The Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), established in 1981, is a conservative denomination of 14 presbyteries and more than 600 churches in North America, with fraternal and strategic partnerships with numerous like-minded bodies around the world. Constituent membership is 145,000. Planted firmly within the historic Reformed tradition and evangelical in spirit, the EPC places high priority on evangelism, world missions and church vitality and growth. Founded on the truth of God's Word and adhering to the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms and its Book of Order, the EPC is committed to certain "essentials of the faith" while allowing freedom in nonessential doctrinal issues that are secondary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.