In 1855 two German missionaries arrived in northwestern Irian. This was the Gossner Mission. In 1962 the Utrechtische Zendingsvereeining of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands took over the work. Dutch missionaries assisted by teachers and preachers from other islands.
The work progressed slowly. In 1907 a great revival started, and there were thpusands of converts. The mission spread to the whole island. The period between 1907 and 1942 was gradual development. During the Japanese invasion no General Assembly was held. In 1950 the first Irianese were ordained. In 1956 the first Synod was held and seven years later the Dutch missionaries left the island.
The denomination is the single largest church in Irian where about 30% of the population belong to it.
Its motto is from the Epistle to the Ephesians 5:8 "For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light" (NRSV). In the areas of human rights and politics in Papua the Evangelical Christian Church in West Papua plays a significant role. It has a presbyterian-synodal model of church government, the synod is the highest governing body.
The church had 650,000 members and 1869 parishes. The church belong to the World Communion of Reformed Churches