Neither a ministry nor good performance will save us, but only our Christ-like heart. And for everyone who is active in the Church, that means serving out of love without expecting anything in return, the Chief Apostle says.
Around 1,400 people gathered in Palanca/Luanda, Angola on 2 May 2025 for a divine service for ministers with Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider. He was accompanied by District Apostles Stefan Pöschel, John Schnabel, and Kububa Soko, District Apostle Helper João Misselo, and Apostle Dimitrios Diniz. The sermon was based on Matthew 7: 21: “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
Serving the right food
At the beginning, the Chief Apostle focussed on the core of our spiritual work. “We serve the Lord, not human beings,” he pointed out. “You do not serve the Chief Apostle, nor the District Apostle, nor the Apostles. And that is very comforting.” Decisive is what Christ expects from the ministers: they are to give God’s people the right food at the right time. And this food is nothing other than the gospel.
But not every service we perform fulfils this requirement. It is important that we provide the right food at the right time. “It is not enough to understand and know the teachings of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of the New Apostolic Church. We must also provide this food at the right time.” And for this the ministers need to be close to the congregation, he said. “We need to be close to our brothers and sisters. The important thing is not our preaching, but pastoral care.”
Ministry and works are no guarantee
The Chief Apostle was explicit when he warned against attaching salvation to ministry or achievements. “A Chief Apostle does not automatically go to heaven, even if he did a really great job.” He reminded the congregation of John the Baptist. John had fulfilled his mission perfectly, and yet he had not managed to save himself.
“So, even if we have carried out our mission perfectly, there is no guarantee that we will participate on the day of the Lord. Even Paul taught that good works alone are not enough.” Our inner attitude is decisive: our own faith, our own love, our own hope. “And this is what we must address: am I doing the will of the Lord?”
Examining our hearts
“This is what we must focus on: is my heart’s attitude the right one? Am I really serving in my ministry as Jesus Christ expects it?” To help us identify the right attitude, the Chief Apostle listed several warning signs.
- A false understanding of ministry. “If we see our ministry as an opportunity to be respected, to gain prestige, or to exercise a certain amount of power over people, then something is wrong.” Envy and power struggles are dangers that can also arise within the Church.
- Handling money. “Jesus came into the temple and threw out all the people who were buying and selling there. He clearly said that you cannot serve two masters: Mammon and the Lord.” Those who use their ministry to enrich themselves have failed in their mission.
- Too strong a focus on natural issues. “When ministers are too concerned with earthly matters, I always fear that they want to exercise their power. Our mission is to give the right food at the right time, not to rule.”
- Hypocrisy. “You are like whitewashed graves at the cemetery: beautiful on the outside, but inside they are full of bones, and everything is unclean.” The Chief Apostle emphasised these words of Jesus. Secret misconduct undermines all credibility.
- Judging and the desire to punish. In contrast, the Chief Apostle referred to Jesus’ encounter with the adulteress and with Zacchaeus. “Our work is not to judge and punish, but to love. And if those entrusted to our care feel loved enough, they will change. The Lord can do that!”
Serving out of love
In the end, the Chief Apostle put everything in a nutshell and referred back to the image of serving. “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.” The example Jesus set by washing His disciples’ feet is the standard for all. “If you look closely, He was talking about a ‘slave’. We are to serve like slaves—that is, without receiving anything in return.”
The whole thing is not about achieving prestige or success, but serving out of gratitude and love for Christ “Let us simply do it out of love for God and our neighbour.” Those who serve in such a manner can hope “that they will participate in the marriage supper in heaven”, the Chief Apostle said. “Jesus Himself will serve us.”
Photo: NAK Westdeutschland
