The Reformed Family Forum (RFF) held its annual gathering from 31 August to 3 September 2025 at eMseni Christian Centre in Benoni. More than 20 representatives from Reformed sister churches across Africa came together under the chairmanship of Dr Luka Ariko of the CCAP Harare Synod, with the support of long-time partners such as the Christian Literature Fund (CLF), NetACT, Witness Ministry, TearFund and the GZB (Gereformeerde Zendingsbond).

The RFF was first established in 2015 as a meeting point for general secretaries of the Reformed family of churches that grew out of Dutch Reformed missionary work across Africa. Since the first meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, the forum has become an annual moment of connection, mutual encouragement and accountability. It is a reminder that these churches – spread across countries as diverse as Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Nigeria and South Africa – share a common history, confession and calling.

A focus on youth and discipleship

This year’s theme mainly addressed two pressing realities: the generational disconnect within churches and the economic and political struggles shaping African communities. Rev. Anriëtte de Ridder spoke on Intergenerational Discipleship: Building Bridges, Not Gaps. Her presentation struck a chord with delegates who voiced the challenges they see among young people: drug abuse, poverty, high unemployment, and the impact of social media and false prophets luring them away from the church.

Anriëtte called on churches to build four “bridges”:

1. Safe spaces for stories, struggles and faith to be shared across generations.

2. Mentorship and listening, equipping parents and leaders to walk alongside youth.

3. Shared leadership, giving young people real responsibility and advocacy roles.

4. Faith practices, nurturing prayer, Bible reading, rituals and storytelling at home and in church life.

As one delegate noted, “After graduation, many of our youth have nowhere to be employed. The stress leads to drugs, disillusionment, and walking away from the church. We need to reclaim them through relationship.”

Sustainability and accountability

A second keynote came from Gloria Spelman, former Chief Audit Executive at Parliament of South Africa, who addressed The impact of macro political and economic factors on African communities – the struggle for sustainability. Gloria, who has spent her career holding leaders accountable, urged churches not to see sustainability only in political or economic terms but through a Christian lens.

She drew on the biblical mandate of stewardship and dominion, reminding delegates that Christians make up the majority in most African countries and therefore carry both the responsibility and the authority to influence society for good. Using the metaphor of a “balance sheet of life,” she challenged delegates to see joy as profit, sorrow as loss, knowledge as investment and age as depreciation – while remembering that ultimately God is the auditor before whom every person and institution must give account.

She also highlighted the “triple bottom line” of sustainability – economic, social and environmental responsibility – warning against the temptation to pursue profit at the expense of people and creation. “Our sustainability,” she said, “is about sustaining God’s kingdom. If we fail at that, no political system will save us.”

Mutual encouragement and hope

The forum is not only a place for reflection but also for mutual learning. Delegates spoke honestly about the challenges facing their contexts, from unemployment and migration to corruption and sectarian pressures. Yet, they also testified to the encouragement they found in hearing one another’s stories.

“I have found that we are one church,” one participant said. “We are experiencing many of the same struggles, but we are also helping each other. I go home with new ideas and new courage.”

Another added, “What moved me is the goodwill here. Even when the context is overwhelming, you sense that people truly love God and want to serve His kingdom. We are no longer lamenting as much as before. There is a rediscovery that God is leading His church, and we feel hope again.”

That hope was perhaps the strongest thread of the 2025 gathering. Despite the realities of economic hardship, political instability and generational shifts, delegates expressed confidence that the Reformed family in Africa is finding its path. “In the next five to ten years,” one said, “we may see a revival of the Reformed faith in Africa.”

A family bound in witness

Ten years since its founding, the RFF continues to remind churches that they are not alone. What began as scattered mission fruit has grown into a living network of churches bound by shared confession, common struggle, and renewed hope. The 2025 meeting affirmed that this family, though diverse, is united in its calling to bridge generations, confront corruption, and sustain the kingdom of God.

As delegates left Benoni, they carried with them not only strategies and reflections but also the reassurance that God is indeed carrying His church on eagle’s wings into a future where the witness of the Reformed family may yet shine more brightly across Africa.