Explaining the changes in our definition of ministry: the Chief Apostle has declared this a top priority. Anyone who cannot watch his video message will be able to find it online with time delay.
The official website of the New Apostolic Church International (nak.org) describes the upcoming changes as “a significant change in our tradition”. However, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider is “absolutely convinced that the reform will have beneficial effects on the Church”.
Via satellite and on the Internet
Just how important this is for him is made doubly clear: for one thing, he wants to introduce these changes to the members himself. And secondly, he will be doing it in all the languages that he is proficient in, namely French, German, and English.
That is also the reason why his address will not be broadcast live, but as a video recording. The recordings took about two days. They were done at the end of March following a divine service in Dessau (Germany).
The video message is to be broadcast in all District Apostle Areas starting mid April. The New Apostolic Church Southern Africa as well as numerous European District Churches will begin and broadcast the video message this coming Tuesday, 9 April 2019 at 8 p.m.
Following this, the video will be uploaded on nak.org and nac.today.
The work on it began in 2014
The Catechism, published in 2012, dedicates a whole chapter to the spiritual ministry. However, its explanations are not conclusive. “This is because there are follow-up questions when it comes to ministry,” Chief Apostle Wilhelm Leber already noted in 2013.
Since the early part of 2014, the Questions of Faith Work Group, has been busy compiling the theological fundamentals right down to the historical background. The District Apostle Meeting International has been deliberating and making decisions on this subject regularly since March 2015.
The year 2017 marked a preliminary highlight: the first resolutions became official with the publication of two special editions of the Divine Service Guide and an official statement by Chief Apostle Schneider after a divine service for ministers that was broadcast throughout Europe.
The upcoming video transmission will mark an additional and important milestone. The Chief Apostle will also use the opportunity to look ahead at the next steps to be taken.
Photo: Oliver Rütten