What is Reformed Congregationalism? This half-Reformed Church and half-independent like the Baptists? Or it’s Old School Baptist doctrine and attempt to embed them in a fundamentally different structure of Calvinism? Currently in the West, there are strict Baptists, gravitating toward orthodox Calvinism, and sometimes even going over to paedobaptist position, and independent local churches, supporting the traditional Calvinism, but do not identify themselves as neither Reformed nor Presbyterians.Typically, such groups do not support Three forms of unity, and the Westminster Confession or the Baptist Confession of 1689. Historically, they both belong to the orthodox Calvinism. Specifically, we, the Russian and Ukrainian believers who are not ashamed nor that we baptize children, nor that we believe in the historical covenant heritage. We are Reformed, as Calvin, Bullinger, and Kuyper, but we Congregationalists in the style of Owen and John Cotton. One historian believes such a stance "clerical Congregationalism" (Shurden W.B. Not an Easy Journey. Mahwah, 2005. P.70)
The problem is that there are many people who call themselves Reformed or Congregationalists, but in fact are neither those nor the other. These denominations and schools of Calvinism eroded biblical beliefs, and in the case of the Reformed Church, for example, in France, this process started already in the XVII century with the spread of school Amiraud and so-called 4 points Calvinism. Somewhat slower, but also has undergone a distortion of Congregationalism, and today many churches in the United States have this name, but do not have anything to do with historical New England spirituality.
In recent years, God in His mercy has been pleased to raise some, particularly the Slavic countries and the Middle East, the movement for biblical revival and radical reforms. Nevertheless, not many people realize how modern Calvinism may be far from traditional. The names of the great reformers - Luther and Zwingli, Calvin and Knox - at every turn predispose people who do not believe in what they believed. Theology of the high Calvinists and the Puritans is not considered a treasure of biblical truths they are replaced by dubious works of contemporary authors. As a consequence - where people do not find a serious and radical denunciation of sin and the practice of the holy life, they are disappointed in the historic Christian faith and adopt the doctrine and mystical practices that are far from biblical.
So what we believe and what to achieve? Many people nowadays are not able to set priorities in the affairs of the Church, taking over the main secondary. Meanwhile, the most important - is to determine what you believe and because we trust in the salvation from death and hell and gain eternal glory.
What it means to be Reformed Congregationalists? It simply means to accept and to practice some things that exist in the Church for centuries and identical to the New Testament Christianity.
We believe in sovereign grace, that is, believe that God is sovereign over our salvation (1 Cor.1.26-31, Eph.1.3-11, Rom.8.28-32), as well as over all the affairs of people and all creatures (Dan. 4.34). In our salvation involved the whole Trinity. "Three Persons of the Trinity grant us the perfect image of himself in everything. Father gave himself to us, heaven and earth and all creation, in order that he determined to serve and to favor us. This gift was darkened and made our useless through Adam's fall. Son perfectly gave us Himself in His deeds, suffering, wisdom and righteousness, and reconciled us with the Father, restoring the wisdom and righteousness, so we can know the Father, and to have his gifts. But because this grace alone itself is deeply hidden from us, comes the Holy Spirit and to us is fully and completely, have taught us that Christ, opening it and save us in Him" (Martin Luther)
We believe that salvation is solely by grace through faith (Eph.2.8-10), it is only in the all-powerful Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Tim.6.15), and without any real input from the sinner. “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
(2 Corinthians 5:19). This was what he resolved upon from all eternity, that inasmuch as Christ was become the surety and substitute of his people, he would not impute their sins to them, or look for satisfaction for them from them; but would reckon and place them to the account of their surety, and expect satisfaction from him; and accordingly he did, and accordingly he had it. And this will, not to impute sin to his people, or not to punish for it, which existed in God from everlasting, is no other than a justification of them; for to whom the Lord does not impute sin, he imputes righteousness, and such are properly justified” (John Gill). The only hope for man - that God will retrieve it with his grace from the fallen state and will lead to the end of the path of salvation.
We believe that God gives not only a goal but a means of salvation. Man is saved only when God grants him the desire and ability to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ who suffered for His Church, instead of sinners (Phil.1.6, 2 Tim.2.24-25).
We believe in the fundamental value of the local church in the Christian life in a community that has internal completeness and independence (Mt.18.15-20, 1 Tim.3.15, Heb.13.17). Churches can form associations, but the subordination of any community to a higher center is possible only on a voluntary basis.
Can’t be a Christian and believe that it is enough to belong to the invisible Church. Christian should join the real local community and live in it - otherwise people will not stand in faith to the end and, therefore, it is alien to Christ. Church - the home of the Living God (1 Tim.3.15), It’s a spiritual family which cares for the spiritual welfare of all its members (1 Thes.5.12-14, Phil.2.1-5). Entering into it, the Christian enters into a covenant with God and with members of His body on earth. This means all humility and responsibility required of a Christian (Eph.4.1-3). Christian commitments to the community can’t easily be taken lightly or left. We are also convinced that although the Church as possible should consist of a regenerated people, Scripture says nothing about what it can be guaranteed. The idea that Christian ministry is able to fully exclude the presence of unsaved people in the community - is a mistake that led to worldly pride and legalism.
We believe that the Word of God with integrity and has full authority in the Church and in all spheres of life. Contrary to the opinion of people ripping Law and the Gospel, but the whole Bible has authority. It also eliminates the pragmatism ("we know that it works!"), pious tradition ("we and our fathers did it!") and the duality of secularization (in the church we are one in the world of another) as the rules of life. God condemns such worship (Kol.2.23). His Word is holy, alive and active. For a Christian is not just truth in his heart. It stores, protects and distributes convictions, for which there were his spiritual ancestors - while being convinced that the adoption of these beliefs by others depends only on God, from the work of the Holy Spirit, and not relying on their distribution of human resources. We also believe that even though every Christian is called to study the Bible and church teachings in the best of my ability, this does not imply an unlimited right to interpretation and teaching. This service is assigned by God to the people who have recognized the community knowledge, and requires a special responsibility.