Was it the sermons or the sense of community that drew people to Escondido United Reformed Church? Here we stand before a church with a story rooted in faith and reformation. Escondido United Reformed Church has a history that reflects a deep commitment to Reformed theology.
The church’s journey began on August 26 1953. It represents a local expression of the United Reformed Church. Pastor Stephen Donovan noted a renewed interest in the Reformed faith. People had grown weary of the subjectivity within broader evangelicalism.
In its early years Escondido United Reformed Church tried to plant several churches. Only one of these churches survived. More recently the church has seen more success in planting new congregations. Pastor Donovan mentioned that in the five years before 2005 Escondido United Reformed Church helped start two successful churches. He considered this accomplishment radical for a Reformed church.
The Reformed tradition is often associated with Calvinism. A core tenet of Calvinism is that salvation is based on God’s choice. An individual’s faith is seen as a gift from God. Pastor Phil Vos observed that people’s faces light up when they hear about Reformed faith’s doctrines. They express relief that their salvation depends on Christ’s actions not their own. Pastor Vos contrasted this with other faiths which often have a works-based righteousness. He also noted that movements like Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons also hold works-based beliefs.
Congregant Andy Dejager stated that Arminian thought is not a biblical position. Arminianism stands opposite to Calvinism. Arminians believe people can freely choose or reject God’s offer of salvation. Dejager argued that this implies a person can merit their own salvation through choosing Christ.
Quinton Falkenu another congregant and Westminster Seminary student shared his views. He noted that the Calvinist Council of Dort condemned Arminianism. He expressed concern that many churches are moving toward this position. Falkenu believes this reflects a weaker view of God and a failure to recognize man’s fallen state. Falkenu also stated that the Reformed Presbyterian church has the most accurate interpretation of Scripture. Its doctrines were written during the Reformation after Luther and Calvin broke away from the Catholic Church. These doctrines are expressed in the Belgic Confession the Heidelberg Catechism and the Canons of Dort.
Falkenu emphasized that the doctrine focuses on the original Greek and Hebrew sources of Scripture. He believes these doctrines distinguish them from the Evangelical church. This is because they have a historical set of confessions. They value church history and see themselves connected to past generations. However they do not place tradition above Scripture. He contrasts this with the Catholic church which he says equates its traditions with the Bible.
Pastor Donovan noted that people who join Escondido United Reformed Church often say they wish they had been shown this before. They felt they were not getting enough from the broader evangelical church. He affirmed that they are unabashedly Protestant. They see themselves as protesting against the deformity of the Roman Catholic Church. They aim to restore the Christian church to its apostolic roots.
Guest preacher Dr Derke Bergsma based a sermon on Zechariah 3:1-9. He described Zechariah’s vision of Satan as man’s prosecutor. In the vision Joshua is dressed in filthy clothes symbolizing his iniquity. Satan accuses Joshua of being unworthy of being High Priest. Dr Bergsma explained that the removal of Joshua’s filthy clothes demonstrated total depravity and God’s election of people which are two doctrines of Calvinism.
The Escondido United Reformed Church community extends beyond Sunday services. After the 8:30 a.m. service many of the roughly 250 attendees stay for Sunday school classes. These classes take place throughout the church campus. The campus also includes the Calvin Christian School.
Escondido United Reformed Church stands as a testament to a living faith. It embraces both tradition and a commitment to spreading its message. The church has a senior pastor Philip Vos. The congregation size is 726. The church has two pastors and two secretaries. Sunday school enrollment is 150. The church offers Sunday worship at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.