The World Fellowship of Reformed Churches (WFRC) was created in 1994, under the leadership of the Presbyterian Church in America, the Presbyterian Church of Brazil and the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico. They were joined by other churches from Latin America, India, East Africa and the United States of America.

Also in the early nineteen nineties, churches in Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of Asia came together to form the International Reformed Fellowship (IRF).

On October 24, 2000, leaders from the WFRC and the IRF gathered in Orlando (Florida, USA) to form the first truly reformed, evangelical, worldwide fellowship, naming it the World Reformed Fellowship (WRF) and establishing its governing structure and Bylaws.

The World Reformed Fellowship was thus formed to encourage understanding and cooperation among evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed denominations and institutions, and to link those institutions having ministry resources with those possessing vision but few resources. The fellowship would promote Reformed thinking, a Reformed world and life view, foster evangelism and strategies on missions, church planting and theological education, and promote international communication for the further advancement of the Gospel.

The founders understood that the people of God, with diversified cultural and ethnic backgrounds, are one in Christ. Through the years, God has enabled WRF to express the unity of the church through cooperative agreements based upon the same Biblical, evangelical, and missionary vision. Thus, believing that these are but expressions of a well-thought-out Reformed perspective, we continue to invite other Reformed churches, agencies, institutions, and individuals to join with us under the banner of a new international, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic Reformed fellowship of believers. The desire of The World Reformed Fellowship continues to be to see the Gospel spread throughout the world, applying the distinctives of a Reformed world and life view.

Members of this fellowship are not obligated to formally be responsible for one another's specific positions or actions, but in the atmosphere of free association, may lovingly influence and encourage each other toward greater consistency in Biblical faith and witness. WRF provides a context in which member organizations may become acquainted with each other, and where their leaders may develop friendships and trusting relationships leading to closer, mutually beneficial cooperation.

In many ways WRF fulfills the dream cherished by John Calvin in the 1500s, the Westminster divines in the 1600s, and George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards in the 1700s, of a truly worldwide union of the Reformed branch of the Church.

Unlike other international bodies which have sought to unite Reformed Christians, WRF emphasizes that it is a fellowship, not a council. Councils tend to require tight agreement doctrinally or in polity, or focus on mutual declarations of an academic nature. WRF is designed to surmount difficulties caused by geographic, cultural, or linguistic barriers and to offer a gathering point where Reformed leaders can grow to know one another and then work out mutually beneficial cooperative agreements. WRF provides one level of fellowship for denominations and another for agencies, institutions, lay persons and leaders.

Nearing its twentieth anniversary, the WRF has a growing membership of over 73 denominational members (in 30 countries), 54 congregational members (in 26 countries), 114 organizational members (in 30 countries), and 374 individual members (in 53 countries).  Considering all four categories, WRF has a footprint that covers at least 61 nations.

With a board of thirty-two members representing thirteen nations, The World Reformed Fellowship continues its mission and also focuses on the contemporary needs of the international Reformed community such as the plight of persecuted Christians and religious freedom in general, societal changes, incorporation of theological education, missions, publications, and the expansion of evangelical fellowship into all parts of the world.