World Reformed Fellowship

Last updated
World Reformed Fellowship
World Reformed Fellowship logo.png
Type Fellowship
Classification Protestant
Orientation Confessionally Reformed
Origin2000;25 years ago (2000)
Members7,177,578
Official website www.wrf.global

The World Reformed Fellowship (WRF) is an ecumenical, Christian fellowship that advances partnerships among confessional Reformed churches around the world. [1]

Contents

History

The World Fellowship of Reformed Churches was formed in 1994 by the Presbyterian Church in America, the National Presbyterian Church in Mexico, and the Presbyterian Church of Brazil, as well as member churches mainly from Latin American countries and from India, East Africa and the United States. [2] The International Reformed Fellowship (IRF) was formed also in 1994 with Calvinist churches in Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, and from all part of Asia.

The World Fellowship of Reformed Churches and the International Reformed Fellowship united on October 24, 2000 to form the World Reformed Fellowship. The WRF is now an international body represented in seventy-nine countries. [3]

Work

The WRF operates commissions that serve its global membership, focusing on evangelism and missions, theological education, and theology. These commissions facilitate dialogue for better partnership between member denominations and organizations, produce and provide resources for the church, operate as theological and ministerial forums between WRF members, and serve as platforms of engagement from the WRF towards other organizations. The theological commission has produced several documents, such as the WRF’s Statement of Faith, a narrative statement on Reformed identity, and a statement on ecclesiology, all designed to facilitate greater theological partnership across cultural and intra-Reformed theological differences. [4] The commissions of the WRF sometimes facilitate larger forums, such as partnering with the Lausanne Movement to host a consultation on theological education in 2014 in São Paulo [5] [6] and a theological consultation on Christian ministry among Muslims in 2011 in Istanbul. [7] [8] The WRF partners with both the World Evangelical Alliance, of which the WRF is an affiliate member, [9] and New Growth Press for book publishing. [10] [11]

The WRF hosts a global general assembly approximately every four years. These assemblies review and direct the work of the WRF’s commissions, are a time of networking and fellowship for the membership of the WRF, and are where the WRF’s membership hears about major issues facing the global church in order to consider and address them.

WRF membership is also divided up into regional boards for planning and implementing fellowship for ministries within their own larger, geographic area. [13] These boards are more contextualized than the general assembly, both in composition and in the nature of their work.

Governance

Governance of the WRF is held by its membership voting at general assemblies. Oversight and operations are carried out by a board of directors and an international director (CEO).

Chairmen of the Board,

International Directors,

Membership

The WRF is similar in theology to the International Conference of Reformed Churches and more conservative than the World Communion of Reformed Churches, though several member churches of the WRF are also members of either the ICRC or the WCRC. The WRF primarily differs from these other groups in that it is a fellowship, not a council, and so includes in its membership not only denominations, but individual congregations, pastors and theologians, and non-ecclesial organizations (e.g. theological seminaries). It conceives of its existence as facilitating dialogue and sharing of resources between the different global branches of Reformed Christians. [16] Unlike the WCRC, which officially supports the ordination of women, [17] [18] and the ICRC, which prohibits denominational members that ordain women as pastors, [19] [20] the WRF as a confessional fellowship recognizes the diversity of positions among its members regarding the ordination women. [21] There are a total of 82 denominational members of the WRF and 155 organizational members, as of July 08, 2023. [22] [23] The majority (75 of 83, as of September 15, 2023) of WRF member denominations prohibit women from being ordained as pastors, elders, or deacons.

The WRF has a Reformed, confessional basis for membership. Members have to agree with:

The largest churches as of 2025 are (membership of 100,000 or more):

  1. National Presbyterian Church in Mexico (2,800,000) [25]
  2. Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong) (2,250,530) [26]
  3. Presbyterian Church of Brazil (702,949) [27]
  4. Presbyterian Church in America (400,751) [28]
  5. United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (250,000)
  6. Christian Reformed Church in North America (183,710) [29]
  7. ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (127,000) [30]
  8. Evangelical Presbyterian Church (121,058) [31]

Denominational members

.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Countries with member denominations of the World Reformed Fellowship. Countries with missions of member denominations of the World Reformed Fellowship. Paises com denominacoes membros e missoes dos membros da Fraternidade Reformada Mundial.png
  Countries with member denominations of the World Reformed Fellowship.
  Countries with missions of member denominations of the World Reformed Fellowship.

