“What denomination are you?”

 

People ask that a lot. We are part of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC).

"And what is the Christian Reformed Church?" That's the next question.

First, we agree with every other Christian church (Catholic, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, etc.) on all the basics – that there is one God who created the world, that God sent his Son Jesus to save the world, and that God gives his Holy Spirit to all those who believe in Jesus.

Second, there is a healthy mix of heart, mind, and action in the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). We strive to be passionate about Jesus, to think clearly about what it means to be a Christian, and to transform our world.

Third, the roots of the CRC are in the Protestant Reformation, when people like Martin Luther and John Calvin reformed the Catholic church in the early 1500s because of some serious issues they observed and experienced. The reformers emphasized three key things: 1) the authority for the Christian faith is the Bible; 2) we are saved by the grace of God, not by the things we do; 3) we receive the gift of salvation by faith.
We continue to teach these things today. It is still good news!

Finally, we must mention the idea of God’s sovereignty, because that’s what the reformers are known for. God’s sovereignty is simply the fact that He rules the entire universe. That means that we can trust Him even when things are bad, that we can serve Him by working any job (because the whole world is His, not just the church), and that God is the one who takes the initiative in our salvation. Also, because God is sovereign over all things we try to make sense of all parts of life – like art, science, and work – from a Christian point of view.

 

The best way to get an idea of what the CRC is about is to visit a worship service. You're welcome anytime.

 

 

One writing from the history of the Reformed movement (in the 1500s) asks this question:

The answer is a beautiful statement of what it means to be a Christian: