The Reformed Family Forum Group of 2019 during a visit at the Victor Verster Prison near Paarl where Nelson Mandela was released from prison on 11 February 1990
The Reformed churches presented in this book have quite a remarkable history of church planting, growth, ministry, and contribution towards their contexts. It is a rich and blessed legacy. From mission churches, depending on and regulated by die sending churches, they became independent. Mother and daughters became sisters. Each of these churches developed its own spiritual identity, strong leadership, appropriate church structures and ministries. They made significant contributions on spiritual, medical, educational, and agricultural levels, and in terms of literature and leadership development in their respective contexts. Some of the churches grew exponentially larger, especially after they became independent. They boast large numbers of congregations and members, and vibrant life and ministry. Other churches are struggling, even declining, hardly able to maintain what once existed. Sadly, there are also ample examples of conflict and schism. These examples include the inability to provide a relevant and credible witness, and failure to change themselves or be transformative forces in their own contexts. All these churches face various internal challenges, but they are also challenged by external forces. Most of these churches are called to be relevant churches within extremely difficult and ever-changings circumstances.
As representatives of these churches gather as the Reformed Family Forum, the challenges faced by all of them are discussed in-depth, and a way forward is envisioned. Together they prayerfully listen to the Word of God. Listed below are a few of the challenges that are regularly discussed.
The difficult African contexts
The contexts in which these churches are called to exist, are often very difficult in terms of socio-political, ecological, and religious challenges.
The poverty and unemployment rates are extremely high in the majority of the countries mentioned in this book. The churches themselves are poor, the members are poor, and ministers barely make a living. COVID-19 exacerbated these challenges – for long periods churches were unable to gather, and as a result, their income dwindled even further. Dependence on foreign aid is not the answer. The challenge is to find creative ways of financial sustainability. Most of these churches have had to learn to survive as poor (or relatively poor) churches within poverty-stricken communities. The most pressing and urgent call is to alleviate poverty and to work towards greater equality, sustainable economic growth, and even prosperity for communities.
Many churches are constantly facing the challenges of political instability and governments’ inability and dysfunctionality on a national or local level; large scale corruption; continuously altering migrant and refugee movements; natural disasters like floods or droughts or epidemics as undeniable results of climate change; tribal and religious conflicts and violence, etc. The threat of violence by extremist Islamic groups is very real and it poses the complex question: what should an appropriate response by Christian churches be?
The challenge of effective community development is high on the church’s agenda. What does the church’s calling to the diaconate, or a ministry aimed at the healing of broken communities entail? How can meaningful partnerships (with other churches and organisations) be established and maintained?
There is also a growing call for churches and church leaders to reflect and urgently act in terms of the churches’ public witness and in seeking justice in society. The lack of a responsible public or prophetic theology is the reason why whole communities suffer from so much brokenness and evil. However, most of that population are indeed confessing and active members of churches. It is the responsibility of churches, and particularly their leaders, to not only maintain the churches but to actively participate in God’s mission to the world (missio Dei). The question the RFF often struggles with is: what does it mean for churches to transform towards a missional identity and calling within their respective contexts?
- The Reformed Identity under pressure
For various reasons, the Reformed identity of these churches is under pressure. The question often discussed is: what does it mean to be Reformed in an African context?
Having planted the “mission churches” and assisted them financially and otherwise for about 50 to 60 years (and in a sense kept them dependent through this assistance), the sending churches have naturally infused the receiving churches with their own culture and character, church structures and spiritual identity. This influence had been nurtured for centuries within the European cultural context. The sending churches and their missionaries were unaware of this Western cultural cloak in which they presented the gospel. To them, this was just what being Reformed genuinely meant! There was however also the expressed desire to assist in forming indigenous churches, helping the gospel to take root on African soil. There are many concrete examples of adaptations to the African context: translating the Bible into the local languages, accommodating indigenous music, architecture, and artistic imagery, enabling native leadership, contextualising the preaching, etc., but generally, the “daughters” ended up looking pretty much like the “mother”.
The challenges today are still to maintain the core doctrines of the Reformed tradition, for instance, the focus on the centrality of Scripture; understanding salvation in terms of the Reformed solas (sola gratia, sola fidei, sola scriptura, solus Christus and soli deo Gloria); Christ who, as head of the church, governs it through his Word and Spirit; a presbyterian-synodical form of church order, with congregations as complete churches not to be dominated by other structures; non-hierarchical church leadership; specific doctrines on the sacraments, etc. However, there is still much to be done in shedding the inherited cultural cloaks that are foreign to the African context; the subdued and often cerebral spirituality which is often misinterpreted as typical Reformed (or Dutch); and allowing the Holy Spirit to let the gospel take root in the African context authentically.
