Communion Of Reformed Evangelical Churches - Wikipedia

Christian denomination

Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches
Abbreviation	CREC
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	Reformed
Theology	Evangelical
Polity	Presbyterian
Presiding minister	Uri Brito
Region	United States Canada Australia Japan Russia Hungary Ukraine Bulgaria Poland Brazil Czech Republic Jersey
Origin	1998; 28 years ago (1998)
Congregations	146[1]
Members	23,000 to 25,000[2]
Other names	Confederation of Reformed EvangelicalsConfederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches
Official website	crechurches.org

The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), formerly the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches,[3] was founded in 1998 as a body of churches that hold to Reformed theology.[4] Member churches include those from Presbyterian, Continental Reformed, and Reformed Baptist backgrounds. The CREC has over a hundred member churches in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland, Brazil, Jersey, and the Czech Republic.[5] These are organised into nine presbyteries, named after figures in church history: Anselm, Athanasius, Augustine, Bucer, Hus, Knox, Kuyper, Tyndale, and Wycliffe.

History

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The denomination began in 1998 as the Confederation of Reformed Evangelicals (CRE).[6] The founding churches were Community Evangelical Fellowship in Moscow, Idaho; Eastside Evangelical Fellowship (Trinity Church) in Bellevue, Washington; and Wenatchee Evangelical Fellowship in Wenatchee, Washington. Its co-founders include Douglas Wilson.[7]

The name was changed to the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches in 2004,[8] and then, in 2011, to the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches.[9]

As of 2020, the CREC was estimated to have around 15,000 members.[10] According to World magazine, the CREC "grew rapidly during the pandemic, due to its staunch opposition to COVID-19 restrictions."[2]

Doctrine

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The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches holds to Reformed theology as set forth in the Westminster Standards, Three Forms of Unity, and 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. On some doctrines, such as the Federal Vision, paedocommunion, and paedobaptism, the CREC allows each church to determine its own position.[citation needed] The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches requires that all member churches adopt a statement of faith including the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon, and at least one of the following historic confessions:[11]

• Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)
• American Westminster Confession of Faith (1789)
• The Three Forms of Unity:
  • Belgic Confession (1561)
  • Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
  • Canons of Dort (1619)
• The London Baptist Confession (1689)
• The Savoy Declaration (1658)
• Second Helvetic Confession (1566)
• 39 Articles (1571)
• The Reformed Evangelical Confession[12]

The CREC rejects both modernism and fundamentalism.[13] It has published a number of "memorials", which among other things affirm Young Earth creationism, deprecate government schooling, and reject women in combat.[14] While non-partisan, CREC churches are "uniformly hostile to the leftist agenda".[15] They generally accept the doctrine of sphere sovereignty.[16] According to religion scholar Julie Ingersoll, the CREC is strongly influenced by Christian Reconstructionism.[17]

The CREC includes adherents of Federal Vision theology.[18]

Worship and government

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Paedocommunion is a CREC distinctive,[2] and churches generally practise covenant renewal worship.[15] Household voting is common.[19]

Resources

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• New Saint Andrews College
• Theopolis Institute
• Canon Press

Notable members

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• Pete Hegseth[20]
• Peter Leithart[21]
• Rich Lusk[22]
• Isaiah P. Taylor[23]
• Steve Wilkins[24]
• Douglas Wilson
• N. D. Wilson[25]

References

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1. ^ "Presbyteries". Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
2. ^ a b c Freire, Emma (November 13, 2025). "Ambitious faith". World. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
3. ^ Wilson, Douglas (October 6, 2011). "The Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches". Blog & Mablog. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
4. ^ History, Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches.
5. ^ Churches, Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches (see linked presbytery pages
6. ^ Worthen, Molly (September 30, 2007). "Onward Christian Scholars". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
7. ^ Simmons, Tracy (November 5, 2019). "Douglas Wilson's 'spiritual takeover' plan roils Idaho college town". Religion News Service. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
8. ^ "Minutes of the 8th Annual Meeting of the Presbytery of the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches" (PDF). Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 14, 2011. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
9. ^ Phelps, Jack E. "A Message to the World Regarding the CREC Name Change" (PDF). Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
10. ^ Smith, Gary Scott (December 7, 2020). American Religious History: Belief and Society through Time [3 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 1433. ISBN 979-8-216-04685-1.
11. ^ "CONFESSIONAL STATEMENTS of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches" (PDF). crechurches.org. CREC. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
12. ^ "The Reformed Evangelical Confession" (PDF).
13. ^ Schuman, Samuel (2010). Seeing the Light: Religious Colleges in Twenty-First-Century America. JHU Press. p. 106. ISBN 9780801896088. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
14. ^ "Book of Memorials" (PDF). Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
15. ^ a b What to expect in our CREC church (PDF). Canon Press. p. 2. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
16. ^ Wilson, Jason (January 24, 2025). "Revealed: Trump Pentagon nominee endorsed extremist Christian doctrine on podcast". The Guardian. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
17. ^ Stanley, Tiffany; Smith, Peter. "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth belongs to an archconservative church network. Here's what to know". Associated Press. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
18. ^ Belcher, Richard P. (202). "The Covenant of Works in the Old Testament". Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives. Crossway. p. 68. ISBN 978-1-4335-6006-4. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
19. ^ Wilson, Douglas (July 10, 2013). "Representation in Church Government". Blog & Mablog. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
20. ^ "Pete Hegseth and His 'Battle Cry' for a New Christian Crusade".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
21. ^ "About Us". Immanuel Reformed Church. August 16, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
22. ^ "Staff". www.trinity-pres.net. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
23. ^ Butler, Kiera (February 26, 2026). "The Trump Administration's Favorite Nuclear Startup Has Ties to Russia and Epstein". Mother Jones. Retrieved February 28, 2026.
24. ^ "Religious Exemption to Mandatory Medical Procedures". Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
25. ^ "Leadership & Staff". Christ Church. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

