In accordance with General Synod 2022 recommendation GM 22-2:
For General Synod to instruct the leadership of Global Mission and Church Multiplication to communicate to all RCA classes/ congregations in 2022 an update and explanation regarding current RCA initiatives in “International Church Planting.” (ADOPTED)
The Church Multiplication team, in collaboration with Global Mission, offers this update regarding international church planting in the Reformed Church in America (RCA).
We thank the General Synod for the opportunity to share what we see happening in some RCA classes in regard to what has been described as international church planting. We are always excited to see what God is doing to bring people to faith in Christ in new congregations. We marvel at the Lord’s continued blessing to the RCA.
We have been witnessing some unprecedented growth in certain classes that extend outside our traditional boundaries. Church Multiplication works with these classes as their church planters start churches in the U.S., Canada, and across the globe. Pastors coming from Latin America to plant new congregations in the U.S. often have other churches in their networks in their native countries.
For example, Classis de las Naciones recently organized their 16th congregation (their first “from scratch” plant) in Sarasota, Florida! This new congregation is part of Vida de Reino, a multi-site church planted by Rev. Fredy Guitierrez. Vida de Reino also has campuses in Colombia and Guatemala, with new campuses coming in Mexico and Venice, Florida.
Rev. Jesus Perez in Miami, Florida, has a vast network of congregations with over 100 pastors and congregations throughout the world. Classis de las Naciones is working with these congregations to help them form their own Reformed denominations in their home countries.
Pastor Sebastian Gimenez, also in Miami, Florida, has a multi-site congregation that includes an online presence with daily Bible studies on Youtube that reach tens of thousands of people across the globe. In conjunction with Classis de las Naciones, Pastor Gimenez has also planted in-person churches in Argentina, Mexico, and Honduras in the last few years. Additionally, he has been studying the Heidelberg Catechism in Spanish with over 800 new believers!
Classis de las Naciones has also brought in the pastors of Iglesia Reformada Dominicana (IRD – Reformed Church of the Dominican Republic) to fulfill the work tasked by the 2009 General Synod: to help equip pastors and leaders in the Dominican Republic to build a new Reformed denomination and create healthy and sustainable congregations on the island. This is a current project that has been supported by RCA Church Multiplication. By the end of 2023, the pastors in the IRD will be transferred back to the IRD as their own Reformed denomination.
The president of IRD, Pastor Moses James, has built a Reformed church in the seaside community of Samana. This congregation worships each Sunday evening and has a vibrant prayer ministry. There are several new plants in the capital city of Santo Domingo. Currently, there are also two new church buildings being built in the southern rural town of Neyba, where we see churches reaching many of the town’s children and their families.
There are also several RCA classes that have been asked to accept congregations around the globe and have responded in various ways. Great Lakes City Classis member Rev. Yakuv Gurung, from Nepal, has developed a network of Christian congregations in both the U.S. and Nepal. Nepal forbids any legal denomination of Christian churches, so that partnership cannot start a new Reformed denomination that would be possible in other countries, but still the gospel is being brought to many new Nepali believers who are being raised up to lead and plant churches. Yakuv’s work is supported by Great Lakes City Classis and RCA Global Mission as he works with partner organization Jibit Asha International.
Over 60 congregations in Argentina have asked Central Plains Classis to become affiliated with the RCA. Church Multiplication and the classis have begun the work to assist these congregations in forming a new Reformed denomination called the Global Reformed Network, which is based in Buenos Aires.
International church planting is not a project of RCA Global Mission nor Church Multiplication, but we work together with partner organizations and RCA classes that are doing this work. Our joint expertise helps equip and grow the global church, in accordance with RCA Global Mission’s mission principles.
We see the nearly 400-year history of the RCA in mission bearing fruit around the world. These believers are coming to the RCA, wanting to be a part of who we are. This is a great time of expansion and opportunity for the RCA, and we are thrilled to see new believers all over the world in these Reformed congregations. We are seeing thousands of people drawn to Reformed theology. We have much to learn from our global sisters and brothers, and much to offer as well. Together, may we see another 400 years of Reformed believers around the world.