Moreover, the Reformed identity has the added burden of competing with Neo-Pentecostalism, independent churches all over Africa, and especially with those churches that advocate and embody the so-called Prosperity Faith – an alternative gospel of health and wealth. This is largely being exported from the USA through televangelists. Big money is at stake. Research has shown that these churches are outgrowing the mainline churches, but they are also heavily influencing members and ministers within, for instance, the Reformed churches themselves. Imitating these charismatic leaders, imaging affluence, and providing – of course in exchange for money! – instant health and wealth by “men and women of God” are undermining the Reformed identity of many of these churches. The challenging questions asked by leaders of the Reformed churches are: what alternative can the Reformed churches offer for people’s legitimate need of improving their lives and being able to enjoy health? How can the churches assist members in experiencing God’s care and a meaningful fellowship of believers? Is there room in the Reformed spirituality for practices such as the ministry of deliverance from evil spirits, healing through prayer and anointment, responsible prophesying, involving the priesthood of believers, accommodating the needs of the youth, earnest and enthusiastic prayer events, making use of electronic media, much more time and energy for responsible teaching, evangelistic outreaches, discipling, etc.?
- Gender justice, human dignity, and ecological integrity
All churches, not only in Africa, are to a lesser or larger extent still struggling with various issues regarding gender or sexuality; forbidden cultural taboos that are flatly denied, and which may not be openly discussed; issues of human dignity; gender and domestic violence; various forms of abuse; accommodating vulnerable and restricted persons; tribalism, etc. Many churches are for instance still very patriarchal in language and practice, even though most church-going members are women. The plight of women in contexts of suffering is not always appreciated, not even in the church. A candid discussion of these issues has begun, but churches could and should be taking more immediate action in this regard.
Many regions in Africa are already severely impacted by climate change; the poorest people suffer the most in dealing with the consequences. Some churches take the responsibility of their calling to environmental justice and ecological integrity seriously, but much more could be done.
- Leadership and theological training
The quest for transformational leadership, characterised by servant-hood and integrity, i.e., the quest for leaders who are following in the footsteps of the Lord, is an urgent matter in all the churches discussed in this book. Too often churches are hampered in their credible witness by leaders’ authoritative leadership styles and their hunger for power and money. This is due to leaders caught in endless conflicts, dysfunctional leadership structures, and who are ill-equipped for their tasks. However, there are also many examples of humble, serving leaders, with a vision for the kingdom of God and a passion to spread the gospel. The issue of leadership is often researched and discussed in many church forums. Ways of mediating conflicts and bringing reconciliation are often examined.
Leadership is closely related to the training of ministers and the preparation of members for their role in church and society. Much work is and has been done in this regard, particularly by NetACT. All the churches whose stories are told in this book are in some or other way involved in the development of training programs and theological training institutes. Several of these theological seminaries or colleges evolved into universities. The training staff and research scholars, as well as the curricula, are mostly homegrown, from inside the churches. The support of expatriate teachers and lecturers is limited. This is an encouraging development. But the remaining challenge is to sustain these institutions financially and to transform theological training (the methods and contents) to better suit the real needs of the churches in Africa. The focus should not only be on academic training but also spiritual formation, sound doctrine and leadership.
- Church unity
The tragic reality is that Reformed churches often experience numerous divisions, schisms, and disunity, within themselves and amongst one another. The different Reformed churches in Africa urgently need each other. They would benefit from closer collaboration and partnerships. They need to share knowledge and resources. They need to join hands to work together and pray together. The Reformed churches are united by a common history and confessional tradition. They share the same calling in often overlapping areas and worship the one and only Triune God. They are empowered by the one Spirit and guided by the same Bible. While facing similar challenges, they often choose to remain apart from one another. They choose not to heed the confession of the catholicity of the church, the unity of the body for which Jesus Christ sacrificed his life and prayed so feverishly. The Reformed Family Forum is but one small example of a venture to closer cooperation – expressing something of what it means to be “family”, sisters and brothers to one another, children of the one household of God. Much more deliberate efforts to promote unity, even official reunification, are needed.
- Consolation and hope
As this remarkable Reformed Family persevere in obedience to the calling of the Lord, despite all the challenges, there remains real hope and consolation in the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ’s accompanying presence: “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”