Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church (EFCA) — Church Directory

Quick Facts

Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable Dr. Brad Strait (Lead Pastor; EPC National Leadership Team chair)

Founded Unknown

Denomination Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA)

Service Times Sunday mornings (check website)

Men's Ministry No

Kids Ministry Yes

Website www.efca.org

Pastor Credentials BS (Colorado/Leeds); MDIV Pastoral Counseling; DMin Theology (Denver Seminary); 30+ yrs pastoral; 27 yrs adjunct Denver Seminary

10-Point Theological Scorecard

Christology

Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)

EPC confessional — Westminster + Essentials Tenets — Trinitarian orthodox.

Strong

Scripture

Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?

EPC affirms Scripture's authority; inerrancy in original autographs in Essentials.

Strong

Men's Discipleship

Intentional formation for men?

Not visible on staff page.

Caution

Soteriology

Faith alone? How is salvation presented?

EPC Reformed — sola fide, substitutionary atonement.

Strong

Gender / Biblical Design

Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?

Rev. Jeanne Gaessler listed as 'Congregational Life Pastor' — female pastor on staff. EPC allows women's ordination as congregational option; Cherry Creek has exercised that option.

CONFIRMED female pastor: Rev. Jeanne Gaessler (Congregational Life Pastor). EPC permits and this church practices women's pastoral ordination.

WARNING!

Leadership Structure

Male elders/pastors? Accountability?

Multi-pastor staff (Strait lead, Hein executive, Piehl student/family, Bremerman care, Gaessler congregational life, Peck teaching) + elder team + deacon board.

Caution

Preaching Style

Expository or topical/therapeutic?

Dr. Strait teaches at Denver Seminary; academic preaching background.

Caution

Mission Clarity

Great Commission central?

Not stated on available sources — verify in person.

Caution

Cultural Alignment

DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?

Not stated on available sources — verify in person.

Caution

Accountability Structure

Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?

EPC — moderate Reformed, permissive on women's ordination.

Caution

Assessment

Cherry Creek in the Denver metro. EFCA. Conservative evangelical.

#efca#denver#colorado#needs-review

Sources & Evidence

Enrichment Notes

CRITICAL FLAG: misfiled as EFCA when actually EPC; AND has female pastor on staff — red gender; red-zone denominational mismatch too (directory's presumptive green→yellow EFCA rating is wrong).

These are the URLs consulted to arrive at this church's scoring. Score-note claims are synthesized from homepage content, denominational directories, and public statements of faith at the time of review. Church websites change frequently; we're progressively adding Internet Archive snapshots to prevent link rot.

[1] Live source cherrycreekpres.org/staff
[2] Live source epcwest.org/resources/presbytery-of-the-west-church-direc…

Transparency note: MOOP ratings are researcher judgments about publicly available theological and ecclesial evidence. They are not infallible. If a church's public posture has changed since our review, or if we've mis-read evidence, tell us — we publish corrections.