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The Sacraments (7): In the name of God or the church?

Who is entitled to dispense the sacraments? The various Christian denominations have some very similar answers to that question—even though they all come from very different perspectives in arriving at them. Also common to all of them is the one big exception.

April 16, 2020

Baptism  Denominations

+6

• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Sacraments

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Sing, all you Christians!

Easter is the feast of the resurrection of the Lord. It is the principal feast in the liturgical calendar of Christian churches. Easter is both commemoration and expectation, for Christ resurrected so that we too can resurrect.

April 11, 2020

Chief Apostle

+4

• Congregation
• Divine service
• Easter
• History 

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Grief is sometimes hard to cope with

Passion means suffering—enduring suffering. These days, more than ever, it seems that people have a sense of what it means to suffer. Grief and sorrow and a yearning for better times has taken hold of us. Join us for a look forward.

April 3, 2020

Easter

+3

• Good Friday
• Grieving
• Pastoral care

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How the sacrifice of Christ gives new life

Why did Jesus have to suffer and die? Well, naturally so that human beings could find their way back to God. But that is not the only significant aspect.

April 2, 2020

Baptism 

+5

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Sacraments

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The sacraments (6): What matters is a matter of faith

Seven, three, or two: how many sacraments are there actually? Not even all the Christian denominations are in agreement with themselves when it comes to that question. But there is one point of intersection which all of them do acknowledge—almost all of them, that is.

March 30, 2020

Baptism 

+10

• Denominations
• Doctrine 
• Easter
• History 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Organisation
• Sacraments

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SOS: pastoral care is as varied as the people who need it

The body needs care and so does the soul. The image of the duality of man is shared by all churches. A priest is both a preacher and a shepherd. And both are legitimate. Pastoral care at a glance.

March 24, 2020

Congregation Pastoral care

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Between dream and reality

Sixty years ago there was a man who had a dream. He fought for justice and therefore had to die. His name: Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. His dream was equality between humans. And it’s still a dream.

March 21, 2020

Africa

+3

• America
• Chief Apostle
• Society

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The sacraments (5): Valid first, then effective

Let’s suppose a Priest proves unworthy and loses his ministry: are the baptisms he has performed still valid? The question of the efficacy of the sacraments has different answers.

March 19, 2020

Doctrine 

+3

• Holy Communion
• Ministry
• Sacraments

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Personal hygiene and spiritual health—both are important

A novel type of virus that can cause respiratory disease is spreading and making people everywhere anxious. It has made us take a whole new look at hygiene measures such as washing our hands. However, we must also keep our spiritual health in mind.

March 6, 2020

Africa

+11

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Ministry
• Music
• Organisation
• Pastoral care
• Sacraments

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The sacraments (4): outward signs of an invisible reality

A sacrament without signum and without res? That’s impossible. At least that is what the Catechism of the New Apostolic Church says. Sounds strange? Maybe, but there are good reasons for it. Join us for an excursion into the fifth century.

March 5, 2020

Doctrine 

+2

• Holy Communion
• Sacraments

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Stops on the way through life

The time between birth and death is filled with different experiences. There are many stops along the way through life: coming and going, becoming and passing away, first and last—all of this comprises life.

February 7, 2020

Chief Apostle

+7

• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Grieving
• Pastoral care
• Profile

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The sacraments (2): one blueprint, four cornerstones

Sacraments — what is required for these? Wouldn’t faith be sufficient all on its own? The answer to this comes from Jesus Christ Himself. But how do they actually function, these doors that bring us close to God?

February 4, 2020

Doctrine 

+4

• History 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• Sacraments

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Back to Jesus

“We must be careful to ensure that this does not happen to us,” appealed Chief Apostle Schneider. A sermon about pitfalls that is nevertheless encouraging — and not only for ministers.

January 14, 2020

Chief Apostle

+8

• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• Ministry
• Organisation
• Society

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Interpreting signs — a vote of non-confidence

So the signs of the time are frightening. Which means that the return of Christ must be near, right? The Chief Apostle responds to this notion in a recent article: such attempts at interpretation are doomed to fail. Following is a summary. .

January 7, 2020

Apostolate

+6

• Chief Apostle
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• History 
• Ministry
• Organisation

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Ministry (15): Review and outlook

The year of reform to the ministerial order: that is how the year 2019 will go down in the history books of the New Apostolic Church. But there is something much more fundamental behind this. And the topic is still current. .

December 26, 2019

Apostolate

+8

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• Doctrine 
• History 
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Pentecost
• Society

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Jesus is the reason for the season!

