The Reformed Church in America, along with the Christian Reformed Church in North America, has its roots in the Dutch Reformed Church. This video will explain the history of the denomination and what its churches teach for doctrine.
As far as I know, there are at least five reformed denominations in South Africa. Dutch Reformed being the largest. I am a member of the Gereformeerde kerke van Suid Afrika (Reformed churches of South Africa) and it is interesting to see the same issues in the churches in America. If I understand it correctly, the South African churches are more focussed on evangelising non-believers, than their counterparts in America.
Grateful for your amazing videos. They have been a huge asset in teaching those in my church the distinctions between differing denominations. The time and research is unparalleled to anything else I have found. Thanks, Joshua, for your service to the body of Christ in this manner!!!
Your videos are very helpful! Wow, I didn't know this about my church. I would have said it is very conservative and evangelical. I know much has changed, though, since my youth. Attendance is shockingly low, and some churches that had been strong RCA have left the denomination. Some of my relatives were RCA and some were CRC. The only differences I saw were that the CRC didn't have open communion, and they seemed to focus more on Calvin. I don't recall ever hearing about Calvin in my church. Our minister was very conservative. He wouldn't even marry people who had been divorced. Women were never deacons or elders, much less pastors. Services in my small hometown were in Dutch until the 1920s. My church was very different from Lutheran.
I was baptized and confirmed in the RCA but left it due to the fact that they were pushing Liberation Theology in 1985. I switched to the LCMS and eventually to WELS, though I still respect the LCMS. Lots of nice people in the RCA, but the general level of Christian orthodoxy is low. Much happier as a confessional Lutheran.
I still consider the LCMS to be more confessional than the WELS. A lot of people think the WELS is more confessional due to the fact that they are more conservative on the subject of participation of lay women in church matters, but to me this is the only point on which they might be more confessional. The LCMS is more confessional than the WELS on the office of the ministry and holy communion. The WELS is all but explicitly receptionist regarding the eucharistic elements. The LCMS doesn't explicitly reject receptionism but they do instruct their pastors to resist receptionist for purposes of disposal of the elements. In the WELS, it is considered acceptable to rinse communion cups out in a common sink if the parish so chooses. This is officially not considered acceptable in the LCMS, although it unfortunately does happen in some congregations, but it's not officially allowed. I've also heard, but can't confirm, that contemporary worship is more common in the WELS than the LCMS. Whether that's true or not, it's entirely too common in both synods.
@@acekoala457 If you mean the so-called "Orthodox church" then I'm sure you know that plenty of people challenge the idea that they represent the actual orthodox view of Christianity.
My ex is from Holland, Michigan. Her family attended a Dutch Reformed Church there. Although I attended the church several times, I don't recall the name of the church. I was raised a Southern Baptist in central Texas. My impression was that the church services were similar to the church I grew up in. The church members seemed to me to be quite conservative and devout.
Rich Mullins demonstrates Biblical illiteracy. At John 3: 3, Jesus said," Unless one is born again, he/she cannot see the kingdom of God." (Universal application). In Matthew 19:21, Jesus said to the rich young ruler, "If you (singular) wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you (singular) shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." (Particular application to the rich young ruler.) Jesus was trying to get the rich young ruler to realize that he loved his wealth more than he loved God. He was not attempting to say that the path to salvation for humanity is to sell one's possessions as opposed to believing that Jesus died on the cross for humanity's sins. Mullins's flippant language also shows disrespect for the Word of God.
Yea but that requires knowing the Word, and the context. It’s much easier, and more popular with the world to cherry pick and twist it and all that “context” gets in the way lol
I was raised, baptised and confirmed in this church. The church I went to definitely had evangelical tones, was very very conservative. Of the documents provided i am only familiar with the Nicene Creed and Heidelburg Catechism. I left and was an atheist for almost 20 years until I became a Quaker in 2022.
