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Bringing Reformed Church Leaders Together
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Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa (NHKA) The Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa) has its roots in the arrival of the Dutch United East India Trading Company in Southern Africa in 1652. As the Trading Company was held responsible for the spiritual welfare of its workers, the Company brought ministers from the Reformed Church in the Netherlands to serve in the Cape of Good Hope. During the Napoleonic War, the English naval fleet occupied the Cape of Good Hope in 1795 and again in 1806, thus breaking the bond between the Cape and the Netherlands. This meant that the congregations that were established in the Cape of Good Hope, were part of the Dutch Reformed Church and stood under the supervision of the Synod of Northern Holland and the Classis of Amsterdam. It was only in 1822 that the British governor allowed the Reformed congregations in the Cape to meet in a General Assembly. This first Assembly met in Cape Town and compiled a church order, known as the Reglement voor het gebruik in het Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk in Zuidelike Afrika. It is only since 1822 that an independent and indigenous Reformed Church existed in South Africa. Due to dissatisfaction amongst many Afrikaan-speaking colonists and as a political protest against British rule, an emigration into Africa took place. This emigration became known as the Great Trek. Many of those emigrants established themselves north of the Vaal River, 1,500 km north of Cape Town. Due to lack of communication, transport and dangers, an independent Reformed Church established itself in the Transvaal, and became known as the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika. In the initial period the NHKA was the offical and state church of the then Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek. Today, the NHKA has 309 congregations in Southern Africa. The 143,463 members are served by 302 ministers. Ministers are required to have a masters degree in Divinity, although many proceed to doctoral level. The Church adheres to a presbyterial-synodical system of church government. The General Assembly meets every third year and determines policy for the whole church. The Executive Committee of the General Assembly deals with urgent matters between assemblies. The supreme standard of the Church is the Bible, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. The Church holds as its doctrinal standard the Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dort and the Ecumenical Creeds. The Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ grew out of the mission work of the Church. The MRCC consists of 70 congregations in 19 mission fields served by 72 well-trained ministers. The MRCC requires of its ministers at least an honors degree in Divinity, acquired from the University of Pretoria. The NHKA as a communion of believers, wants to celebrate its faith in Jesus Christ in word, prayer and song, serve people and witness about redemption in Christ. It wants to accomplish this by being: obedient to Scripture, relevant, sincere and enthusiastic in preaching the Gospel, visionary in rendering support in all circumstances and focused on the uniqueness of the church. Website: www.nhk.co.za
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