Just give thanks again! Right before the celebration of Christmas is a good time to do so. Why? Because Jesus Christ has come into this world and has become Man. He alone (!) is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

December 24, 2019

Chief Apostle

+6

• Christmas
• Congregation
• Divine service
• Pastoral care
• Social commitment
• Youth

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When choirs travel

Usually they accompany the divine services and define their liturgical framework. Congregational choirs are an important element of New Apostolic identity. Often they perform their task at a high level of quality, and sometimes choirs even embark on journeys.

December 13, 2019

Africa Congregation

+3

• Denominations
• Divine service
• Music

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The 2020 poster series is now on display: “Here I am…”

Professing our faith—many of us look for suitable opportunities to do this in daily life. Some of our brothers and sisters have found an unusual method.

December 10, 2019

Buildings

+9

• Chief Apostle
• Christmas
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Easter
• Europe
• Event
• Thanksgiving Day
• Youth

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Ministry (13): Authority—with limits

Designated and ordained: the ordained minister is authorised to act and speak in the name of God. Nevertheless, these powers are anything but limitless.

December 2, 2019

Acts of blessing

+11

• Apostolate
• Baptism 
• Confirmation
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Pastoral care
• Sacraments

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Working together to make the gospel heard

The collaboration of the New Apostolic Church with other Christian denominations in Europe is expanding. The process begins with personal contacts, but keeps on progressing, even after reaching the point of membership in regional boards.

November 26, 2019

Chief Apostle

+6

• Congregation
• Denominations
• Europe
• Local news
• Society
• Youth

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Ministry (12): Called and ordained

A person is chosen for a ministry by God, and ordination through a human being is the way he receives it—what exactly this is and how it differs from appointments and assignments is described here.

November 19, 2019

Chief Apostle

+8

• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Doctrine 
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Pentecost
• Sacraments
• Youth

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“Back to Jesus—don’t allow any distance to come up”

The fall session of the International District Apostle Meeting ended with a divine service for the ministers of Europe. The focus of the Chief Apostle’s sermon was our nearness to Jesus Christ.

November 18, 2019

Chief Apostle Congregation

+7

• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• Ministry
• Organisation
• Social commitment

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How to get Sunday School to the children

The new Sunday School teaching material is ready and is to be introduced everywhere. But in Africa this is not quite as simple as it may sound. This is what the District Apostle Meeting Africa is currently talking about.

November 15, 2019

Acts of blessing

+10

• Africa
• Chief Apostle
• Children
• Confirmation
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Doctrine 
• Europe
• Organisation
• Pentecost

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“Everyone is to know: we will not tolerate this!”

The New Apostolic Church strongly condemns violence and sexual assault. A clear signal is now coming from South Africa. Yesterday the District Apostle Meeting Africa dealt with this issue.

November 14, 2019

Africa

+7

• Chief Apostle
• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Organisation
• Pastoral care
• Society
• Youth

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Ministry (11): Perceiving whom God has destined for a ministry

Decisive is the will of God, but first of all humans have to perceive His will. Here are some answers to the question of how the ministry comes to its bearer.

November 7, 2019

Chief Apostle

+5

• Congregation
• Doctrine 
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Pastoral care

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Ministry (10): What advantages does the reform entail anyway?

It is far more than an exercise in theological principles or structural management: the reform in our concept of ministry has some very concrete benefits—for Church leadership, for the ministers, and for every individual member of the congregation.

October 24, 2019

Chief Apostle

+8

• Congregation
• District Apostle
• Divine service
• Doctrine 
• Investiture
• Ministry
• Organisation
• Sacraments

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don't miss

Unity in diversity. The Church in conflict?

When cultures clash. Do Africans have to become more European or Europeans more African? Do those who are more conservative have to become more progressive? Or the other way around? The answer can be found in the Bible.

January 31, 2024

Chief Apostle District Apostle

+10

• Doctrine 
• Divine service
• Congregation
• Pastoral care
• Organisation
• Europe
• America
• Africa
• Australia / Pacific
• Society

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When decision-makers should abstain

What if a conflict of interest arises for a member of the Church’s governing body? The Board of Directors of the New Apostolic Church International (NACI) broached this controversial question recently and set down guidelines.

January 24, 2025

Organisation

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NACI is working on an e-learning program

The New Apostolic Church would like to offer its ministers better training opportunities—and on a global level, at that. It is for this reason that the New Apostolic Church International (NACI) is working on an e-learning program. Following are some initial insights. 

December 19, 2024

Ministry Divine service

+2

• Pastoral care
• Media

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