Protestant Reformed Churches in America

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The Protestant Reformed Churches in America (PRC) or (PRCA) are a denomination of 27 churches and over 7,000 members. They believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God (and only the King James Version is used in their churches) and that the truths are summarized in the Reformed Confessions; the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession and the Canons of Dordt. These creeds are commonly referred to as the Three Forms of Unity. Holding the Presbyterian form of church government, the denomination is organized in two classes, Classis East and Classis West (the eastern border of Illinois being the boundary), which meet two or three times a year, and in a Synod, which meets annually in June. Without detracting from the principle of the binding authority of the major assemblies, the Protestant Reformed churches emphasize that each congregation is self-governing by a body of elders chosen out of the congregation (the "autonomy of the local congregation"). Hence, the name of the denomination -- not "Church" (singular), but "Churches" (plural).

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[edit] History and Theology

The Protestant Reformed Churches in America were founded in 1924 as a result of a controversy regarding common grace in the Christian Reformed Church. Led by Herman Hoeksema, George Ophoff and Henry Danhof, the PRC rejected common grace as a slippery-slope to Arminianism, if not an actual variant of that theology. In addition to that, the churches endured a severe, internal, doctrinal controversy in the early 1950s in defense of the unconditionality of the covenant of grace. As a result of this struggle, the denomination was reduced in size. The PRC believes in supralapsarianism and has been accused by its critics of being Hyper-Calvinistic, because they believe that evangelism of the unconverted should not include a free and open offer of salvation (eg "Jesus loves you and died for you").

[edit] Churches

The PRC has member churches through out the United States, Canada and one in Northern Ireland. A majority of the churches in the United States are located in western Michigan but there are also churches located in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado, California and Washington. The Canadian churches are located in Alberta and Ontario. The Northern Ireland church is located in Ballymena.

[edit] Member Churches in Canada

Ontario:

Wingham PRC, Wingham/ON

Alberta:

First PRC, Edmonton/AB

Immanuel PRC, Lacombe/AB

[edit] Member Churches in the United States

Michigan:

First PRC of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids/MI

Southeast PRC. Grand Rapids/MI

Southwest PRC, Grandville/MI

Grandville PRC, Grandville/MI

Hudsonville PRC, Hudsonville/MI

Trinity PRC, Hudsonville/MI

Georgetown PRC, Hudsonville/MI

Grace PRC, Tallmadge Township/MI

Byron Center PRC, Byron Center/MI

Hope PRC, Walker/MI

Faith PRC, Jenison/MI

First PRC of Holland, Zeeland/MI

Kalamazoo PRC, Kalamazoo/MI

Illinois:

Bethel PRC, Roselle/IL

Peace PRC, Lansing/IL

South Holland PRC, South Holland/IL

Indiana:

Cornerstone PRC, Dyer/IN

Iowa:

Hull PRC, Hull/IA

Doon PRC, Doon/IA

Minnesota:

Edgerton PRC, Edgerton/MN

California:

Hope PRC, Redlands/CA

Wisconsin:

Randolph PRC, Randolph/WI

Washington:

Lynden PRC, Lynden/WA

Colorado:

Loveland PRC, Loveland/CO

[edit] Organizations

Protestant Reformed Theological School - the seminary of the PRC, located in Grandville/MI

Reformed Free Publishing Association - publisher of theological and other Christian books by PR authors and of the PR semi-monthly magazine "The Standard Bearer", located in Jenison/MI

[edit] References

  • (2005) Acts of Synod & Yearbook of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America.
  • (2000) Our Goodly Heritage Preserved. ISBN 0-916206-62-9.
  • Hanko, Herman (2000). For Thy Truth's Sake. Reformed Free Publishing Association. ISBN 0-916206-61-0.

[edit] External links

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