As of March 2025, there are 83 member denominations: [32] [33] [34]

Countrydenominational subfamilyDenominationNumber of congregationsNumber of membersYear
South AfricaContinental reformed Christian Reformed Church in South Africa 192,5001984 [35]
South AfricaContinental reformed Reformed Churches in South Africa 38276,8122022 [36]
AngolaPresbyterian Presbyterian Church of Angola 10060,0002023 [37]
ArgentinaReformed anglicanOrthodox Episcopal Anglican Church (Buenos Aires)---
ArgentinaPresbyterian ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians (Argentina) ^ ---
AustraliaPresbyterian Presbyterian Church of Australia 54654,0002006
AustraliaPresbyterian Westminster Presbyterian Church of Australia 169002004 [38]
AustraliaPresbyterian Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia 167192016 [36]
BangladeshPresbyterian Presbyterian Church of Bangladesh 26-2011 [39]
BangladeshPresbyterianBangladesh Presbyterian Church13-2017 [40]
BangladeshPresbyterianGrace Presbyterian Church of Bangladesh---
BangladeshPresbyterian Isa-e Church 1256,0002015 [41]
BangladeshContinental reformedEvangelical Reformed Church of Bangladesh---
BangladeshContinental reformedBangladesh Evangelical Reformed Church of Bandarban, Tripura---
BangladeshReformed baptistSmyrna House of Prayer Church---
BrazilPresbyterian Presbyterian Church of Brazil 5,420702,9472021 [27]
BangladeshReformed baptistThyatira Church Trust Bangladesh---
Brazil-Christian Church Nations For Christ---
BurundiContinental reformedChristian Reformed Church in Burundi---
Burundi-Holy Spirit Revival Church---
CanadaContinental reformed Reformed Church of Quebec 54002018 [42] [36] [43]
ColombiaPresbyterianUnited Church of Christ in Colombia---
CongoPresbyterianUnited Presbyterian Churches of Congo---
Democratic Republic of the CongoPresbyterianKivu Presbyterian Church---
Democratic Republic of the CongoContinental reformedReformed Community of Katanga---
Egypt-Gospel Peace Church of Egypt---
EthiopiaReformed baptistRaisin Power Baptist Church of Ethiopia---
GermanyReformed baptistReformed Free Church in Germany2-2024 [44]
Haiti-Union of Churches of the Christian Community of Haiti---
IndiaReformed anglicanCouncil of Reformed Churches of India---
IndiaReformed baptistTelugu Baptist Church Council---
IndiaReformed anglicanCelitic Cross Ministry Dioceses of India---
IndiaContinental reformed Christian Reformed Fellowship of India 300-2019 [45]
IndiaReformed anglicanMalankara Evangelical Church3-2024 [46]
IndiaContinental reformedReformed Church of India---
IndiaPresbyterian Presbyterian Reformed Church in India 10-(2022) [47]
IndiaReformed anglicanIndia Christian Mission Church---
IndiaPresbyterian Presbyterian Church in India (Reformed) 5010,0002015 [48]
IndiaPresbyterian Reformed Presbyterian Church of India 103,0002004 [49]
IndiaPresbyterianReformed Presbyterian Church India---
IndiaPresbyterian Reformed Presbyterian Church North East India 10511,3762021 [36]
IndiaContinental reformed Evangelical Reformed Church of India 844,6272022 [50]
IndiaReformed anglicanUnited Church of India---
IndonesiaContinental reformed Indonesian Reformed Evangelical Church 747,0002011 [51]
ItalyReformed baptist Evangelical Reformed Baptist Churches in Italy 145002020 [52]
KenyaPresbyterian Africa Evangelical Presbyterian Church 10010,0002022 [53] [50]
Liberia-Emmanuel Temple (Sinkor, Monrovia)---
LithuaniaContinental reformed Evangelical Reformed Church of Lithuania 147,0002008 [54]
MadagascarContinental reformedProtestant Church of Ambohimalaza-Firaisiana---
MalawiPresbyterian Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Malawi and Mozambique 9015,0002016 [55]
MexicoPresbyterian National Presbyterian Church in Mexico 6,0002,800,0002010 [25]
MyanmarContinental reformedBiblical Reformed Church in Myanmar---
MyanmarContinental reformed Christian Reformed Church in Myanmar 505,0002004 [56]
MyanmarContinental reformedCommunity of Reformed Churches in Myanmar---
MyanmarContinental reformed Reformed Evangelical Church of Myanmar 407,0002010 [57]
MyanmarPresbiteryan Reformed Presbyterian Church in Myanmar 352,5002021 [58]
New ZealandPresbyterian Grace Presbyterian Church of New Zealand 25--
PakistanPresbyterian United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan 200250,0002018
PakistanContinental reformedSutlej Reformed Church of Pakistan20--
PolandPresbyterianEvangelical Presbyterian Church in Poland41202024
Romania, Ukraine and HungaryPresbyterian Reformed Presbyterian Church of Central and Eastern Europe 253702022 [36]
RussiaContinental reformed Evangelical Reformed Church of Russia 153502010 [59]
South KoreaPresbyterian Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong) 11,.8322,250,5302023 [26]
Sri LankaContinental reformed Christian Reformed Church in Sri Lanka [60] 413,0002014 [61]
Sudan and South SudanContinental reformed Sudanese Reformed Churches 346,0002023 [62]
UgandaPresbyterian Presbyterian Church in Uganda 873,0472019 [36]
UgandaPresbyterian Reformed Presbyterian Church in Uganda 125,0002004 [63]
UgandaPresbyterians New Life Presbyterian Church 21,0002004 [64]
UgandaPresbyterianCommunity Worship Presbyterian Church---
UgandaContinental reformedCovenant Reformed Church in Uganda---
Uganda-Greater Grace Ministry (Kampala, Uganda)---
Uganda-King's Church (Kampala, Uganda)---
UgandaPresbyterian Reformed Presbyterian Church in Africa (Uganda) 86192022 [65] [50]
United KingdomPresbyterian Associated Presbyterian Churches 92002021 [66]
United KingdomPresbyterian Free Church of Scotland [67] 12611,7002024 [68]
United StatesPresbyterian Presbyterian Church in America 1,964400,7512024 [28]
United StatesPresbyterian Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church 26025,6922022 [36]
United StatesPresbyterian Evangelical Presbyterian Church (United States) 629121,0582023 [31]
United StatesContinental reformedEvangelical Reformed Church in America---
United StatesPresbyterian ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians 400127,0002022 [30] [69]
United StatesContinental reformed Christian Reformed Church in North America [70] 981183,7102025 [29]
United StatesReformed anglican United Episcopal Church of North America 26--
UruguayPresbyterian Presbyterian Church of Uruguay 21502023
WorldTotalWorld Reformed Fellowship30,3517,177,5782004-2024

