The Global Church

The Gospel and the Global Church 

. . . And World Reformed Fellowship

John McClean 

The lists of greetings at the end of Paul’s letters, ever learnt one? When was the last time you heard a sermon about one? (If you haven’t heard the famous Fred Craddock sermon on Romans 16, listen to it. It’s preaching from another era, but so worth hearing ).

The lists show something wonderfully important about the gospel—that it not only unites us with the Lord and our local church, it also connects us to a global church. Paul knows people in cities across the Eastern Mediterranean. He exchanges greetings with them; obviously knows, loves and works with them.

These lists are concrete expressions of the creedal statement—“I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church”. Local congregations are obviously important. Yet, the Creed confesses not “churches” but “one church”—holy in Christ, worldwide in extent and based on the word and witness of the apostles. When we are in Christ, we are part of his worldwide church.

In the millennia since Paul, being ‘catholic’ has become complicated by a history of growth … and theological, cultural, political, linguistic and geographic division. Some is the result of the gospel going to all the nations; some the sad outcome of church decline and revival; some is entwined in scandalous rivalry and factionalism.

The Age of Connection

Despite the divisions of history, we are now in an age when it is easier than ever to be connected with sisters and brothers around the world. In our era, every church (local or wider) should express its fellowship with the catholic church in some tangible way. Almost every Christian can connect with believers in other parts of the world and other cultures. The sorts of relationships reflected in Paul’s lists (Col 4:12) and prayers, should be echoed in our churches as we pray for each other, express unity in Christ and seek to further God’s work around the world.

With easy communication and travel there are hosts of opportunities to connect with the global church, and to enrich our gospel fellowship. Every Christian who has travelled can report how getting to know other Christians and worshipping in a different culture—even in a different language—can open a person’s eyes to the breadth of Christ’s kingdom. It can helps us see our home-culture and church differently, as well.

World Reformed Fellowship

For me, World Reformed Fellowship has provided a channel for connection with the global church. Over the last few years, it has opened an amazing array of connections with people from many countries and cultures. It has offered me insights into wonderful gospel work happening around the world, as well highlighting much desperate need.

WRF is a fellowship—not a peak body. It connects members in their service of the Lord and fosters ways in which believers support each other and work together. Its goal—“that the strengths of some might become the strengths of all in the service of Jesus Christ”—is achieved in all sorts of ways. A lot of the work is behind the scenes as the churches, organisations and individuals who are connected through WRF find ways to work together for the gospel. Yet these connections have been a means of support for refugee churches and persecuted Christians; facilitated assistance with theological education; enabled resource-sharing for teaching and training; provided a conduit for theological enquiry, to name just a few projects.

The success of WRF shows that practical co-operation is easier among those who share similar theological commitments. Its Statement of Faith gathers common elements of historic Reformed Confessions and voices from the global church to address critical issues of the 21st century. Its recent statement on Reformed identity testifies to the breadth and diversity of the reformed tradition, as well as to its core commitments.

Not everyone will be able to meet the people I have through WRF. As a board member, I’ve had the privilege of attending meetings and visiting churches, seminaries and other institutions. Even without travelling, WRF offers a great way of connecting with God’s wider church and helping to support great gospel ministries.

For more information on World Reformed Fellowship see wrf.global

John McClean is Vice Principal of Christ College, and teaches in the areas of Christian Thought focussing on Systematic Theology and Ethics. He is the convenor of the Gospel, Society and Culture Committee of the Presbyterian Church of NSW and he writes a regular ethics column in the Pulse, the PCNSW magazine. He is married to Elizabeth, and they have two adult children.