Netherlands Reformed Congregations

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The Netherlands Reformed Congregations, a highly conservative denomination with congregations mostly in Canada and the United States.

Contents 1 The Church 1.1 What They Believe 1.2 Creeds and Confessions 1.2.1 Baptism 1.2.2 Bible Version 2 History 2.1 Before emigration to North America 2.2 Emigration to North America 2.3 Post Emigration 2.3.1 1972 Status 2.3.2 1993 Church Split 2.3.3 2001 Status 2.3.4 Recent status

[edit] The Church

[edit] What They Believe

The church adheres to the five points of Calvinism.

[edit] Creeds and Confessions

The church subscribes to the Three Forms of Unity which are as follows:

• Belgic Confession of Faith (1561)
• Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
• Canons of Dort (1618/19)

[edit] Baptism

The NRC hold to infant baptism but believe, although being baptised, still carries the personal necessity to be born again to be saved.

[edit] Bible Version

Their church services are conducted using exclusively the Authorised Version (King James) of the Bible.

[edit] History

[edit] Before emigration to North America

This church originated in 1830 before the emigration to the United States, when a small group in the Netherlands called the Gereformeerde Gemeenten broke away from the state church.

[edit] Emigration to North America

Distancing themselves from their fellow secessionists of Albertus van Raalte and his associates Cornelius Vander Meulen and Hendrik Scholte due to doctrine disputes, they lead their own emigration first to South Holland, Illinois in 1865 and then to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1870.

[edit] Post Emigration

[edit] 1972 Status

In 1972, there were fourteen Netherlands Reformed Congregations in the United States, most still conducting their services half in Dutch and half in English, with over five thousand members.

[edit] 1993 Church Split

In 1993 there was a split in the Netherlands Reformed Congregations resulting in a new denomination forming called the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregations. The 2 denomiations, although split, continue to co-operate with the running of Christian Schools founded by the NRC.

[edit] 2001 Status

In 2001 there where 26 Churches and 9395 members in Canada and the United states.

[edit] Recent status

The Netherlands Reformed Congregations in North America continue to have close relations to their sister churches (the Gereformeerde Gemeenten) in the Netherlands. The church services in North America are now all conducted in the English language.

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