ICRC 2026 – Press Release Day 1 (Oct 15)
The eleventh International Conference of Reformed Churches (ICRC) officially opened on Thursday, 15 October 2026 by Rev. Dr. Douw Breed. In his opening sermon from 1 Peter 2:4–10, he reflected on the identity of the church as God’s people, made alive in Christ and built together as a spiritual house. The conference is graciously hosted by the Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea (KPCK), whose representatives welcomed the delegates.
Following the roll call and the appointment of the conference executive, Rev. Dr. Aaron Bae of the KPCK assumed the chair. The conference received greetings from Rev. Jinsu Shin, General Moderator of the KPCK, who emphasised the unity of believers in Christ and their shared calling to proclaim the Lord’s truth to all nations. A video message from the Mayor of Incheon was also received.
Delegates appointed the advisory committees responsible for reviewing reports and submissions and bringing relevant matters to the attention of the plenary. Panel moderators and members were also appointed for the conference’s paper presentations.
The member church reports provided an opportunity to share developments, challenges and prayer requests from across the Reformed church world. The first five reports were presented by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA), Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA), Free Reformed Churches of North America (FRCNA) and Heritage Reformed Congregations (HRC). Matters raised included the need for men to serve in gospel ministry, church planting and mission, theological education, Christian education, human sexuality, bioethical concerns, ethnic prejudice and the training of future church leaders. The reports also provided opportunities for mutual encouragement, discussion and prayer.
The conference considered the application of the Hersteld Hervormde Kerk (HHK) in the Netherlands for membership of the ICRC. Following a presentation of its history and motivation for applying, and a report from the advisory committee recommending admission, the application was put to a roll-call vote and approved unanimously. Representatives of three observer churches also introduced their respective denominations: the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the Free Reformed Churches of Australia (FRCA), and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Taiwan (RPCT). These introductions furthered the conference’s purpose of fostering fellowship among Reformed churches internationally.
The day concluded with the first academic presentation, delivered by Prof. Sungho Lee of Korea Theological Seminary. His paper, “The Reception and Development of Reformed Theology in Korea with Special Reference to the Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea,” explored the development of Reformed theology in Korea. A panel discussion and questions from the floor considered theological education, mission, cooperation among churches, and the preservation of Reformed identity for future generations.