Outrageous! How could Jesus socialise with corrupt tax collectors! The Pharisees were far from charmed. Today is International Customs Day. To mark the day, we will look at three officials who changed and made amends for their sins, or even went as far as to follow Jesus.

What do a widow seeking justice and a mountaineer have in common? Both need determination to reach their goal. Christians too need to be persistent in order to prepare adequately for the return of Christ.

The valley is extremely dry and hot, the houses there are cheaply built. Then the torrential rains cause a flash flood that picks up speed as it tears through the valley … The chosen ground decides over death and life. This is what Jesus declared 2,000 years ago.

He was a doubter, a man who seemed to fail because he did not endure to the end. At times history depicts him as an antihero—and yet there were so many things he did manage to get right.

It sounds menacing: those who don’t bear any fruit will be cut down. However, the parable of the barren fig tree is not a threatening message, but a message of joy. Anyone who digs deep enough will discover how the Bible interprets itself.

Impudent, brazen, pushy: a few key words to describe the protagonists in the parables of Jesus on the subject of “prayer”. And these adjectives are not necessarily inconsistent with humbleness and the fear of God! A friend, a father, and a judge bear witness.

Anyone who has grown up with Bible stories will likely still remember very specific images. These may have been beautiful pictures from a lovingly illustrated children’s Bible, or perhaps some especially unsettling pictures that you wanted to look at again and again in fascination as a child. This clearly shows us that telling the stories is not the only important thing.

For four young men from Bavaria in Germany the past weekend was not exactly relaxing. And the coming weekend will not be any different either. But they are not the only ones who are making a huge effort to create some semblance of a congregational life after the coronavirus crisis upended it.

Is man like God or similar to God? What does it mean when we read that man was created in the image of God? Easy questions—difficult answers.

Unruly and unwilling to integrate—that is how the young man presents himself—and almost ruins his chances with all the important people. And then he even misses out on an opportunity to show himself in a good light. A story with quite a few surprises.

What God wants is impossible to achieve. Nobody can do it. No wonder the people of Israel failed at Mount Sinai. And yet, there is definitely a way of getting around the golden calf.

A lively and active Church always produces surprising news. This week we look at an architectural prize, an additional Bible reading, and a full-time position for a youth worker.

Whether our concept of ministry, biblical knowledge, interesting people, humanitarian activities, or divine services of the Chief Apostle, community has it all, plus impressions from around the world.

Cancelled services because of heavy snowfall, Sunday School with recorder and trombone ensembles, and an annual programme of learning and praying. These are some of the different ways New Apostolic congregations across the world launched into the new year.

On 6 January Christianity celebrates Epiphany to commemorate the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. The Greek word epipháneia was used to designate the arrival of the Roman emperor, and rendered as adventus in Latin.

Reading the Bible is essential for Christians. In future, people who attend New Apostolic services will experience even more of this. At the recent session of the District Apostle Meeting International, the District Apostles adopted three changes.

They lived in a foreign land and stubbornly refused any form of integration. Today they are acclaimed for this. With their stubbornness they have written a chapter of world history. This is the background to a recent midweek service based on a Bible study theme.

It is all about love and nakedness, but it has nothing to do with sex. After all, when the outer layers come off in biblical language, it is not the body, but the soul, that comes into view. All of this revolves around the question: should we cover up or expose others?