The RCA's stance on baptism should not be contrasted with that of "evangelical churches." This is simply the Reformed position as understood by the 16th century confessions, including the Three Forms of Unity. The key word here is "promise." Baptism does not by itself save, but it is a sign and seal of the covenant God makes with his people. Those baptized are heir to God's promises but are expected to show the fruits of God's grace in their own lives. This is an evangelical stance, but, of course, it is not the position of evangelicals in credobaptist churches.
I would also recommend Bryan Wolfmueller's video on end times. He doesn't go through what every denomination believes (except his own, LCMS), but he does give a good explanation of the differences between the views.
The Dutch reformed church (NH) has merged since 2004, with another type of reformed and the evangelical lutheran church to the PKN(Protestant Church in the Netherlands), but all 3 churches still sort of exist on local level. The first 2 do have the most common things, where it doesn't matter, to what church you go, they are so minimalistic. I was raised in a traditional Dutch reformed church, but this church has undergone a change over the past years, you can't call it a traditional Dutch reformed church anylonger, as it's now a rich mixture of all kinds of religious community with different beliefs, who have found a home in our church, which calls itself 'oecumenic'. Also the type of service has some sort of liturgical way of celebration. There even were recent changes, as 4 local churches merged, new forms of liturgical celebration were introduced. Personally I prefer the more traditional liturgical celebration over the 'modern liturgical' version. In the modern version, a piano and more modern music are used in the services too. In the classic liturgical services, the accent more lays on the organ and church choir and the congregational singing of historical hymns and psalms, and classical music being played by the organist. To make a conclusion to become on topic again, there is a rich variation in the PKN nowadays.
well there is certainly some difference between the Dutch Reformed Church (NHK) and the synodal Reformed Church (GK). in the DRC/NHK there which merged with the RC/GK into the Protestatnt Church of the Netherlands (PKN) There was and still is a big right wing with Evangelical Reformed, Confessional Movement and the Reformed Association, the Liberal left wing has become less in people due to aging members. The Middle Orthodox or main stream part of the PKN is mostly formed by te former RC/GK local churches and the middle orthodox part of the former DRC/NHK
So many denominations, division under divisions, cults and cults anyone with your own "truth". Behold the Luther's Reformation: a enormous mess! Amidst of all, i discovered the Church founded for Jesus stay the same. It has a historic succession from Jerusalem and not surrended to powers and worldly applause. The truth is in Jesus and come from Eastern☦️
Ya I know hey. I'm having fun reading parts of the Presbyterian Book of Confessions... Woo Ah... But don't quote me I'm totally confused: So Presbyterian Church is Part of Catholic Church? (copied from Presbyterian Book of Confessions) A. The Church Declares to Its Members and to the World Who and What It Is 1. The Faith of the Church Catholic “In its confessions, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) gives witness to the faith of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. …” 8 Thus, any confession within the Book of Confessions should articulate the breadth and depth of what Christians believe, not only the distinctive features of what Reformed churches or Presbyterians believe. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) affirms that there is one church and that “the unity of the Church is a gift of its Lord. …”9 Thus the confessional standards of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) should acknowledge gratefully the gift of unity as they seek faithfully the visible oneness of the Church catholic. 😮🤔😮 They say they part of church Catholic? Is that like playing the song "stairway to heaven" backwards therefore meaning Catholic Church? I'm confused, l have been lead ashtray 👺😇👺
Nice and very informative video but bit awkward to see a picture of a South African reformed church when yo name the Dutch Reformed Church in the Netherlands (United Dutch Provinces)
Hello reformers! I like your gospel, I live in Africa uganda. My point is : I need a reformation and join your religion or doctrine, So I need your teaching.
Dutch Reformed Church is Protestant Calvinism denomination. I am Protestant (Toraja Church, South Sulawesi, Indonesia) part of Reformed Churches Protestant Calvinism. Gereformeede Zendingsbond. One of Zendeling Nederland in Toraja is Antonie Aris van De Loosdrecht.
I would like to see a video comparing the various reformed/calvinist denominations, if you ever have the inclination. Maybe you made one and I missed it.
Justin, I would like to do that as well. But I am starting with making videos on each of the denominations individually. There are over 30 just in the United States, so it's a long project.
