Gereformeerde kerk

After the ‘dissenting congregations’ the Doleantie grew rapidly. In the end 76 ministers and approximately 180,000 members joined the Doleantie. Under the leadership of Kuyper they formed a big denomination: ‘the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerken’. In 1892 this denomination and ‘the Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland’ was united as one big denomination of more than 370,000 people, also under the leadership of Kuyper.

Christelijk Gereformeerde kerk

A small group of people didn’t join the union of 1892 (the two denominations). The leaders of this group were Van Lingen and Wisse. They didn’t want to join, because they didn’t believe in presumptive regeneration. As ‘Gereformeerde’ sect we also don’t believe in that doctrine.

What is presumptive regeneration? It’s that you can be born again without knowing it. That’s not true, off course, because if God works in your heart it’s a very special moment and you will remember every detail of your conversion. The only person who was already converted in the womb of his mother was John the Baptist. Kuyper also believed that children that were baptized were converted, which isn’t true as well. The group of ‘not-joiners’ of the union of 1892 is called ‘The Christelijke Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland’.