The focus is on the global congregation

Another website! And another members’ magazine! The Church has just launched nac.today and community will follow soon? How do you keep track of everything?

(smiles) Oh, that is easy. These media are part of our communication strategy. We have restructured it and given it a new direction.

Why are you communicating on several channels?

Every channel has its own identity, its own content, its own target group. There is nac.org, for example. It is the official website of the Church, where you will find official announcements. It also addresses the general public. And then there is nac.today, which is intended for the members of the Church. We want to show the great diversity that is found in the New Apostolic Church worldwide. The information on this medium will be presented in a journalistic manner.

Won’t people who have no Internet feel left out with so much going on online?

Well, the Internet is global and we can reach many members quickly and fairly cost-effectively. Besides, next to the Unsere Familie in the German-speaking regions, a new international magazine will be launched: community. As a magazine for members, it will be distributed in many countries worldwide.

Why did you tackle the topic of communication so early on in your term?

Communication is vital today and it has to play a corresponding role in our ranks. It serves the purpose of coordination and exchange on a global level. It is a way to promote the unity of the doctrine, for example, and to create an awareness of the various cultures.

What are you hoping to achieve with this?

Our denomination has a worldwide dimension. Where certain issues are concerned, this does not always make things easy. But information from other countries helps us to better understand our brothers and sisters, their situation, and their needs. It is our aim to show that the New Apostolic Church is a living, diverse, and joyful Christian denomination.

How are we going to communicate? What style of communication would the Church like to cultivate?

We want to communicate in a Christian way: sincere, transparent, and respectful. This is something that applies to our personal conversations, to our dealings with each other in the congregation, as well as to what we publish in our online and print media.

Can members participate in these new media?

A lot of people are already participating in social networks. We even have our own network for this: nacworld.net. Here, members can discuss their faith undisturbed. A number of possibilities are being planned for nac.today so that people can participate.

People in the business know: What you are planning means a lot of work. How is this supposed to work?

We will make use of the potential we have: we have a lot of competent people in our ranks. We have established a worldwide network of correspondents and translators. If we combine our strengths and make an effort in a spirit of trust and cooperation, and are happy to do the members a service, we will be able to achieve amazing things.

How are you going to be involved?

(laughs) Nice question. Well, I made a start on nac.today by giving a New Year’s Day speech. And right now we are doing this interview. I see my main task in creating the framework so that as many brothers and sisters as possible can find a suitable medium for themselves. Even if I am not going to be involved in the day-to-day running of things, I will no doubt give the one or other impetus in the future …