Reformed Churches in the Netherlands

The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands 

1. The Reformed Churches in The Netherlands (RCN).

The Reformed Churches in The Netherlands (RCN), (in Dutch: de Nederlandse Gereformeerde Kerken(NGK)) are a federation of orthodox, Reformed churches in The Netherlands which hold to the Bible as God’s Word.

The RCN consists, at the end of 2023, of some 323 local congregations, about 300 ministers serving congregations, and about 138,000 members, including children. About 25 local RCN congregations are coöperating with congregations of the Christian Reformed Churches in The Netherlands.

The RCN maintain and seek relations with Biblical, Reformed church federations in The Netherlands and around the world.

2. Origin and History

The RCN, existing by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and built on the truth of Scripture, have been shaped by the great Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. John Calvin in particular had a deep influence on the reformation of the church in The Netherlands, as well as other European countries.

Our churches hold to the three historic ecumenical creeds, the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed, and to the Belgic Confession (1561), the Heidelberg Catechism (1563), and the Canons of Dordt (1619) as their confessional standards.

Because of the spiritual decline of the state Protestant church, the “Nederlandse Hervormde kerk,” due to liberal, unbiblical theological teachings, in the course of the 19th century orthodox Reformed believers seceded to form what were first called “Secession Reformed” churches. Eventually the majority of the Secession churches joined together in 1892 to form the “Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland,” the Reformed Churches in The Netherlands.

In the 20th century another church secession took place. In 1944 the General Synod of the Reformed Churches attempted to force all members to officially accept the view that the children of believers are to be regarded as being regenerate prior to their baptism as infants, the teaching known as “presumed regeneration.” This view was regarded by Dr. Klaas Schilder, professor of Dogmatics at the Theologische School (seminary) in Kampen, and others, as not being in agreement with the Word of God. He, other theological professors, a significant group of ministers, and some 90,000 church members refused to comply with the Synod’s demand, and were forced to leave the federation.

This church movement was called the “Vrijmaking,” that is, the Liberation of the church from unbiblical synodical demands, and thus the churches got the nickname “Gereformeerde Kerken (Vrijgemaakt),” or Reformed Churches (Liberated).

The churches which complied with the Synod’s demands got the nickname “Synodaal” (Synodical), and in 2004 they merged with the “Hervormde Kerk” and the small Lutheran Church to form the Protestant Church in The Netherlands, in Dutch, the “Protestantse Kerk in Nederland.” In 2024 this church has about 1.4 million members and is a theologically pluralistic body.

In 2023, the RCN(liberated) merged with the Dutch Reformed Churches, formed from a schism from the RCN(lib.) in 1967.
Together they are now known as the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands.

The RCN support true, Biblical ecumenism, and therefore we have and are seeking more contact in The Netherlands with Biblical church federations which have their historical roots in the 16th century Calvinist Reformation and in the Secessions of the 19th century. This is currently the Christian Reformed churches (the “Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken”), with some 74,000 members.

3. Basis

The foundation of the RCN is our Lord Jesus Christ, as He reveals Himself in God’s holy Word, the Bible, which proclaims the Person and saving Work of Christ. Our confessions, faithfully summarizing the Bible’s teaching, are the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dordt. These “Three Forms of Unity” also include the three historic, ecumenical creeds, namely, the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. All office bearers in our churches (ministers, elders, and deacons) promise that they will not teach anything that goes against these confessions.

4. Structure of the Churches and Church Federation

We believe that each local congregation is fully a church and competent to conduct its own spiritual affairs, depending on the Lord. Christ is the Head of the Church, and under Him each church council (consistory) is called to give spiritual leadership to the congregation. At the same time we believe that local churches are not to live independently, but are called to fellowship and cooperate with each other. Church cooperation is a Biblical demand, and therefore we work together regionally and nationally as a church federation. Ecclesiastical assemblies, moving from the church councils to regional meetings and finally the Synod, every three years, have the authority to make decisions which are in agreement with the Word of God and the Church Order, and to call the congregations to comply to such decisions, of course with room for possible Biblical objections.

