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Typhoon Odette: charities join forces

“We have realised that there is no end in sight to this calamity.” This is how the charity of the New Apostolic Church in the Philippines describes the situation after Typhoon Odette devastated parts of the country. Among the many NGOs that have responded are also four New Apostolic charities. Photo: NAC SEA Relief Photo: […]

February 17, 2022
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The sacraments (50): Baptism in two parts

When asked how a Christian receives the Holy Spirit, the New Apostolic Church’s answer to the question is: through Holy Sealing. Our sacramental understanding and its points of reference in the Bible and in church history are detailed below. The New Apostolic sacraments have their source in the life and activity of Jesus Christ. This […]

February 15, 2022
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Changes among the Apostles (2/2021)

Did you know that District Apostles are also authorised to ordain Apostles? This has always been the case, but in the year 2021 many District Apostles had to actually make use of this authority because the Chief Apostle was prevented from travelling as a result of the pandemic. Apostle Kpama Gianny Bangawe (1973) Photo: NAK […]

January 31, 2022
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What lesson do you take from this?

“Thank you for being there! I have no idea what is going to happen in the future, but I do know one thing: God is faithful! He will be with us. Do not fear.” It was with these words that the Chief Apostle concluded a remarkable divine service in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Photo: NAC Canada […]

January 25, 2022
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“Everything always came from the heart”

District Apostle Pablo Alfredo Bianchi from Argentina would have turned 100 years old this 24th of January. From the very first time he ever set foot into a New Apostolic congregation, the rector thought of him as a gift from heaven. “These five souls have been sent to us from heaven,” said the rector of […]

January 24, 2022
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2021: Ministry, women, and the Bible

Now that we’ve covered the question of what, it’s time to tackle the question of who: expanding on our understanding of the concept of ministry was also high on the Church’s list of things to do in 2021. And some initial answers have indeed been found since, along with a detailed roadmap for the rest […]

December 29, 2021
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His mission: to protect and keep

He led the New Apostolic Church out of a crisis and brought it forward. Chief Apostle Walter Schmidt would have celebrated his 130th birthday today. Lest we forget, here is a look once more at how he managed to deal with the situation. Confirmation Photo: NAK Zentralarchiv Westdeutschland Wedding Photo: NAK Zentralarchiv Westdeutschland With Chief […]

December 21, 2021
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The sacraments (47): Conveying the Spirit

It happened in 1840/41: the apostle unity fell apart and so did the masterplan. The charismatic movement had to reinvent itself as a church. Here is the background to sealing in the Catholic Apostolic Church. The whole thing was triggered by the conflict with the Council of Zion, the council of the seven London churches. […]

December 9, 2021
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Pastoral care (18): Personal responsibility and its many misconceptions

Human beings can choose what to do and what not to do. We are not free to decide, however, whether we sin by our decision and thus incur a debt before God. Personal responsibility also means being willing to bear the consequences of our actions. Ministers are often confronted with existential questions: “What should I […]

November 30, 2021
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The sacraments (46): The other two-part division

The Catholic practice of confirmation as a sacrament was only accorded a few quiet centuries. But then the reformers came along and sought to anchor the Christian rite of initiation in the act of baptism alone—and nevertheless instituted their own practice of confirmation in the process. It is the sacrament that represents the completion of […]

November 25, 2021
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“We are doing things at our own pace”

The fall session of the District Apostle Meeting has ended. Prominent topics were our concept of ministry, biblical authorship issues, and a new Guide for Ministers. For many Christian denominations issues of authorship are important. Was the epistle of Paul really written by Paul or by one of his students? Who wrote the gospels? And […]

November 22, 2021
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First news item on day one

Zero tolerance. This is the stance taken by the New Apostolic Church towards sexual abuse and assault. And this is what Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider made clear at the conference of the District Apostles in Zurich, Switzerland. “I want ministers to be absolutely clear on what sexual misconduct can do! They need to know how […]

November 18, 2021
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The sacraments (44): The second part of baptism

How does the believer receive the Holy Spirit? The Bible remains ambiguous and leaves quite a few gaps with respect to this question. Answers begin to develop of the early church. And this foundation stands to this day. Signs—more signs are needed! Yes indeed, there is the baptism of water, the drowning of the old […]

October 18, 2021
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Pen pals become brothers

In 1960 a high school student from Germany wrote to the US Shipping Line in Tokyo. Eleven years later, the first New Apostolic congregation was established in Japan. This year, the New Apostolic Church celebrates its 50-year anniversary in Japan. A visit from District Apostle Urs Hebeisen and District Apostle Helper Peter Schulte in 2018 […]

October 14, 2021