Wow. I always assumed the reformed in RCA was more like reformed Baptist, very conservative and confessional. Most reformed Baptist I know of are very conservative. Cessationist, men only pastors, “non affirming”, etc. basically the polar opposite of liberal/progressive “Christianity”. So it’s weird to hear they are that far towards the liberal side of Christianity.
@@RonJohn63 reformed is referencing the reformation. Usually adhering to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, Calvinist, theologically conservative.
@@MansterBear "reformed is referencing the reformation." Given that all Baptist churches are Protestant, saying _Reformed_ Baptist is redundant. "Usually adhering to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, Calvinist, theologically conservative." Ok, that makes sense. (Though I've never heard of Baptists being Calvinist; all the independent and Southern Baptist churches around here are broadly Arminian.)
@@RonJohn63 being Protestant and being reformed are 2 different things. Technically everyone not Catholic is Protestant, but most Protestants aren’t reformed. Reformed baptists adhere closer to the theology of the reformers, minus infant baptism. Where as other Protestants are just not Catholic, but usually closer in soteriology to Catholics than they are to what the reformers actually believed. And yea, most Baptist’s are Arminian. So that’s why it’s distinguished by saying reformed Baptist. As opposed to just saying Baptist, which usually means SBC or independent Baptist. Although there are some calvinists in the SBC. At least for now. But I’d imagine the way the SBC is going, the conservatives will find themselves splitting off before too long. And most calvinists are very conservative with a high view of scripture and God’s sovereignty, which is the polar opposite of the some/liberal direction the SBC seems intent on heading. Edit: James White, Jeff Durbin, and John MacArthur are all Calvinistic baptists, although most would say MacArthur is actually reformed.
@@MansterBear "Technically everyone not Catholic is Protestant". The Orthodox Church begs to differ. "Reformed baptists adhere closer to the theology of -the reformers- Calvinists". FTFY. What you're really saying is that "Reformed" means "Calvinist".
Our churches are The Netherlands Reformed Congregation. We have churches all around the world. We believe the scriptures of the old and new testament (the Bible) KJV to be the word of God the only infallible rule faith and practice. We believe the creeds of the early Apolostolic church namely The Apostles Creed.. The Nicene Creed.. and The Athanasian Creed. We believe the 3 Forms of Unity are a sound explanation of Gods word established at the Snod of Dordt in 1618/1619 these are The Heidelberg Catechism. The Belgic Confession of Faith The Cannons of Dordt. We also believe the five points of Calvanism.
Once again, I was okay with everything until the conditional salvation part. There are no select few that God calls to salvation. I grew up with that. It's unchristian. I just want to find a church that puts a hard stop on what eternal security means. I've been doing research into different denominations. Even the ones that believe in eternal security still have caveats that put up limitations to salvation. And I will continue to refuse any denominations that uphold any caveats to eternal security. Faith in and gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice alone should be enough
Perseverance of the Saints is the Reformed Position, not Eternal Security. The difference is the implication in the concept of Eternal Security that if you once walked an aisle and said "I accept Christ", you were always saved. The problem with this is that it may be merely a momentary excitement and not a true profession of Faith. In the parable of the sower, these are the seeds that fell on rocky ground where there was no "depth of soil", no "root in himself", no real Faith. The seeds that fall on good soil, where there is real faith, produce fruit in keeping with Faith. Once a person has Faith, that person, by the Grace of God, will persevere to the end and will continue to be fruitful. That is his promise.
I wonder if anybody in the RCA understands the Canons of Dort. I tried to find somebody in the CRC who understood Dort or a book explaining it. But could not find such.
