The International Congregational Fellowship (International Congregational Fellowship) is an association that brings together congregational denominations around the world in order to promote mutual cooperation.
History
Background
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, 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 Evangelical Presbyterian Church of 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 Reformed Churches that maintain the Presbyterian System (AIRSP). Thus, in that year, the ICC and AIRSP merged, giving rise to the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (AMIR). In 2010, the AMIR merged with the Reformed Ecumenical Council to form the current World Communion of Reformed Churches (CMIR).
Formation
In 1975, Congregationalists from various parts of the world met at Chiselhurst in the United Kingdom to discuss the need and possibility of some kind of worldwide fellowship to replace the ICC that had been dissolved that decade. Thus, in 1977, the inaugural conference of the ICF was held.
In the years that followed, the organization expanded, adding congregational unions and associations from around the world. In the 21st century, it is the largest congregational fellowship in the world in terms of membership.
Differentiation of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship
Another large global organization of congregational churches is the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship (FMEC). This has a more conservative and evangelical stance than the ICF. While the FMEC requires its members to affirm biblical inerrancy, the ICF does not require such a commitment.
Thus, the majority of ICF members are also members of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
Members
In 2025, the members of the International Congregational Fellowship were:
Country Denomination Number of congregations Number of members Year South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe United Congregational Church of Southern Africa 1,000 1,500,000 2024 South Africa Union of Congregational Churches in South Africa - - - Argentina Evangelical Congregational Church in Argentina 120 6,000 2021 Armenia Congregational Churches in Armenia - - - Australia and New ZealandCongregational Federation of Australia and New Zealand 31 2,985 2004 Brazil Evangelical Congregational Church in Brazil 375 50,000 2010 South Korea Korean Puritan Movement - - - United States National Association of Congregational Christian Churches 304 41,582 2020 Greece Congregational Churches in Greece - - - Guyana Guyana Congregational Union 40 2,452 2006 India Congregational Church of India (Maraland) 23 5,500 2006 Myanmar Congregational Church of Myanmar - - - United Kingdom Union of Welsh Independents 390 20,000 2006 United Kingdom Congregational Federation 235 10,883 2004 Samoa Congregational Christian Church of Samoa 325 70,000 2006 Global International Congregational Fellowship 2,843 1,709,402 2004-2025
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