When Brothers in Unity Dwell

The division of the church is a product of man’s sinfulness. There should be one visible church. When Christ returns, our denominational labels will be no more. There will be one church, and all of Christ’s body will be visible as one under King Jesus. But here and now, we are divided visibly, but we are genuinely one church and one body invisibly by our common union with Christ by the Holy Spirit. Denominations are important; we should not throw them away or the theological distinctives they represent. However, the need to express the reality of our connection to the universal church of Christ is equally important. 

In the Apostle’s Creed, we confess to believe in “…the holy catholic church” This phrase often causes confusion, as people confuse it with the Roman Catholic church. However, catholic here means universal. We believe there is one universal church made up of all believers. Anyone who believes in the Good News of Jesus and has been saved in His work is part of His universal church. This unity impacts how we work with other Christians, especially those close to our theological convictions. 

The Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Canadian Reformed Church have entered into a level of Formal Fraternal Relationship. This might not seem like a big deal to many until you realize how different these denominations are from each other, even in the Reformed world. The ARPC is predominantly located in the Southeastern United States, whereas the CanRef is almost entirely Canadian. ARPC comes from the Scottish Presbyterian tradition, whereas the CanRef comes from the Dutch Reformed tradition. How do two denominations separated by distance and tradition become friends? The answer shows the importance of interchurch work and organizations like the North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council (NAPARC) or the International Council of Reformed Churches (ICRC). 

Denominations entering into formal fraternal relationships and membership in groups like NAPARC and ICRC give a visible expression to an invisible reality. These are important theologically because they remind us that all believers are part of the one true church. 

Beyond this visible expression, there are practical reasons for these fraternal relations. We both learn and support each other in the work of the gospel. In NAPARC, there is formal cooperation in World and Home Missions, Diaconal work, theological education, and many different areas of overlap. Several years ago, with the help of the Reformed Presbyterian Church North America, the ARPC published the ARP Psalter. There is a level of accountability. In NAPARC, there are agreements to keep unrepentant members from fleeing from one denomination to another, and it gives a forum to address any issues among the member denominations.

There is also the personal level of inter-church work. Many friendships develop as we work to foster fraternal relationships among our churches. The new relationship between the ARPC and the CanRef found its genesis in two delegates (see picture) rooming together at the Orthodox Presbyterian Church's General Assembly in 2016. Nine years later, there is now a visible expression of the invisible reality between these two distant denominations. 

Do not undervalue the importance of inter-church relations and the value they bring to the church. First, they are a visible expression of the invisible universal church. Second, they are a means for formal cooperation and accountability in ministry. Finally, they are a conduit for personal friendship beyond our own denominations, regions, and nations.