Interchurch Relations

We have Fraternal Relations with:

Member of:

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Delegates with the Interchurch Relations Committee at Synod 2010

Biblical Principles of Church Unity

The following is an excerpt from our 1999 position paper. read the full report here.
The attribute of unity in the church is a necessary doctrine because God has constituted the church to be the undivided body of our Lord Jesus Christ. The necessary unity of the body of Christ is analogous to the union of the members of the human body. In describing that analogy, the Apostle Paul declares, "As the body is one, and has many members; and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many" (1 Cor. 12:12-14). It is the will of God "that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffers all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular" (1 Cor. 12:25-27).

Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed for the unity of the church in His intercessory prayer when He petitioned His heavenly Father, saying, "Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou has sent me" (John 17:20-21).

Therefore, it is the duty of the individual church members as well as congregations and denominations to strive for unity in the body of Christ, based upon Biblical principles, "endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:3-6).

It is the desire of the Reformed Church in the United States to endeavor "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" so that unity of the church may become a reality in the church today. ... Upon studying the doctrine of church unity, your committee has formulated five Biblical principles to govern the establishment of relationships with other churches.

PRINCIPLE 1: In establishing relationships with other churches, there must be a mutual agreement regarding the fundamental nature of the church, including the three marks of the church as set forth in the Word of God.
PRINCIPLE 2: In pursuing the unity of the visible church it must be remembered by all faithful denominations that within the multiformity of the visible church there is a true uniformity, and that multiformity does not per se obscure the unity of Christ's church. Therefore, it is not absolutely necessary to unite the visible church on earth into a single church government by merging all faithful denominations into an organic union.
PRINCIPLE 3: When establishing an ecclesiastical relationship with another denomination, the primary consideration is the other church's faithfulness to the doctrines of Scripture and practice of the true Christian faith. Ecclesiastical fellowship must never be established with an unfaithful church.
PRINCIPLE 4: Ecclesiastical unity with other churches may be achieved by entering into a corresponding or fraternal relationship where Biblical counsel may be given and received by an exchange of delegates at Presbytery/Classis meetings, as well as at the General Assembly/Synod meetings.
PRINCIPLE 5: Organic union with other denominations is desirable if the denominations are separated by unessential differences, and when unity may be accomplished without surrendering Biblical and creedal convictions.