@@Blargmaster-pf4bf Never heard of URCNA. In Hogtown (Toronto) we were members of Grace PCA chuch for a while until the company moved me to Oddawa in 1997 where we attended DC United Church and an Anglican church for a while. Most of our time in Toronto we attended a PCC church, Knox. The PCA was supposed to do a kirk plant in Ottawa but it fizzzled out and they were not even polite enough to let us know. In 2002 we gave up on the PCA andbulletin
I would like to find a good commentatory on the big guns of Dort. Asked a prof at Calvin Seminary about such a commentatory and meticulous providence and he immediately quite the email conversation. Lots on Heidelburg and Belgic which I love. Never understood Westminster in depth, it seems contradictory and I tried more than once.
The other possibility is that when Jesus the man was incarnated, he was incarnated with God's spirit. And God's spirit was here in earth, physical plane. Then it would make sense if Jesus was declared as Lord (assuming Lord meant God). That would make sense. Then when Jesus died, God lost his physical body and back to spirit. Simple. Makes sense to me. A spirit cannot die. A spirit can incarnate whenever. If that is the case then we only have (drum roll please) only 1 spirit involved here. Again not a Trinity!
Collegiate churches are an oddity: they are a group of individual congregations governed by a single "consistory" (Reformed-speak for what Presbyterians call "session") rather than each congregation being governed by its own consistory.
The Collegiate churches in NYC were the first Dutch Reformed churches in America, founded in 1628. The are "collegiate" because they have one consistory or governing body, though they have become much more distinct from each other and much more self-governed/independent than they were at their founding. They are indeed still RCA churches, but are also affiliated with the UCC (an affiliation formed within the last few years).
True church keeps all TEN commandants of God including not excluding the 4th that says REMEMBER, the only commandment that is forgotten or changed by all so called Christ Churches,, Amazing it says in Genesis that Abraham kept Gods Commandments and in the NT by Paul says that those who believe like Abraham are in Christ... You must be born again meaning changed from the way normal flesh think.. a new heart and mind written in the heart a circumcised heart a operation only God can do if you ask you shall receive.. God will not disappoint you in where you will learn about him , there will no doubt someone who like Philip will come to your chariot and teach you about Christ the True Christ who kept all the commandments of God
Michael, sounds like you come from Seventh-day Adventists church or similar. According to the Bible is Romans 3:20 says that no flesh will be justified by the deeds of the law, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Ephesians 2:8-10 tells that we are saved by the grace of God and not by the works of the law. Grace of God means it’s unmerited undeserved and un-worked. We are justified by what Christ has done on the cross through his death burial and resurrection. All the glory, all the praise, all the thanksgiving for our salvation belongs to Christ and Christ alone. Salvation is a free gift of grace to all those who trust in Christ as their only saviour. After we get saved we should keep the laws and do good works which God ordained that God has given us in the new Testament not for our salvation either to get saved, Or to stay saved, or to prove that we are saved but because we love the Lord and we want to do that which is pleasing to him that we may have a good reward in heaven when we get there. Please separate Grace from works, justification from sanctification, free gift from works, believer from disciple. Otherwise we will end up with a garbled gospel of grace plus works which will not save.
@@mercyimmaraj4375 in reference to your two Bible verses, the Commandments are not a means of salvation but a culmination of your faith. John 14:15 if you love me, keep my Commandments. 1 John 2:4 he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Revelation 21:8 in combination with 1 John 2:4 say that Christians who do not keep the Commandments will burn in hell Matthew 24:20 pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. Jesus knew his people would be keeping the Sabbath at the end of time Revelation 12:17 and the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the Commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. God's end time Remnant keeps the Commandments of God and has a prophet amongst them (revelation 19:10) Revelation 14:12 states that the Saints keep the Commandments. Revelation 22-14 blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates of the city. You must keep the Commandments to enter into the city. Isaiah 66:22-24 says the Sabbath is kept in the new Heaven and the new Earth for all eternity and those that transgressed the law will burn. ...... the Bible is quite clear that any and all who say they love Jesus must keep the Commandment..... all others that don't are literally saying "Lord Lord".
