The Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC) is a Reformed denomination in the United States and Canada influenced by the tradition of English Puritanism and the Dutch Nadere Reformatie."Goal and Vision, Origin and History," Heritage Reformed Congregations, December 21, 2023, https://heritagereformed.com/about-the-hrc/goal-and-vision-origin-and-history/.
History
The Heritage Reformed Congregations denomination was established in 1993, when the synod of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations deposed the consistory of the First Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids. However, 780 of the one thousand members of the church could not accept the deposition of their pastor, elders, and deacons.
The consistory felt compelled to form a new denomination named the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation (renamed the Heritage Reformed Congregations in 2003),“Church News: Announcement,” Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth 11, no. 10 (December 2003): 276. while Joel R. Beeke continued ministering to the church. Eight other churches soon joined the Grand Rapids congregation to form a new denomination, bringing the denominational membership to about two thousand.“Testimony of Dr. Joel Beeke,” SermonAudio, May 5, 2013, https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=55132115396. 40:24–42:41.
In 1995, the denomination founded Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Later, the seminary was supported by the Free Reformed Churches of North America.
Starting in the 2010s, the denomination began a dialogue with the Free Reformed Churches of North America about a possible denominational merger. In 2017, the two denominations held simultaneous synods to discuss the proposed merger.
Doctrine
The churches of the Heritage Reformed Congregations subscribe to the Three Forms of Unity (the Heidelberg Catechism, the Belgic Confession of Faith, and the Canons of Dort) and the Westminster Standards (the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism)."Doctrinal Standards and Worship," Heritage Reformed Congregations, December 21, 2023, https://heritagereformed.com/about-the-hrc/doctrinal-standards-and-worship/. The denomination affirms the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible and promotes Reformed experiential preaching.
Interdenominational relations
The denomination is a member of the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council and the International Conference of Reformed Churches.
Ministries The denomination has five publishing ministries:
The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth (the denominational periodical) The Banner of Truth Tract Mission (the denominational tract ministry) Glad Tidings (the denominational missions periodical) The Gospel Trumpet (the denominational sermon periodical) Inheritance Publishers (a ministry that republishes sermons in the Reformed tradition from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries)
Congregations The Heritage Reformed Congregations consist of ten congregations. List of Heritage Reformed Congregations Congregation Members 2022 Minister(s) Bradford, Ontario 43 Donald Overbeek Burgessville, Ontario 380 David Van Brugge Chilliwack, British Columbia 188 John Procee Grand Rapids, Michigan 702 Joel R. Beeke, John Byl, Darryl Dedert, Brian DeVries, and Simon Yin Harrison, Arkansas 97 Terreth Klaver Hull, Iowa 93 Pieter van der Hoek Jordan Station, Ontario 308 Brian Najapfour Kinnelon, New Jersey 175 Reuel Xavier Plymouth, Wisconsin 25 Michael FintelmanTillsonburg, Ontario184Ian Macleod Total 2,195
Schools The churches of the Heritage Reformed Congregations run three schools.Joel R. Beeke, ed., 2018–2019 Yearbook: Heritage Reformed Congregations: Church & School Directory (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018), 75–90. Grace Christian Academy, Grand Rapids, Michigan Jordan Christian School, Jordan Station, Ontario Oxford Reformed Christian School, Mount Elgin, Ontario
References
External links Heritage Reformed Congregations