The Reformed Church in America (RCA), which includes some of the
best-known congregations in North America, was established on this
continent 150 years before the Revolutionary War.
The word "Reformed" comes from the Protestant Reformation which
swept across Europe in the 1500s under the leadership of such men as
Martin Luther and John Calvin. Calvin's reformation at Geneva spread to
many countries, including Scotland (where it became the Presbyterian
Church) and the Netherlands (where it became our ancestor, the Dutch
Reformed Church).
Our history is a long and colorful one. The Dutch Reformed Church
established its first congregation in New Amsterdam in 1628. Although
Dutch in origin, the RCA has from its beginning included peoples of
different races and nationalities in its congregations.
The denomination currently has over 900 churches in the United States and Canada, and about 200,000 active confirmed members.
What We Believe
We believe:
- The Bible to be the Word of God and the final authority for faith and practice.
- In Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of those who have faith in him
- In the historic Christian faith as confessed in the Apostles Creed.
The Heidelberg Catechism, a 16th century evangelical statement of
faith, has played a particularly important role in our history.
Our Mission Program
The RCA is a mission-minded church. Long a pioneer in overseas
missions, it has consistently made a contribution well beyond its size.
It currently supports around 100 missionaries worldwide. We witness and
serve in Africa, Asia, the Middle Central America, South America, and
in North America.