@@reicherreinhardtvonkesslri9847 Reicher, do you honestly believe that you keep the commandments of God to His standard of 100% Perfection, 100% of the time of your life? Please read 1 Corinthians 3: 1-3 CAREFULLY. 3 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? My question to you: Why does Apostle Paul call the people in Corinthian Church as ‘ babes in Christ’ in 3:1 but rebukes them for their carnal behaviour of ‘ envying, strife and divisions’ in 3:3? Why didn’t he just tell them that he doesn’t think that they are TRULY saved, because they are behaving in such carnal way to have envy, strife and divisions among the church members? INSTEAD, he calls them ‘babes in Christ’! Please answer the question!
@@mercyimmaraj4375 it's not about being perfect, it's about striving everyday to do your best to hold yourself to it and in so doing you become more christ-like. As far as the rest of your comment, I'm not the one sewing Strife, I'm simply stating precisely what the Bible clearly says..... perhaps you should start adhering to it instead of making excuses why you don't want to follow it. As far as a direct answer to your question, they held non-biblical beliefs and argued over traditions instead of the word of God.... Much like what you're doing.
@@reicherreinhardtvonkesslri9847 You have missed my point. I asked you to read the passage carefully. Apostle Paul did not tell them that they were holding to false beliefs or traditions, but that they were behavingCARNALLY such as strife, envy, divisions. Please don’t put your own opinions and views into the text and just let the text of the Bible speak to you directly.. Also can you please tell me where in the Bible (book, chapter, verse) where it says that you don’t have to live perfectly but only ‘strive everyday to do your best’ !!
@@joycegreer9391 The richest dead person no longer conducts business, in the end, it's relationships that matter, the better I do in life, the more of a blessing I can be to others, most can chip in with $5 or $10 to their favorite charities. It's the thought that counts.
I was raised Dutch Reformed in the 60s and 70s and it was pretty formal and conservative. Listening to this doctrinal nit-picking, it's no wonder that this church and others are rapidly becoming irrelevant.
The video creator is not nit picking. He does a good job describing. Nit-picking are those people who keep trying to infiltrate and subvert churches with their unchristian modern liberal agendas like feminism and socialism and the alphabet community propaganda. Just stick to the Bible. Call it conservative. It is what we are commanded to do. Teach sound doctrine...rebuke false teachers
I find the christian churches' inability to agree amongst themselves, in itself to discount the validity of any one of them, except maybe the oldest amongst them, and that would be the Orthodox. My Mom has joined the CRC in her 70's after a lifetime of cultural christian agnosticism. I must say, it has been disorienting for me! Your description here though is helpful, puts some of my fears at rest, as it could be a lot worse.
If it's any comfort to folks, a rather substantial portion of what this feller says about the Reformed Church in America is either factually incorrect or incorrect in the weight that many matters have in the lives of ordinary members of congregations that are affiliated with the RCA. Seems like a significant amount of his sourcing is from CRCNA sources.
Christendom is working towards the Lie in this passage of Scripture? 1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us-whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter -asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 🐟3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed,❓ the man doomed to destruction. 🐟4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.❓ 🐟5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things❓ 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 🐟7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.❓ 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 🐟9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works.❓ 🐟He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.❓ 🐟They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved❓ 🐟 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. ❗ 🐟Thessalonians 2:1-12
The story of God becoming a physical Man called Jesus. According to Scripture: Around A.D. 180, Roman Christians developed an early form of the Apostles’ Creed to refute Marcion. They affirmed that the God of creation is the Father of Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, was buried and raised from the dead, and ascended into heaven, where he rules with the Father. They also affirmed belief in the Holy Spirit, the church, and the resurrection of the body. According to More Probable Common Sense: Mary met some Army Chap and got horney. Mary got pregnant so the spirit of God came down to be incarnated into a baby. Out popped Jesus and he taught everyone about spirituality. When Pontius Pilate realised Jesus could read minds, and was a threat to national security he had him killed. So God lost his body and back to spirit he go. End of more believable story. A. Man.
Yup, just one more reason to show that god, if "it" existed was one of the most the most confusing, unsuccinenct beings ever created, even if it was only in the mind. Given I grew up in GR, MI. I can confirm the CRC, including any church is not real. What a waste of effort.