive Analysis Report

Summary

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) is a Protestant denomination established in the United States in 1981, formed by pastors and elders committed to uniting Reformed theology with an evangelical approach to ministry. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, the EPC is distinguished by its affirmation of the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith as its doctrinal standard, complemented by its "Essentials of Our Faith" document, which prioritizes unity in core gospel truths while allowing liberty in non-essential matters such as women's ordination or charismatic gifts. The EPC positions itself as a "middle way" within American Presbyterianism, balancing robust doctrine with flexible ministry practices. It maintains a foundational commitment to the Bible as God's true, trustworthy, clear, inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word. The denomination's significance lies in its unique theological balance and its strategic focus on church growth, health, leadership, and global missions.

1. Strategic Focus & Objectives

Core Objectives

The EPC's strategic focus is embodied in its "Four Gospel Priorities":
Multiplication (Church Planting): To cultivate a culture where church planting is consistently embraced, encouraged, and celebrated. The objective is for every congregation to participate actively as a "Parent" (planting new churches), "Partner" (collaborating with others), or "Patron" (offering financial support). Future efforts include recruiting the next generation of church planters from seminaries.
Transformation (Church Health): To implement church health strategies centered on evangelism and transitional pastoring, aiming for every congregation to function as an "outpost of the Kingdom" with members acting as missionaries. This priority focuses on Training Missional Leadership, Guiding Pastoral Transition, and Coaching Missional Mindset.
Effective Biblical Leadership (Discipleship): To equip leaders to effectively demonstrate God's love through the church. This involves providing resources, fostering relational growth among church leaders, developing cohorts for pastors and their spouses, and hosting webinars focused on their well-being.
Global Movement (World Missions): World Outreach, the global missions arm, concentrates on "The Hard Places" such, but not limited to, the Middle East, North Africa, and other Muslim-majority regions where access to the gospel is limited. The overarching vision is to establish full-cycle church planting among the least-reached peoples worldwide.

Specialization Areas

The EPC specializes in maintaining a theological "middle way" within American Presbyterianism, characterized by:
Affirmation of the Westminster Confession of Faith of 1647 as its doctrinal standard.
Emphasis on "Essentials of Our Faith" to ensure unity in core gospel truths.
Liberty in non-essential matters, such as women in ordained office or the practice of charismatic gifts, differentiating it from other conservative Reformed denominations.
The development of "Position Papers" to articulate its stance on critical issues including abortion, human life, sexuality, divorce and remarriage, women in ordained office, and suffering, reflecting careful consideration and denominational input.

Target Markets

The primary target markets for the EPC's ministry include:
Domestic Congregations: Churches and their members across the United States, focusing on revitalization, growth, and leadership development.
Emerging Communities: Areas identified for church planting initiatives within the United States.
Global "Hard Places": Specific regions globally, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, and Muslim-majority areas, where evangelism and church establishment are challenging due to limited gospel access.

2. Financial Overview

Funding History

The EPC's mission and vision are primarily funded through the "Percentage of Income" (POI) model, which requests 1% of a local church's undesignated receipts to support the national denomination. This model, approved in June 2022, is transitioning from the previous "Per Member Asking" (PMA) formula, with full implementation anticipated by July 2025.

As of Fiscal Year 2024-2025 (FY 24-25), the year-to-date POI reached $2,601,393, exceeding the budget by $40,110 and marking a 9.4% increase from FY 23-24. Operating expenses for FY 24-25 totaled $3,471,635, representing a decrease of $201,043 compared to the prior fiscal year. The operating cash reserve ratio improved to 3.1 months in FY 24-25, up from 2.5 months in FY 23-24.

In February 2024, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church was awarded an $888,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. This four-year grant is part of the Thriving Congregations Initiative and is dedicated to funding a comprehensive church revitalization program, specifically designed to help churches transition from an inward-focused orientation to an outward-facing posture of service within their local communities.

Additionally, the EPC maintains several specialized funds:
Church Loan Fund: Provides low-interest financing to mission churches and others for site and building development, capital improvements, and equipment purchases.
Medical Benevolence Fund: With an ending balance of $115,524, this fund assists retired ministers and missionaries facing emergency medical situations.
Domestic Emergency Relief Fund: This fund decreased to an ending balance of $717,676 due to recent natural disasters, providing aid in crisis situations.

