Christian Reformed Churches

Originally a denomination consisting largely of people of Dutch origin, the Christian Reformed Church has in recent decades reached out to many cultural groups through a renewal of worship and evangelism. Its traditional strength in education continues to shape worship. Evangelism and the teaching of Christian doctrine have been priorities of the Christian Reformed Church from the outset. However, the integration of these and other church ministries into the worship life of the local congregation has had a varied history. Worship and Evangelism From its beginning in 1857, the Christian Reformed Church has had an interest in missions. One of the first official acts of the church was to declare the first Monday of the month a day of prayer for the expansion of God's kingdom and a day to receive offerings for this purpose. As early as 1888, the denominational synod formulated regulations to guide its mission work (see John Van Schepen, New Wine and Old Wine Skins [1989], 1819). Howe…