apostles.today

Two sets of principles that lead to spiritual growth

Becoming more and more like Jesus—that is the goal of our faith. But how do we measure the degree of our spiritual maturity? By the extent that we keep the commandments and do good works? Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider mentions two completely different standards.

30 06 2015

Apostolate Chief Apostle

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• Congregation
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Sacraments
• Society

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Zanzibar and New Apostolic life in the Indian Ocean

Zanzibar, an island of contrasts: exotic holiday destination on the one side and extreme poverty on the other. For the most part, the religions live together peacefully, but in some parts Christians are experiencing persecution. Following are impressions from the Chief Apostle’s recent visit there.

29 06 2015

Africa

+9

• America
• Asia
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Europe
• Pastoral care
• Youth

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At home around the world

Millions of people live in the major cities of the world. And there are also traces of a vibrant New Apostolic faith to be found. Three examples from three continents show how varied congregational life is …

25 06 2015

America

+6

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Denominations
• Divine service
• Music
• Youth

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From street child to founding father

Many contributed to the development of the Church by preaching or doing soul care, but Apostle John Erb also laid the legal foundations for the New Apostolic Church in the United States. John Erb was born 140 years ago to the day. He had his share of ups and downs in life.

24 06 2015

America

+10

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Grieving
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Pastoral care
• Retirement

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Spotlight 11: Spreading our “Joy in Christ”

Is our 2015 motto just a marketing slogan or is there more to it? This is a question posed by District Apostle Urs Hebeisen (South-East Asia), and he answers it in the same breath …

23 06 2015

Annual motto

+7

• Asia
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Event
• New Year
• Youth

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From itinerant preacher to reformer

He is not as well-known as some other pioneers of the New Apostolic Church. Yet, Apostle Friedrich Wilhelm Menkhoff had great influence on the emerging church. He would have been 120 years old today.

22 06 2015

Chief Apostle Congregation

+4

• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Sacraments

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Holy Communion is celebrated everywhere

They have lost everything: their possessions, their home, and many of their loved ones. More than 50 million people worldwide have been forced from their homes. Tomorrow, 20 June, is World Refugee Day, an occasion for nac.today to take a look at some of the refugee camps in East Africa.

20 06 2015

Africa

+10

• Buildings
• Charity work
• Concept of salvation for the departed
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Pastoral care
• Sacraments

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At home around the world

Retirees, young people, musicians … The New Apostolic congregations are comprised of people of all ages and with various gifts and talents. Following is a quick look around the world.

19 06 2015

Africa

+11

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• Event
• Ministry
• Music
• Retirement
• Youth

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Divine services in “plain language”

The idea was born in the United States, an impulse came from our Church in the Netherlands, and a district in Germany has picked up on the idea. “Divine services in plain language” is a pilot project that is currently being tested by the New Apostolic Church North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.

18 06 2015

Congregation

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• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Pastoral care

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Faith precedes the miracle

Which way leads to God? Miracles and signs? “In fact, things are completely different,” Chief Apostle Schneider said at the recent Day of the Youth in Northern Germany, “Without faith it just won’t work at all.” But that does not mean that we should not use our heads.

16 06 2015

Chief Apostle

+4

• Congregation
• Divine service
• Event
• Youth

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A guiding theme for eye and ear

“Joy in Christ” is the motto that the Chief Apostle published for the New Apostolic Church at the beginning of the year. Since then this motto has not only accompanied the brothers and sisters around the globe orally and in writing, but it has also been illustrated in the meantime. Following is a closer look at the logos designed by the district churches and the ideas behind them.

15 06 2015

Africa

+9

• Annual motto
• Asia
• Australia / Pacific
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• New Year

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Sharing what we experience

At times there is an enormous discrepancy between what is preached from the altar and what we experience. How do we deal with this? Following are some answers the Chief Apostle provided in a recent divine service. He also made it clear why it is so important to do what is right—and not only for ourselves.

13 06 2015

Chief Apostle

+8

• Congregation
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Event
• Holy Communion
• Pastoral care
• Sacraments
• Youth

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The first visit of a Chief Apostle in Africa

Crawling through archives generates the sensation of adventure. But browsing through diaries and hitting on interesting pictures is something that can also be done online these days, for instance in the digital reading room of the central archives of the New Apostolic Church North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. And we hit on something interesting: documents covering the first visit of a Chief Apostle to Africa fifty years ago.

10 06 2015

Africa

+12

• Anniversary
• Chief Apostle
• Children
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• Event
• Holy Communion
• Sacraments
• Youth

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Spotlight 10: The joy in the Lord is our strength

Life is not always full of joy. Sometimes we go through phases of sadness. How we can find new strength is something District Apostle Raúl Eduardo Montes de Oca Daiqui (Brazil and Bolivia) describes in his article on our annual motto.

08 06 2015

Annual motto

+6

• Chief Apostle
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Sacraments

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From Catechism to Comic strip

A spiritual comic strip? And on the basis of the Catechism to boot?! How does that happen? —The New Apostolic youth in Makati in the Philippines simply did it—and in the process of this learning experience, also managed to have a lot of fun. Following are some insights into an experiment...

06 06 2015

Asia

+5

• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Europe
• Youth

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At home around the world

Pentecost is over — but the highlight of the month of May is not to obscure the fact that there have also been other great initiatives unfolding in New Apostolic congregations around the world outside of these festive holy days. In the following we report on some of them:

04 06 2015

Australia / Pacific

+9

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Denominations
• District Apostle
• Europe
• Event
• Pastoral care
• Pentecost
• Youth

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A heavyweight in terms of faith

A man with a clear profile … Not only his imposing appearance, his voice, and his poise contributed to his striking personality, but most of all his heart’s attitude. District Apostle Klaus of Southern Germany would have been 75 years of age today.

03 06 2015

Africa Apostolate

+13

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• Grieving
• Holy Sealing
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Pastoral care
• Profile
• Retirement
• Sacraments

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No luxury apartments and no single rooms

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” The Chief Apostle explained that this does not mean that there is a single room for every believer or even a huge apartment for that matter. How this promise of Jesus is to be understood was explained by Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider in a divine service on Ascension.

02 06 2015

Ascension Day

+5

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Divine service
• Event
• Youth

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The Holy Spirit leads us to God

Pentecost 2015 was a very encouraging divine service … Have confidence and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the way that leads to God. This was the key message of Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider. To conclude our Pentecost coverage we will take another look at the divine service.

01 06 2015

Apostolate

+7

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Pentecost
• Sacraments

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Mishap threatens Pentecost transmission

It nearly happened. For a little bit everyone involved held their breath, because the transmission of the Pentecost service from Lusaka was actually in jeopardy. While the broadcasting trucks were on their way from South Africa to Lusaka in Zambia, an important piece of equipment was damaged.

27 05 2015

Africa

+3

• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Pentecost

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Spotlight 09: God is found in the silence

To experience joy in Christ you sometimes have to make a point of listening carefully. Strength can be derived from the joy we find when we seek God’s proximity in the silence. This is something that District Apostle Rainer Storck from North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany points out in his article on our 2015 motto.

26 05 2015

Annual motto

+6

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• History 
• New Year

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Snapshots from Zambia (4)

Scenes from the Pentecost service. Some 70,000 brothers and sisters witnessed the service in the National Heroes Stadium. The Apostles, 234 in number, sat under awnings. Pictured too are District Apostles at the altar, camera men on the stadium’s green turf, and a young sister with a bouquet of flowers, who welcomed the Chief Apostle as he walked into the stadium.

26 05 2015

Chief Apostle District Apostle

+1

• Divine service

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“Let us trust in the power of the Holy Spirit”

“Pentecost is a feast of joy celebrating the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in the church of Christ.” This was the message that Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider conveyed during the central Pentecost service in Lusaka in Zambia. He called on the faithful to, “Trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

24 05 2015

Africa

+11

• Apostolate
• Asia
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• Holy Communion
• Pentecost
• Sacraments

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A Pentecost concert filled with joy

“This was a typical Zambian concert – filled with joy and filled with the Holy Spirit! What can I say? Great!” It was with these words that Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider expressed his thanks to the many choir members and instrumentalists – and there were several hundred of them!

23 05 2015

Africa

+7

• Asia
• Chief Apostle
• Children
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Music
• Pentecost

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“This is my agenda for Africa”

An Apostle Meeting such as this has never occurred before in the New Apostolic Church. This is not only due to the fact that nearly all the Apostles of Africa have assembled in one place. On this occasion, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider also set some goals for the development of the Church on this continent.

23 05 2015

Africa

+7

• Apostolate
• Bible study
• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Doctrine 
• Pastoral care
• Pentecost

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Snapshots from Zambia (2)

The New Apostolic Church Zambia gave the Chief Apostle a huge welcome when he arrived in Lusaka on Thursday. There was a delegation at the airport, people lining the streets, and a little singer who stole everyone’s heart. Also pictured is the choir and orchestra at its day-long practice in the stadium, getting ready for the Pentecost festivities.

22 05 2015

Chief Apostle

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“A decision with long-term goals in mind”

The New Apostolic Church in Angola is growing. It was time to take another step. Since last Sunday, the country has its own District Apostle Helper: João Uanuque Misselo.

25 02 2015

Chief Apostle District Apostle

+6

• Apostolate
• Doctrine 
• Congregation
• Pastoral care
• Organisation
• Africa

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“The Lord is risen indeed!”

The Passiontide, with the death of the Lord on Good Friday, ends magnificently in the resurrection of the Lord. This is the fundamental belief of all Christians. But why is this day of the resurrection so important for us?

04 04 2015

Good Friday Chief Apostle

+9

• Apostolate
• Doctrine 
• Sacraments
• Baptism 
• Holy Sealing
• Holy Communion
• Divine service
• Congregation
• Denominations

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“And God saw the light, that it was good”

Light is life—and truth—and goodness in general: no other physical phenomenon shines so deeply into the human soul. How a simple image can shed light on the divine—illuminated for us on the international Day of Light this 16th day of May.

16 05 2023

Pentecost

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