Our Church Order, going back to the Synod of Dordt of 1618-19, helps our church life to be organized and orderly, for the sake of the purity and peace of the church. A number of churches in an established area together form a “Region” and delegates from these Regions make up the Synod. In 2023 a new Church Order has been put into use.

5. Reflection on Liturgy

During the last few years there has been a development of liturgical practice in our churches, approved by General Synods, in which not only Psalms and traditional Hymns are sung, according to our tradition, but also contemporary spiritual songs, accompanied by more instruments than the organ. It is not uncommon for having a Praise Band/Voval Group to accompany worship in some services.

Our traditional liturgical forms for baptism, personal profession of faith, the Lord’s Supper, and for marriage ceremonies have recently been modernized.

As a rule, in our church services we use the New Bible Translation (the “Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling”), a version produced in 2021 by the Dutch Bible Society, which is true to the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), but in current, common Dutch. It is comparable to the NIV version in English. During the service scripture reading can also be done by church members, other than the minister.

We want to be Biblical, orthodox, living Reformed churches, valuing our tradition, but also seeking to make use of contemporary language, methods and techniques, and of the various gifts of the congregational members, to celebrate our salvation in Christ, spread the Gospel, and glorify the Lord.

6. Church Life

There are differences between local congregations concerning giving form to Sunday worship services and giving form to congregational life. Every congregation knows the Sunday morning service, but an afternoon service is no longer held in every congregation. The congregation is under the spiritual guidance of the church council (consistory), which consists of ministers, elders and deacons.

In most of the congregations it is possible for members of the RCN to join into Bible studygroups. And in most congregations, they have a program for youth to think with them about what it means to follow Jesus.

Foreign missionaries and lecturers in theology are sent out to countries such as Indonesia, India, South Africa, Congo, Benin, Ukraine, Curacao and Brazil. In order to coordinate the foreign mission work and diaconal aid on mission fields, a church organization has been set up, “De Verre Naasten” (Faraway Neighbours) for mission, mission aid and training, working with sister- and contact-churches in the world. There are as well regional organizations focusing on mission projects in Indonesia, India, South Africa, Benin, other African countries, Brazil, Venezuela, Curacao, Ukraine, Belarus, and organizations involved with helping churches in Europe, and “closed areas.”

The churches maintain the Theological University in Utrecht for the theological education of future ministers and teachers.

7. Various Activities of Church Members

In many places Reformed day schools have been set up for the education of our children at both elementary and secondary school level as well as at the college level. These schools are no longer only open to students from the RCN, but are widely supported by various Christian communities.
This education is subsidized by the government, but we retain the freedom to make sure the content of curricula is not contrary to Reformed principles.

There are also Reformed social organizations as well as organizations for helping the handicapped, the terminally ill and the elderly.

In the political arena, Reformed people are active in the Christian political party, the “Christen Unie” (Christian Union), and support for broadcasting on radio and TV is carried on together with other Christians via the “Evangelische Omroep” (Evangelical Broadcasting Association).

8. Relations with Churches abroad

The RCN have sister church relationships with some 24 Reformed and Presbyterian churches in foreign countries. Besides that there are 19 contact-relationships with churches and organizations. With these contact-churches it is not yet possible to have a full sister church relationship, although many contacts are growing and deepening.
The Synod of the RCN appoints deputies to maintain and deepen the relations with the foreign churches. These are called members for the “Commissie Relaties Buitenland”(CRB) (Committee Relations Abroad). They do this work by carrying on correspondence, visiting the churches regularly and receiving delegates from those churches. And by participating in conferences.
The overall purpose of maintaining relations with Reformed churches throughout the world is to encourage one another to remain faithful to Christ and God’s Word, as we confess our faith in the Reformed confessions.

9. Aid to Churches abroad 

Where necessary and possible, aid is given to benefit the development of Reformed church life elsewhere in the world. Aid in the form of personnel is given through the education of ministers and office bearers. Financial and material aid is given, among other things, for theological libraries and for the building of churches. This help is given through the organization “De Verre Naasten” (Faraway Neighbours), through the various regional organizations mentioned above.

Concluding remarks

We are happy and thankful to be able to present our churches on the internet in this way. We invite responses and questions. Our e-mail address: info@crb-ngk.nl