World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship

World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship
AbbreviationWECF
TypeFellowship
OrientationEvangelical Protestant
PolityCongregational
RegionWorldwide
Origin1986
Sussex, England
Congregations1,447
Members162,707
Official websitecong-wecf.org

The World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship (WECF) is a global association of evangelical Christian Congregational Churches, from various national associations around the world, which is united by a common belief in the lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Bible, as well as by its common desire for evangelism.

Origins

In 1891, in London, the International Congregational Council (ICC) was founded. This body represented, for many decades, congregational unity throughout the world.

However, in the 20th century, Liberal Theology and Ecumenism spread among Congregational churches throughout the world. Many Congregational churches, as a result, have abandoned the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy and also the distinctives of Congregationalism.

In the 1960s and 1970s, several congregational groups around the world merged with Presbyterian and/or Methodist and/or Anglican groups, forming denominations such as the Igreja Evangélica Presbiteriana de Portugal,[1] Uniting Church in Australia,[2] United Church of Canada,[3] Church of North India, Church of South India and United Reformed Church.[4]

In 1970, the ICC was already formed by several united churches, which were also members of the Alliance of the Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian System (ARCPS). Thus, this year, the ICC and ARCPS merged, giving rise to the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC).

WARC was formed by several churches that defended Liberal Theology and many congregational denominations preferred not to join the organization.

Consequently, the remaining Congregational denominations, which refused to unite with other denominations as well as refused to participate in the World Alliance of Reformed Churches came together to form a new international organization for the group.

The idea for the WECF began at a series of annual meetings of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference in 1983, when a number of international delegates at the American meetings expressed an interest in solidifying relationships with other evangelical congregationalists across the globe.[5] A constitutional framework for the Fellowship was ultimately agreed upon, and the WECF held its inaugural assembly in October 1986, in Sussex, England.

Statistics

According to a denomination census released in 2020, it has 18 denominations members in 17 countries.[6]

Organization

The WECF is overseen by a number of executive officers from different nations: including a President, vice-president, Treasurer, Secretary, and several members-at-large. It presently meets triennially, with a smaller-scale mid-term meeting, every year and a half.

Members

List of Members of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship (as of 2025):[7]

CountryDenominationNumber of congregationsNumber of membersYear
South AfricaEvangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches (South Africa)203,0002025[8]
ArgentinaEvangelical Congregational Church in Argentina[n 1]1206,0002021[9]
AustraliaFellowship of Congregational Churches281,5002004[10]
BrazilUnion of Congregational Churches in Brazil43650,0002004[11]
BrazilAlliance of Evangelical Congregational Churches of Brazil91-2016
BulgariaUnion of Evangelical Congregational Churches in Bulgaria[n 1]345,0002006[12]
CanadaCongregational Christian Churches in Canada307,0002004[13][14]
United States of AmericaConservative Congregational Christian Conference30151,1122020[15][14]
PhilippinesNational Association of Congregational Churches---
IndiaAssociation of Evangelical Churches (India)[n 1]20035,0002017[16]
North MacedoniaUnion of Evangelical Congregational Churches in Macedonia---
Federated States of MicronesiaChuuk Congregational Church of Christ in the Federated States of Micronesia---
MyanmarEvangelical Churches in Myanmar---
NepalEvangelical Congregational Churches of Nepal---
New ZealandCongregational Union of New Zealand136702019
PortugalUnion of Evangelical Congregational Churches in Portugal233252004[17]
United KingdomEvangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches125-2024
United Kingdom and IrelandCongregational Union of Ireland263,1002004[18]
GuamCongregational Churches in Guam and Saipan [n 2]---
'GlobalWorld Evangelical Congregational Brotherhood1,447162,7072004-2024

References

  1. ↑ "History of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Portugal". Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  2. ↑ "Uniting Church in Australia". World Council of Churches. January 1948. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  3. ↑ "History of the United Church of Canada". British Dictionary. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "United Reformed Church". World Council of Churches. January 1948. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  5. ↑ World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship, OUR HISTORY, cong-wecf.org, USA, retrieved August 22, 2020
  6. ↑ World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship, Members, cong-wecf.org, USA, retrieved August 22, 2020
  7. ↑ "Members of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship". Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches". Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Global Ministers:Evangelical Congregational Church of Argentina". February 16, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Fraternity of Congregational Churches of Australia". Archived from the original on December 23, 2005. Retrieved December 23, 2005.
  11. ↑ "Reformiert: Union of Evangelical Congregational Churches of Brazil". Archived from the original on May 23, 2005. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Evangelaska Kongreschanska Zewrkwa". 9 February 2006. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Congregational Christian Churches in Canada". Archived from the original on April 21, 2010. Retrieved April 21, 2010.
  14. 1 2 Eileen W. Lindner (2012). Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches 2012. Nashville: Abingdon Press. ISBN 978-1-4267-5610-8.
  15. ↑ "2020 United States Census of Religion". Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Association of Evangelical Churches (India)". Archived from the original on June 4, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Union of Evangelical Congregational Churches in Portugal". February 27, 2004. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Congregational Union of Ireland". Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 It is also a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
  2. ↑ Associate Member.
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