External links

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• Official website

v t e Presbyterian and Reformed denominations in the United States
Main article
United	United Church of Christ[a]
ContinentalReformed	Dutch[b] Mainline Reformed Church in America Seceders Christian Reformed Church in North America Free Reformed Churches of North America[c] Heritage Reformed Congregations[c] Netherlands Reformed Congregations Protestant Reformed Churches in America Reformed Congregations in North America United Reformed Churches in North America[c] Doleantie Canadian and American Reformed Churches[c] Alliance of Reformed Churches German[b] Reformed Church in the United States[c] French[b] Huguenot Church Hungarian[b] Calvin Synod (United Church of Christ)[d] Hungarian Reformed Church in America
Presbyterian(Main article)	Mainline Presbyterian Church (USA) Revivalist Cumberland Presbyterian Church African-American Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America Fundamentalist(Main article) Bible Presbyterian Church Covenant Presbyterian Church Orthodox Presbyterian Church[c] Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly Reformed Presbyterian Church – Hanover Presbytery Other Evangelical Presbyterian Church ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians Presbyterian Church in America[c] Scottish[e] Covenanters Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America[c] Seceders Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church[c] Irish[b] Free Presbyterian Church of North America Korean[b] Evangelical Assembly of Presbyterian Churches in America Korean American Presbyterian Church[c] Korean Evangelical Presbyterian Church in America Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad Korean Presbyterian Church in America (Kosin)[c] Presbyterian Church in Korea (Koshin)
Congregationalist(Main article)	Conservative Congregational Christian Conference Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
Baptist	Confessional Baptist Association Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals Founders Ministries
Anglican	Reformed Anglican Church
Other	Acts 29 Network Sovereign Grace Churches
Any of the above[f]	Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches
All Reformed denominations ^ This denomination is the result of a merger between Lutheran, German Reformed, Congregational and Restorationist churches and is such considered by some to no longer be a "Reformed denomination". ^ a b c d e f This refers to the denomination's heritage and not necessarily to the language in which the services are conducted in. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Member of the NAPARC. ^ This is a reformed synod within the United Church of Christ that is distinct in heritage, doctrine and practice from the rest of the denomination. ^ Although Presbyterianism itself originated in Scotland, those denominations stand out as having a more prominent Scottish heritage and/or connection with Scottish Presbyterian denominations. ^ Those denominations allow member churches to be more diverse as regards the reformed tradition that they adhere to.

v t e Evangelicalism in the United States
Churches	Baptist family Southern Baptist Convention Independent Baptist Missionary Baptists Conservative Baptist Association of America Free Will Baptist General Association of Regular Baptist Churches Lutheran family Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Presbyterian family Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbyterian Church in America Pentecostal family Assemblies of God USA Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) Church of God in Christ Foursquare Church Pentecostal Church of God Pentecostal Holiness Church Pentecostal Assemblies of the World United Pentecostal Church International Restorationist family Churches of Christ Christian churches and churches of Christ Congregationalist family Conservative Congregational Christian Conference Holiness family Church of the Nazarene Wesleyan Church Free Methodist Church Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) Keswickian family Christian and Missionary Alliance Reformed family Christian Reformed Church in North America Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches Adventist family Seventh-day Adventist Church Nondenominational family Association of Vineyard Churches Calvary Chapel Association
History	Azusa Street Revival Black church Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy Fundamentalist–modernist controversy Great Awakening First Great Awakening Second Great Awakening Cane Ridge Revival Third Great Awakening Fourth Great Awakening Healing revival Los Angeles Crusade (1949) Revival of 1800
Thought	Baptism by fire Baptism with the Holy Spirit Believers' Church Biblical literalism Biblical inerrancy Biblical patriarchy Biblical womanhood Born again Christianity and abortion Christian Zionism Decision theology Evangelical theology Full Gospel Kingdom theology Quiverfull Second work of grace
Practices	Altar call Child preacher Contemporary worship Contemporary worship music Mourner's bench Open-air preaching Prayer warrior Revival meeting Camp meeting Tent revival Sinner's prayer
Forms	Bible church Megachurch Televangelism
Movements	Apostolic-Prophetic Movement Bapticostal movement Christian fundamentalism Evangelical left Exvangelical Jesus movement Post-evangelicalism New Apostolic Reformation Neo-charismatic movement Red-Letter Christians Seven Mountain Mandate Transformational Christianity
Institutions	Christianity Today International Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood Evangelical Climate Initiative Evangelical and Ecumenical Women's Caucus Fuller Theological Seminary Moody Bible Institute National Association of Evangelicals National Religious Broadcasters Promise Keepers World Vision United States Youth for Christ
Major figures	Aimee Semple McPherson Billy Graham Billy Sunday C. I. Scofield Charles Grandison Finney Dwight L. Moody Franklin Graham Jerry Falwell Jonathan Edwards