Heritage Reformed Congregations
Religious denomination
| Heritage Reformed Congregations | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Theology | Reformed |
| Polity | Presbyterian |
| Associations | North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council[1] and International Conference of Reformed Churches[2] |
| Region | United States and Canada |
| Origin | 1993 |
| Separated from | Netherlands Reformed Congregations |
| Congregations | 10 |
| Members | 2,195 |
| Seminaries | Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary |
| Other name(s) | Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregations |
| Publications |
|
| Official website | heritagereformed |
The Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC) is a Reformed denomination in the United States and Canada influenced by the tradition of English Puritanism and the Dutch Nadere Reformatie.[3]
History
The Heritage Reformed Congregations denomination was established in 1993, when the synod of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations deposed the consistory of the First Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids. However, 780 of the one thousand members of the church could not accept the deposition of their pastor, elders, and deacons.
The consistory felt compelled to form a new denomination named the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation (renamed the Heritage Reformed Congregations in 2003),[4] while Joel R. Beeke continued ministering to the church. Eight other churches soon joined the Grand Rapids congregation to form a new denomination, bringing the denominational membership to about two thousand.[5]
In 1995, the denomination founded Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Later, the seminary was supported by the Free Reformed Churches of North America.[6]
Starting in the 2010s, the denomination began a dialogue with the Free Reformed Churches of North America about a possible denominational merger. In 2017, the two denominations held simultaneous synods to discuss the proposed merger.[7][8]
Doctrine
The churches of the Heritage Reformed Congregations subscribe to the Three Forms of Unity (the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession of Faith, and the Canons of Dort) and the Westminster Standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism).[9] The denomination affirms the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible and promotes Reformed experiential preaching.
Interdenominational relations
The denomination is a member of the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council and the International Conference of Reformed Churches.
Ministries
The denomination has five publishing ministries:
- The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth (the denominational periodical)
- The Banner of Truth Tract Mission (the denominational tract ministry)
- Glad Tidings (the denominational missions periodical)
- The Gospel Trumpet (the denominational sermon periodical)
- Inheritance Publishers (a ministry that republishes sermons in the Reformed tradition from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries)
Congregations
The Heritage Reformed Congregations consist of ten congregations.
| List of Heritage Reformed Congregations | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Congregation | Members 2022 | Minister(s) | ||||
| Bradford, Ontario | 43 | Donald Overbeek | ||||
| Burgessville, Ontario | 380 | David Lipsy | ||||
| Chilliwack, British Columbia | 188 | John Procee | ||||
| Grand Rapids, Michigan | 702 | Joel R. Beeke, John Byl, Darryl Dedert, Brian DeVries, and Simon Yin | ||||
| Harrison, Arkansas | 97 | Terreth Klaver | ||||
| Hull, Iowa | 93 | Pieter van der Hoek | ||||
| Jordan Station, Ontario | 308 | Brian Najapfour | ||||
| Kinnelon, New Jersey | 175 | No minister | ||||
| Plymouth, Wisconsin | 25 | Michael Fintelman | ||||
| Tillsonburg, Ontario | 184 | Ian Macleod | ||||
| Total | 2,195 | |||||
Schools
The churches of the Heritage Reformed Congregations run three schools.[10]
- Grace Christian Academy, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Jordan Christian School, Jordan Station, Ontario
- Oxford Reformed Christian School, Mount Elgin, Ontario
References
- ^ "List of members of the North American Presbyterian Council and Reformed". Retrieved June 30, 2021.
- ^ "Members of the International Conference of Reformed Churches". Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "Goal and Vision, Origin and History," Heritage Reformed Congregations, December 21, 2023, https://heritagereformed.com/about-the-hrc/goal-and-vision-origin-and-history/.
- ^ “Church News: Announcement,” Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth 11, no. 10 (December 2003): 276.
- ^ “Testimony of Dr. Joel Beeke,” SermonAudio, May 5, 2013, https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=55132115396. 40:24–42:41.
- ^ "Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary". MV Michigan. July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Report of the Synod of Reformed Heritage Congregations". Reformatorisch Dagblad. May 31, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Unit Committee of Reformed Heritage Congregations". Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ "Doctrinal Standards and Worship," Heritage Reformed Congregations, December 21, 2023, https://heritagereformed.com/about-the-hrc/doctrinal-standards-and-worship/.
- ^ Joel R. Beeke, ed., 2018–2019 Yearbook: Heritage Reformed Congregations: Church & School Directory (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018), 75–90.
External links
- Heritage Reformed Congregations
- v
- t
- e
Reformed
(Main article)
- Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
- Bible Presbyterian Church
- Covenant Presbyterian Church
- Covenant Reformed Presbyterian Church
- Cumberland Presbyterian Church
- ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians
- Evangelical Presbyterian Church
- Faith Presbytery, Bible Presbyterian Church
- Orthodox Presbyterian Church
- Presbyterian Church in America
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly
- Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery
- Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church
- Vanguard Presbyterian Church
| Black | |
|---|---|
| Scottish[d] |
|
| Korean[b] |
|
(Main article)
- ^ This denomination is the result of a merger between Lutheran, German Reformed, Congregational and Restorationist churches and is such considered by some to no longer be a "Reformed denomination".
- ^ a b c d e This refers to the denomination's heritage and not necessarily to the language in which the services are conducted in.
- ^ This is a reformed synod within the United Church of Christ that is distinct in heritage, doctrine and practice from the rest of the denomination.
- ^ Although Presbyterianism itself originated in Scotland, those denominations stand out as having a more proeminent scottish heritage and/or connection with scottish presbyterian denominations.
- ^ Those denominations allow member churches to be more diverse as regards the reformed tradition that they adhere to.