3. Key Programs & Initiatives

The EPC implements a robust set of programs and initiatives to fulfill its mission:

Church Planting Initiatives: Focused on its "Multiplication" priority, this program encourages congregations to become "Parent," "Partner," or "Patron" churches in planting new congregations.
Church Health Strategies: Under the "Transformation" priority, this includes programs for Training Missional Leadership, Guiding Pastoral Transition for seamless leadership changes, and Coaching Missional Mindset to foster outward-focused ministry.
Leadership Development Cohorts: Part of the "Effective Biblical Leadership" priority, these cohorts are designed to help pastors and their spouses grow in faith and leadership, complemented by webinars for their well-being.
World Outreach Missions: The global movement initiative targets "The Hard Places" for establishing full-cycle church planting among the least-reached peoples.
Position Papers Process: A formal process for developing and articulating denominational stances on significant societal and theological issues, including abortion, human life, sexuality, divorce and remarriage, women in ordained office, and suffering.
Certification for EPC Commissioned Pastoral Leadership: A new, fully online theological training pathway developed in partnership with Knox Theological Seminary (announced December 2025). This program equips Ruling Elders called to serve as Commissioned Pastors with essential biblical, theological, and practical foundations.
"In All Things" Podcast: Launched in May 2023, this digital content initiative provides engaging discussions and insights.
"EPC Strategic Quarterly" YouTube Series: Hosted by Stated Clerk Dean Weaver, this series offers overviews of the denomination's strategic-level initiatives.
Church Loan Fund: Provides financial support for church infrastructure development and improvements.
Benevolence Funds: Including a Medical Benevolence Fund for retired ministers and missionaries, and a Domestic Emergency Relief Fund for disaster aid.

4. Technology & Innovation

Technology Stack

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church demonstrates a commitment to digital outreach through an active online presence, leveraging modern web technologies and analytics tools like Google Analytics to understand and enhance its digital engagement. The denomination encourages and actively promotes "digitally enhanced ministry" among its congregations.

Proprietary Developments

The EPC has developed several internal initiatives to enhance communication and training:
"In All Things" Podcast: A proprietary podcast launched in May 2023 for thought leadership and community engagement.
"EPC Strategic Quarterly" YouTube series: A host-led video series providing updates and insights on strategic initiatives.

Technical Capabilities

The EPC's technical capabilities are focused on:
Digital Outreach: Maintaining an active online presence and encouraging congregations to use modern technologies for evangelism, as exemplified by the Bronikrom Congregation.
Online Theological Training: The partnership with Knox Theological Seminary for the Certification for EPC Commissioned Pastoral Leadership establishes a flexible, affordable, and fully online theological training pathway.
Data Analytics: Utilization of tools like Google Analytics to inform and optimize online ministry efforts.

5. Leadership & Management

Executive Team

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church is led by its General Assembly, supported by a National Leadership Team (NLT) and various committees. Officers are elected by the General Assembly and serve three-year terms on the NLT.
Rev. Dr. Dean Weaver: Stated Clerk and President of the EPC.
Victor Jones: Chairman of the National Leadership Team, a Ruling Elder from the Presbytery of the Gulf South.
Dave Strunk: Moderator, a Teaching Elder from the Presbytery of the Southeast.
Jack Cathey: Moderator-elect, a Ruling Elder from the Presbytery of the Central Carolinas.
Rev. Michael Davis: Assistant Stated Clerk.
Zenaida Bermudez: Executive Director of Operations.
Marti Ratcliff: Director of Human Resources and GA Team Lead.
Marc de Jeu: National Director of Church Health.
Rev. Annie Rose: National Director of Ministerial Health.
Rev. Dr. Tom Ricks: National Director of Church Planting.
Scott Blanchette: IT Lead.
Kendra Smith: Communications Associate.
Gianna Lazzaro: Grant Writer.
Rev. Mark Ingles: Chaplain Endorser.
Rev. Ritchey Cable: Digital Content Lead.