The FRCSA are Reformed churches. This means that we desire in all respects to live according to the Holy Scripture, and accept it as the reliable and authoritative Word of God. We strive to cherish Christian teaching and lifestyle, and therefore accept the summary of the Holy Scripture as set out in the confessions of the early Christian Church:
Furthermore, the FRCSA accepts the Reformed standards dating from the 16th century. During that time the Reformed churches in Europe returned to the Word of God and its teaching, as summarised in the following documents:
When they publicly confess their faith, members declare that they accept the teaching of the Holy Scripture as it is taught in the Christian church, and they promise to adhere to this teaching for the rest of their lives.
All office-bearers in the FRCSA are required to declare their acceptance of the confessions by signing a subscription form. By this they promise to teach only what is in accordance with the Reformed foundation of the churches. They also promise that, should they develop a view that deviates from this, they will not promote it but will first submit it to the church council for evaluation. Breaking this promise will lead to church discipline.
Church order
The FRCSA arrange their cooperation according to the church order originally adopted by the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands at the National Synod of Dordrecht in 1618/1619.
This church order is founded on the principle that the local church is not merely a branch of the national church, but that it is self-governing with no authority above it other than the King of the church, Jesus Christ. At the same time, this bond with Christ also binds the various churches together, obliging them to maintain a bond with one another. This federation is founded on the unity of the same faith. Congregations bound together in a federation encourage and protect one another so that the bond with Christ and his Holy Word is not threatened. The mutual agreements of the federation are laid down in the Church Order.
Liturgy
The liturgy used in the worship services of the FRCSA is in the tradition of the Calvinist Reformation.
The churches make use of Afrikaans Psalms as compiled by Totius, as well as 50 Scripture versifications found in the same book. This book of praise also contains the liturgical forms (e.g. for the administration of baptism, the celebration of the Holy Supper, the solemnisation of marriages, etc.). Other hymns, in English and Sotho, can also be heard in the federation.
Worship services
To worship means to ascribe worth or solemn respect to someone or something. True worship, however, is also a matter of the heart – it must be felt. It cannot be ritualistic or mere habit. True worship is a sincere expression of love, reverence, admiration, fascination, wonder and celebration. Worship is central to our life together – it is the heartbeat of the church. It is more than just the preaching – it is the visible family of God, the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, coming together in unity to meet with God. In worship we look upward and see the glory, holiness and love of God. We look inward and see our own brokenness and need for God, and this leads to an outward response when we bring the kingdom of God to the world.
The worship of God must be founded on specific instructions in Scripture. In the FRCSA we do only what is commanded in Scripture, namely: reading (1 Timothy 4:13); preaching (2 Timothy 4:2); singing (Ephesians 5:19); prayer (Matthew 21:13); baptism (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39), and the Holy Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Our worship services are a covenant conversation between God and his people. God speaks and his people respond through song and prayer.
Holy Supper
The Lord’s Supper is a meal instituted by our Lord (Luke 22:18-20). It is his table, not our table. He invites all who believe in him to sit at the table and eat. Because it is a covenant meal in communion with Jesus, we require that all who partake of the Supper who come from another church bring an attestation, or that someone in the church can testify that they indeed believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The elders bear the responsibility of keeping the table pure.
Baptism
Baptism is required for membership of the church of Jesus Christ. It is the symbol of the death of the old sinful self and the beginning of a new life in Christ. God is the God of the covenant established with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He works through families – thus he remains faithful to his covenant promises, which also apply to the children of all believers. For this reason, children of believing parents ought to be baptised.
For details about service times, see the Congregations page.
Spiritual leadership
Elders: We believe God gave elders to his church to lead and care for his flock, and to train gifted people for the ministry. To facilitate this, the congregation is divided into wards, or mini-families (1 Peter 5:1-4).
Deacons: We believe God appointed deacons to ensure that needs are met (financial, emotional, spiritual or physical). They encourage members to use and develop their gifts in the service of our King and for the benefit of our neighbour. The deacons are the hands and feet of the elders’ teaching (Acts 6:1-7).
Wards/Home visits: The elders and deacons are appointed to lead the members in the ward assigned to them. The ward elder will visit you at least once a year to encourage you on your faith journey. The deacon will visit you at least once every two years to determine whether there are any needs and to encourage you to use your gifts for the benefit of Christ. In this we follow the example of the early church (Acts 20:20). The purpose of wards is to build mutual fellowship and to provide the opportunity to help one another specifically.
Discipline: We believe the Bible clearly teaches us that the Church of Christ is holy, and it is the elder’s responsibility to keep the congregation pure. If wilful sin occurs and the person is unwilling to repent, the elders of the church have the serious responsibility to place the member outside the congregation until the person repents and turns to Christ for forgiveness (Matthew 16:19 and 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5).