Church membership

And all who believed were together and had all things in common… And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:44, 46-47

We believe that all Christians are duty bound to join themselves to the true church (Belgic Confession Article 28). Church membership is about belonging to the people of God. The church is the place where Christ meets us in his Word and sacraments, and it is also the people to whom we belong now that we are Christians. The New Testament has no category for “lone ranger” Christians who are not members of a local church. As Christians, we are not free to be autonomous and anonymous. We need real accountability to elders and other believers. Church membership provides us with that blessing. Find out more about the necessity of church membership by reading this document:

What is church membership and why is it necessary?pdf

You are more than welcome to join our worship services as a visitor, but if you would like to become a member in our church, please take the first step and contact one of our elders. Normally, we expect applicants to have a thorough grasp of the Christian faith as it is articulated in the Three Forms of Unity so that they are able to answer yes to the following questions:

  1. Do you believe in the one and only true God who has revealed himself to us in his Word to be Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
  2. Do you believe and confess that even though you were received and born in sin and remain prone to all wickedness, nevertheless you have been justified in Christ, adopted by the Father as his child, and raised to a new obedience by the Holy Spirit?
  3. Do you believe and confess that the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, that they contain all we need to know for our salvation, and that this teaching is truly and faithfully articulated in the Reformed confessions and taught in this church?
  4. Is it your intention, by the grace of God, to steadfastly persevere in this doctrine all the days of your life: to maintain the covenant community with God, to love God and obey his Word, to forsake the world and put to death your old nature, to hate your sin and humble yourself before God, and to seek your life not in yourself but only in Jesus Christ your Saviour, thereby confirming your confession with a godly life?
  5. Should you be welcomed into full membership in the Reformed Church Tshwane, do you promise to be a living member of God’s church: to diligently seek and make use of the ministry of the Word and sacraments, to use your gifts willingly and with joy for the benefit and well-being of other members and for the expansion of the kingdom of God, and to submit to Christian admonition and discipline, should you stray in doctrine or in life?