For the individual and the Global Church – the divine services in 2023
Whether in Helsinki, Nairobi, New York, or Bad Sassendorf, the Chief Apostle served New Apostolic Christians all over the world in 2023. While every believer could feel personally addressed in these divine services, the sermons also contained impulses for the Global Church.
Here is a brief overview of all the continents.
The miraculous feeding in Wuppertal
In 2023, the Chief Apostle’s calendar contained exactly the same number of Sundays as anyone else’s, 53 to be precise. While human possibilities are limited, Jesus permanently provides His people with the food they need. The Chief Apostle made it clear to the congregation in Wuppertal, Germany, what Jesus also wants to demonstrate today: “I know what you need and will help you.”
Palm Sunday in Athens
In his sermon on Palm Sunday in the congregation in Athens, Greece, Chief Apostle Schneider focussed on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and explained what this well-known story means for Christians today. The fact that Christ reigns over human beings first of all refers to our inward being. And for this our soul must be cleansed and sanctified.
God gives more than He demands of us
The well-known image of the rich young ruler was the theme of a divine service in Jakarta, Indonesia. In this divine service for ministers, Chief Apostle Schneider pointed out what all Christians must renounce and learn to do without. Especially the ministers should be aware of the need to give up things.
“Spirit-renewed” at Pentecost
The final anthem summed up the Pentecost service. During the service, the Chief Apostle called on New Apostolic Christians worldwide to trust in the gift of the Holy Spirit, for He is not a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Even though around 4,000 people gathered in our impressive church in Tafelsig in Cape Town, South Africa, this was only a fraction of the congregation. More than two million believers worldwide followed the broadcast of this divine service.
A small crowd
There may not have been millions, but the 26,000 believers who gathered in Kananga in the Democratic Republic Congo for a divine service by the Chief Apostle in July were by no means a small flock. Nevertheless, Chief Apostle Schneider used this image to illustrate why it is good to remain within the “little flock” described by Luke.
The first ones are not better
The divine service in Adelaide, Australia, focussed on the image of the firstfruits. The Chief Apostle made it clear that this is not a question of exclusiveness. Rather, the purpose of this election is to serve God and our fellow human beings.
Christ the door
In August, the Chief Apostle ministered to the brothers and sisters in Tama, Japan. Jesus Christ is the door to salvation: “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Chief Apostle Schneider explained what this door means for us as Christians and which other doors open up for us as a result.
New District Apostle for the New Apostolic Church USA
The Chief Apostle conducted a special service in Buffalo, New York, in which District Apostle Leonard Kolb retired after fifty years as a minister and in which John Schnabel was assigned as his successor. In his sermon, the Chief Apostle emphasised God’s desire to redeem all human beings, even those who reject God and have distanced themselves from Him.
Divine power enables growth
Chief Apostle Schneider conducted a divine service for the members in Montecarlo, Argentina, in October. The last visit of a Chief Apostle to this isolated region in the north-eastern part of Argentina was forty-five years ago. The image used by Jesus of the mustard seed, which can develop great power and grow big despite its small size, shows that God can also work through the supposedly weak. The Chief Apostle said that we can all be a source of blessing for others, regardless of our gifts, shortcomings, and our personal past.
God does great things for us
The brothers and sisters in Bangladesh and India also received a visit from the Chief Apostle this year. In his sermon for the congregation in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the Chief Apostle outlined what a great victory Christ achieved for humankind and what God is doing for the salvation of the individual to this day. Chief Apostle Schneider invited the believers to help ensure that God’s will is done in the Church and not their own will.