Member Profile

  1. Presbyterians (95.76%)
  2. Continental Reformed (4.23%)
  3. Reformed baptist, reformed anglican and others (0.01%)

The vast majority of the World Reformed Fraternity (more than 95.76% of individual members) are Presbyterian denominations. The Continental Reformed Churches represent the second largest group within the FRM, with 4.23% of members. The remaining 0.01% of members are Reformed Anglicans, Reformed Baptists and other denominations.

Former members

Former members of the WRF are: [71]

Criticism

The World Reformed Fellowship (WRF) is different from other global Reformed communions in that it allows a wide range of churches for membership. While the International Conference of Reformed Churches only allows membership to Presbyterians and Continental Reformed Churches, the WRF includes, in addition to these, Reformed Baptists, Reformed Aglicanism, Congregationalists, and Reformed Pentecostals. This is because its confessional base is extremely broad, allowing any position on baptism, ordination, eschatology, ecclesiology and pneumatology. [74]

Even the largely liberal and ecumenical World Communion of Reformed Churches, does not accept Baptists, Anglicans or Pentecostals as full members and considers them other denominational families. From this perspective, the World Reformed Fellowship would be redefining the meaning of Reformed Christianity, giving it greater breadth than it has historically had. meant. [75]

References

  1. ↑ WRF Case Statement
  2. ↑ Instituto Presbiteriano Mackenzie
  3. ↑ "Global Membership of the WRF". World Reformed Fellowship. 2023-07-08. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  4. ↑ "WRF Commissions". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  5. ↑ "WRF/Lausanne Global Theological Education Consultation". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  6. ↑ "2014 Consultation on Global Theological Education". Lausanne Movement. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  7. ↑ "WRF Resources for Ministry in the Context of Islam". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  8. ↑ "Our Muslim Neighbors: Improving Student Knowledge of the Diversity of Islamic Faith and Practice" (PDF). Reformed Theological Seminary. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  9. ↑ "WEA Congratulates New International Director of World Reformed Fellowship". World Evangelical Alliance. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  10. ↑ "New Growth Press: World Reformed Fellowship". New Growth Press. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  11. ↑ Mdas (14 November 2022). "The Decalogue Project: Disciples from Six Continents Engage God's Ten Commandments, Latest Book in WEA World of Theology Series Available Now". World Evangelical Alliance | WEA seeks to strengthen local churches through national alliances, supporting and coordinating grassroots leadership and seeking practical ways of showing the unity of the body of Christ. World Evangelical Alliance. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  12. ↑ "The General Assembly". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  13. ↑ "WRF Regional Boards". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  14. ↑ The Orthodox Presbyterian Church is not a denominational member of the WRF; Sam Logan held an individual membership with the WRF.
  15. ↑ "WRF Executive Leadership". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  16. ↑ "WRF Case Statement".
  17. ↑ "The WCRC Considers A Call For Its Members to Accept the Ordination of Women". World Communion of Reformed Churches. July 2017. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  18. ↑ "A Declaration of Faith on Women's Ordination" (PDF). World Communion of Reformed Churches. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  19. ↑ "Reformed Churches in the Netherlands Suspended by the International Conference of Reformed Churches for Adopting Women's Ordination". The Aquila Report. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
  20. ↑ "ICRC: GKV Membership Terminated". Wes Bredenhof. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-20.
  21. ↑ "WRF State on Ecclesiology". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  22. ↑ "WRF Denominational Members". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  23. ↑ "WRF Organizational Members". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  24. ↑ "WRF Case Statement". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
  25. 1 2 "Report on the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico 2010" (PDF). Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  26. 1 2 "Statistics of the Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong)" . Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  27. 1 2 "Statistics of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil in 2021". 15 March 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  28. 1 2 "Statistics of the Presbyterian Church in America 2010-2024" . Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  29. 1 2 "Statistics of the Christian Reformed Church in North America in 2025", Christian Reformed Church in North America, retrieved March 5, 2025
  30. 1 2 "ECO Membership" . Retrieved 2021-06-19.
