Reformed distinctives

Like any church, Reformed Church Southern Suburbs (RCSS) has a statement concerning the system of truth we believe the Bible teaches. We believe that a faithful summation of what is taught in Scripture can be found in the Ecumenical Creeds of the early church and the Three Forms of Unity from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Our vision for RCSS is for an English-medium Reformed ministry that attracts unchurched and under-churched people from diverse ethnic, racial and generational backgrounds. In keeping with the best of the Reformed tradition, we strive to be a church that functions in accordance with God’s Word. This means being a church where:

  • Christ, his Gospel and his church are front and centre in the Christian life;
  • God serves us through the preaching of his Word and the administration of the sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper);
  • Our response in worship is governed by Scripture and is one of reverence and awe;
  • Sinners are saved and Christians are built up in their faith, so that we might in turn love each other and our neighbour;
  • Family worship is prized and the Christian faith is actively handed down to the next generation; and
  • Home visitation and active pastoral care are integral to the life of the church.

Would you like to know more about such a church? We would love to answer your questions and help you to learn more from God’s Word. Click here to read more about the distinctives of the Reformed tradition.

Some history

From April 2012, Simon Jooste ran a Bible study from his home with the aim of generating interest in a potential English-speaking Reformed church plant in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. This initiative was under the supervision of the Bellville Reformed Church, which is a member of the Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (Reformed Churches in South Africa).

In January 2013, we held our first worship service, which starts at 9.30am each Sunday and meets at the 2nd Rondebosch Scout Hall in Lea Road. We added an evening service in February 2014. For various reasons, the second service has been moved to 11am.

In October 2019, RCSS became a self-standing congregation in the Reformed Churches in South Africa.

In March 2023, RCSS left the RCSA and became provisionally accepted as a congregation of the United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA), Classis South-West, pending ratification at Synod 2024.


A brief bio of Rev. Simon Jooste

Simon is a native of Cape Town. He has been married to Deana for more than 10 years and has two boys, Andrew and Adam. Simon lived in the United States for 15 years after receiving a full tennis scholarship to study and compete at the University of Nevada, Reno. He returned to South Africa with his family in August 2010. While living overseas, Simon received his theological education from Westminster Seminary, CA, and practised for a number of years as the equivalent of a chartered accountant. Simon has a PhD in historical theology (his thesis can be read here) from Stellenbosch University. He enjoys spending time with his family, relishes the outdoors and keeps his creative juices flowing with art.

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