The Evangelical Free Church of Sidney, Nebraska was born in 1983 when several area families trusted God to begin a new church that was committed to the authority of the Bible. These excited believers partnered with the Midwest District of the Evangelical Free Church of America to plant a church in Sidney. They were soon joined by their first pastor, Gordon Langlie, who helped lay a solid spiritual foundation. With the blessing of God the church began to grow and minister in Sidney and Cheyenne County. In 1987, Pastor Doug Birky was called to join in the ministry of the young congregation which was meeting at a “store front” location. Following several more years of consistent spiritual and numerical growth, the “Sidney Free Church” moved to its present location as a well established body of believers. We continue to be a growing church family made up of all ages of people in a growing community.

The following Doctrinal Statements summarize what we believe as a church:

1. The Bible is the Word of God. It is absolutely true and tells us everything we need to know in order to receive eternal life and to live the Christian life.
2. There is only one God who eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus Christ is both God and man. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He died on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He arose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven at the right hand of God the Father.
4. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to bring glory to Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit also convicts people of sin and gives a believing sinner new life. The Spirit lives in, guides, instructs and empowers the believer for godly living and service.
5. Man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore spiritually lost. Only through spiritual rebirth by the Holy Spirit can people be saved from the penalty for sin and have new life.
6. The shed blood of Jesus Christ and his resurrection provide the only way for people to have a right relationship with God. Only those who believe and receive Jesus Christ can experience spiritual rebirth through the Holy Spirit and become children of God.
7. Water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances (acts that are ordered by God) for Christians to observe. However, they are not a means of salvation.
8. The one and only Church is made up of all people who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, and as a result, have been spiritually reborn through the Holy Spirit. All such believers are united together in the Body of Christ (the Church), of which Jesus is the Head.
9. Only those who are members of the one and only Church should be eligible for membership in a local church.
10. Every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.
11. Jesus Christ will personally come again for all who have believed in Him. When he returns he will also establish and rule his kingdom on earth for 1000 years.
12. Every person who has ever lived and died on earth will be raised bodily from the dead. Believers will be raised to experience everlasting joy with the Lord. Unbelievers will be raised to experience everlasting judgment and punishment.