  31. 1 2 "Statistical Report of the 44th General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church" (PDF). June 20, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  32. ↑ "List of member denominations of World Reformed Fellowship" . Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Word Reformed Fellowship: List of Members" . Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  34. ↑ "WRF Denominational Members". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  35. ↑ "Synod of the Christian Reformed Church in North America: Interchurch relations of the Christian Church Reformed in South Africa" (PDF). 12 June 1984. p. 179. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Minute of the General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church" (PDF). June 2025. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  37. ↑ Com, Grxnet (June 13, 2023). "Igreja Presbiteriana wants to help vulnerable families". Jornal de Angola. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Westminster Presbyterian Church of Australia". February 20, 2004. Archived from the original on June 7, 2010. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Interview with Rev. Edward Ayub, founder of the Presbyterian Church of Bangladesh" . Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  40. ↑ "Presbyterian Church Bangladesh has 13 churches and 20 pastors in 2017" . Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  41. ↑ "History of Isa-e Church". September 25, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  42. ↑ "List of churches in Quebec Quebec Reformed Church" . Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  43. ↑ "History of the Reformed Church of Quebec" (PDF). Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  44. ↑ "History of the Free Reformed Church in Germany" . Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  45. ↑ "History of the Presbyterian and Reformed Fellowship of India" (PDF). November 1, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  46. ↑ "Malankara Evangelical Church" . Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  47. ↑ "List of churches of the Presbyterian Reformed Church in India" . Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  48. ↑ "History of the Presbyterian Church in India (Reformed)" . Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  49. ↑ "Reformed Presbyterian Church of India". October 21, 2004. Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  50. 1 2 3 "2022 International Conference of Reformed Churches Statistics" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 28, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  51. ↑ "History of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Indonesia". Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  52. ↑ "Reformed Baptists in Italy". 2013. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  53. ↑ "CRB: Evangelical Presbyterian Church Africa" . Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  54. ↑ "History of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Lithuania". April 6, 2008. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  55. ↑ "Floods affect members of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Malawi and Mozambique". December 18, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  56. ↑ "Christian Reformed Church in Myanmar". February 27, 2004. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  57. ↑ "History of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Myanmar" . Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  58. ↑ "Reformed Presbyterian Church in Myanmar". June 25, 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  59. ↑ "History of the Union of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Russia" . Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  60. ↑ "Christian Reformed Church of Sri Lanka" . Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  61. ↑ "Christian Reformed Church of Sri Lanka" . Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  62. ↑ "2023 Annual Report of Sudanese Reformed Churches". April 10, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  63. ↑ "Reformed Presbyterian Church in Uganda" . Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  64. ↑ "New Life Presbyterian Church of Uganda". Reformiert Online. March 5, 2004. Archived from the original on June 8, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
  65. ↑ "Minutes of the 2022 International Conference of Reformed Churches" (PDF). Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  66. ↑ > "Congregations of Associated Presbyterian Churches". 25 April 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  67. ↑ "General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland 2015" (PDF). Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  68. ↑ "Report of the Committee on Interchurch Relations of the Canadian and American Reformed Churches" . Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  69. ↑ Cameron Shaffer (March 19, 2024). "What the EPC Can Learn from the PCA" . Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  70. ↑ "Ecumenical Relations of the Christian Reformed Church in North America". 16 June 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  71. ↑ "Members of the World Reformed Fellowship". Archived from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  72. ↑ "Presbyterian Church in the Philippines" . Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  73. ↑ "WRF Report on the Presbyterian Church of Senegal" (PDF). January 1, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  74. ↑ "What does it mean to be "reformed". World Reformed Fellowship. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  75. ↑ R. Scott Clark (October 12, 2020). "What the Court Packing Debate Teaches Us About Defining the Adjective Reformed" . Retrieved March 21, 2025.
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