The Free Reformed Churches of North America (FRNCA) was created in the 1950s by former clergy and members of the Christian Reformed Church who believed that the CRC had departed from traditional Reformed doctrine and practice.
The FRNCA is the North American counterpart of the Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken (CGK), an existing denomination in the Netherlands, which was part of a secession from the Dutch Reformed Church. In the Netherlands, members of the Secession churches were first persecuted, then treated with contempt. This, and a poor economy in the Netherlands at the time, prompted large immigration to North America in the mid-19th century, mostly in groups under a religious leader.
The leader of a group of immigrants who settled in Western Michigan, Rev. Van Raalte, favored a union with the Reformed Church of America (RCA), which had provided financial and moral support to the new immigrants. This arrangement was not well received by everyone, however. The complaints included the RCA use of hymns in the worship service, the practice of open communion, neglect in catechizing the youth, and RCA ministers ignoring the Heidelberg Catechism during sermons. The RCA leadership also questioned the validity of the Secession in the Netherlands.
Four congregations broke away from the RCA to form the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in 1857. In 1880, four RCA classes requested that the General Synod declare membership in secret societies, specifically the Masonic Lodge, to be incompatible with church membership. When the Synod rejected this petition, several congregations in the Midwest left the RCA and joined the CRC.
At the beginning of the largest wave of Dutch immigration to the United States, the CGK began recommending that immigrants affiliate with the CRC, resulting in a large expansion of the denomination.
Beginning in the late 1800s, gradual changes in the CRC led to growing dissatisfaction among its membership. As a result, several new Dutch immigrant groups from the Secession churches, and the Reformed Alliance, chose to form separate congregations rather than joining the CRC. By the 1950s, many of these had united with an independent Reformed congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan known as the Old Christian Reformed Church. In 1965, the Old Christian Reformed federation was joined with an independent Reformed congregation from Clifton, New Jersey. In 1974, they voted to form a new denomination, known as the Free Reformed Church of North America.
Although there were strong similarities between the CRC and the churches its members had belonged to in the Netherlands, a significant point of contention was the CRC's adoption, in 1908, of the Conclusions of Utrecht, which insisted on adherence to the doctrine of presumptive regeneration, as well as growing importance placed on culture by CRC preachers by the 1950s. The viewpoint of those who formed the FRNCA was that these doctrines led to superficiality and worldliness in the churches, a lack of some of the vital elements in preaching and that the differences between true believers and nominal Christians were being blurred, with the result that the unconverted were not being called to repentance.
FRNCA members did not accept that the children of believing parents were saved, but that all children were born in sin and in need of salvation. They taught that the grace of salvation is promised to them, but that they were also called to be spiritually active with these matters. While the FRNCA baptizes infants and adults and holds that the Bible teaches that children born of believing parents are set apart by God, and members of God's Covenant of Grace, being in the Covenant still carries the requirement that every person needs to be born again.
The FRNCA subscribes to the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession of Faith, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dort), and to the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. They believe that while these creeds are not inspired by God, they represent a faithful summary of the inspired Word of God.
The focus of this guide is on the denomination known as the Free Reformed Churches of North America. Although online resources representing local churches are appropriately placed in the Local & Global category corresponding to the geographic location of the church, those which include significant information about the denomination may, at the discretion of the editors, be placed here as well.
Recommended Resources
Banner of Truth Radio Broadcast
A ministry of the Free Reformed Churches of North America, Banner of Truth has been proclaiming the Word of God throughout North America since 1969, bringing weekly sermons to encourage its listeners in their knowledge and understanding of Scripture and Christian living. An introduction to the radio pastor is offered. Stations airing the broadcasts are featured, and visitors to the site may subscribe to have the most recent broadcasts delivered to their mobile media devices.
https://banneroftruthradio.com/
Free Reformed Church of Bornholm
Situated in Mitchell, Ontario, the congregation is a member of the Free Reformed Churches of North America, a Reformed denomination made up of just over twenty congregations. Directions and a map are available, along with a summary of beliefs, with include the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dordrecht, and the Belgic Confession of Faith. Service schedules, a calendar of events, live webcasts, and an audio sermon archive is put forth.
https://bornholmfrc.org/
Free Reformed Church of Oxford County
Located in Norwich, Ontario, the congregation is a member church of the Free Reformed Churches of North America. A brief overview of the church’s beliefs and practices are put forth, along with its location, a schedule of upcoming worship services, a calendar of events, and an audio archive of recent sermons. An introduction to the church’s pastor is featured, announcements are published to the site, and links to various Reformed resources are available.
https://oxfordfrc.com/
Free Reformed Churches of North America
Founded in the 1950s, the FRCNA is a conservative federation of Protestant churches in the Dutch Calvinist tradition. The official denominational website features news from the denomination, the text of several of its publications, or those upon which the FRCNA subscribes. Member churches are listed, with links to the local church sites, as well as denominations or other church bodies with which the FRCNA has a relationship. Study materials, reports, and other resources are included.
http://frcna.org/
Using a blog platform, the privately maintained site includes the text of papers about the Free Reformed Church of North America, as well as those on related topics by various authors. Topics include historical information relating to the FRCNA, as well as discussions of social, cultural, and other topics, from a Reformed perspective, theological positions, the Early Church, the Protestant Reformation, the Reformed movement, and contemporary political issues.
https://freereformednotesbycvd.blogspot.com/
Published by the Free Reformed Churches of North America, Open Windows is a full-color, bi-monthly, Christian magazine intended for children ages four to twelve. Its topics include history, vocations, music, the Bible, creation, art, and reports from countries around the world, as well as stories, puzzles, coloring contests, and book reviews. An archive of back issues may be accessed through the site, a printable coloring contest picture, and a subscription form are available.
http://openwindows.frcna.org/
Its name taken from Psalm 144:12, Plants & Pillars is an online magazine for Reformed youth. Reporting to the Free Reformed Churches of North America Synodical Youth & Education Committee, the members of its team are identified, and its content includes articles on a variety of topics pertinent to Reformed Christian youth, which may be located alphabetically, by topic. Other content includes video devotionals, an event calendar, and asking questions of a pastor.
https://plantsandpillars.net/
