The executive committee of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) announced that its strategic plan for the next seven years will focus on youth leadership development, increased collaboration with regional church groups, and making a visible connection between Reformed theology and justice concerns.
The Christian Reformed Church is a founding member of WCRC, an organization created a year ago with the merger of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council. WCRC has members in 108 countries, 230 denominations, representing a population of over 80 million.
Rev. William Koopmans, pastor of Grace Christian Reformed Church in Chatham, Ontario, and chair of the denomination’s Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee, is on the executive committee of WCRC.
“We are very pleased that this organization is prioritizing not just humanitarian goals, but we are determined to do it from a clearly Reformed perspective,” Koopmans said.
Koopmans noted that justice issues in North America will be different than in the global south, where many of the churches in the WCRC are located. “Emphasis on relief of poverty is more of a difficult problem in the global south than here.”
He said the CRC has much to gain from participation in WCRC, including inspiration of joyful faithful following of Christ in hard circumstances and practical Christian living in adverse circumstances.
“If WCRC makes the scene global instead of local or regional, that’s an important stretching of our perspective of being part of the body of Christ.”
He also sees ways the CRC can contribute. “I could imagine ‘twin congregations,’ a CRC in North America and a Presbyterian church in Africa with limited staff and resources. The goal is to network people.”
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
