The World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship (WECF) is a global association of evangelical Christian Congregational Churches, from various national associations around the world, which is united by a common belief in the lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Bible, as well as by its common desire for evangelism.
Origins
In 1891, in London, the International Congregational Council (ICC) was founded. This body represented, for many decades, congregational unity throughout the world.
However, in the 20th century, Liberal Theology and Ecumenism spread among Congregational churches throughout the world. Many Congregational churches, as a result, have abandoned the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy and also the distinctives of Congregationalism.
In the 1960s and 1970s, several congregational groups around the world merged with Presbyterian and/or Methodist and/or Anglican groups, forming denominations such as the Igreja Evangélica Presbiteriana de Portugal, Uniting Church in Australia, United Church of Canada, Church of North India, Church of South India and United Reformed Church.
In 1970, the ICC was already formed by several united churches, which were also members of the Alliance of the Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian System (ARCPS). Thus, this year, the ICC and ARCPS merged, giving rise to the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).
WARC was formed by several churches that defended Liberal Theology and many congregational denominations preferred not to join the organization.
Consequently, the remaining Congregational denominations, which refused to unite with other denominations as well as refused to participate in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches came together to form a new international organization for the group.
The idea for the WECF began at a series of annual meetings of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference in 1983, when a number of international delegates at the American meetings expressed an interest in solidifying relationships with other evangelical congregationalists across the globe.World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship, OUR HISTORY, cong-wecf.org, USA, retrieved August 22, 2020 A constitutional framework for the Fellowship was ultimately agreed upon, and the WECF held its inaugural assembly in October 1986, in Sussex, England.
Statistics According to a denomination census released in 2020, it has 18 denominations members in 17 countries.World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship, Members, cong-wecf.org, USA, retrieved August 22, 2020
Organization The WECF is overseen by a number of executive officers from different nations: including a President, vice-president, Treasurer, Secretary, and several members-at-large. It presently meets triennially, with a smaller-scale mid-term meeting, every year and a half.
Members List of Members of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship (as of 2025): Country Denomination Number of congregations Number of members Year South Africa Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches (South Africa) 20 3,000 2025 Argentina Evangelical Congregational Church in Argentina 120 6,000 2021 Australia Fellowship of Congregational Churches 28 1,500 2004 Brazil Union of Congregational Churches in Brazil 436 50,000 2004 Brazil Alliance of Evangelical Congregational Churches of Brazil 91 - 2016 Bulgaria Union of Evangelical Congregational Churches in Bulgaria 34 5,000 2006 Canada Congregational Christian Churches in Canada 30 7,000 2004 United States of America Conservative Congregational Christian Conference 301 51,112 2020 Philippines National Association of Congregational Churches - - - India Association of Evangelical Churches (India) 200 35,000 2017 North Macedonia Union of Evangelical Congregational Churches in Macedonia - - - Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Congregational Church of Christ in the Federated States of Micronesia - - - Myanmar Evangelical Churches in Myanmar - - - Nepal Evangelical Congregational Churches of Nepal - - - New Zealand Congregational Union of New Zealand 13 670 2019 Portugal Union of Evangelical Congregational Churches in Portugal 23 325 2004 United Kingdom Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches 125 - 2024 United Kingdom and Ireland Congregational Union of Ireland 26 3,100 2004 Guam Congregational Churches in Guam and Saipan - - - Global'' || World Evangelical Congregational Brotherhood || 1,447 || 162,707''' 2004-2024
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