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Interpreting signs — a vote of non-confidence

So the signs of the time are frightening. Which means that the return of Christ must be near, right? The Chief Apostle responds to this notion in a recent article: such attempts at interpretation are doomed to fail. Following is a summary. .

January 7, 2020

apostolate Chief Apostle

+5

• doctrine 
• Europe
• history 
• ministry
• Organisation

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Ministry (15): Review and outlook

The year of reform to the ministerial order: that is how the year 2019 will go down in the history books of the New Apostolic Church. But there is something much more fundamental behind this. And the topic is still current. .

December 26, 2019

apostolate

+8

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• doctrine 
• history 
• investiture
• ministry
• Pentecost
• society

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Jesus is the reason for the season!

Just give thanks again! Right before the celebration of Christmas is a good time to do so. Why? Because Jesus Christ has come into this world and has become Man. He alone (!) is the reason we celebrate Christmas.

December 24, 2019

Chief Apostle

+6

• Christmas
• congregation
• divine service
• Pastoral care
• Social commitment
• Youth

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When choirs travel

Usually they accompany the divine services and define their liturgical framework. Congregational choirs are an important element of New Apostolic identity. Often they perform their task at a high level of quality, and sometimes choirs even embark on journeys.

December 13, 2019

Africa

+4

• confessions
• congregation
• divine service
• Music

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The 2020 poster series is now on display: “Here I am…”

Professing our faith—many of us look for suitable opportunities to do this in daily life. Some of our brothers and sisters have found an unusual method.

December 10, 2019

Buildings

+9

• Chief Apostle
• Christmas
• congregation
• District Apostle
• Easter
• Europe
• Event
• Thanksgiving Day
• Youth

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Ministry (13): Authority—with limits

Designated and ordained: the ordained minister is authorised to act and speak in the name of God. Nevertheless, these powers are anything but limitless.

December 2, 2019

acts of blessing apostolate

+10

• Baptism 
• Confirmation
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• investiture
• ministry
• Pastoral care
• sacraments

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Working together to make the gospel heard

The collaboration of the New Apostolic Church with other Christian denominations in Europe is expanding. The process begins with personal contacts, but keeps on progressing, even after reaching the point of membership in regional boards.

November 26, 2019

Chief Apostle

+6

• confessions
• congregation
• Europe
• Local news
• society
• Youth

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Ministry (12): Called and ordained

A person is chosen for a ministry by God, and ordination through a human being is the way he receives it—what exactly this is and how it differs from appointments and assignments is described here.

November 19, 2019

Chief Apostle

+8

• congregation
• District Apostle
• doctrine 
• investiture
• ministry
• Pentecost
• sacraments
• Youth

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“Back to Jesus—don’t allow any distance to come up”

The fall session of the International District Apostle Meeting ended with a divine service for the ministers of Europe. The focus of the Chief Apostle’s sermon was our nearness to Jesus Christ.

November 18, 2019

Chief Apostle

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• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Europe
• ministry
• Organisation
• Social commitment

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How to get Sunday School to the children

The new Sunday School teaching material is ready and is to be introduced everywhere. But in Africa this is not quite as simple as it may sound. This is what the District Apostle Meeting Africa is currently talking about.

November 15, 2019

acts of blessing

+10

• Africa
• Chief Apostle
• Children
• Confirmation
• congregation
• District Apostle
• doctrine 
• Europe
• Organisation
• Pentecost

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“Everyone is to know: we will not tolerate this!”

The New Apostolic Church strongly condemns violence and sexual assault. A clear signal is now coming from South Africa. Yesterday the District Apostle Meeting Africa dealt with this issue.

November 14, 2019

Africa

+7

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• District Apostle
• Organisation
• Pastoral care
• society
• Youth

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Ministry (11): Perceiving whom God has destined for a ministry

Decisive is the will of God, but first of all humans have to perceive His will. Here are some answers to the question of how the ministry comes to its bearer.

November 7, 2019

Chief Apostle

+5

• congregation
• doctrine 
• investiture
• ministry
• Pastoral care

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Ministry (10): What advantages does the reform entail anyway?

It is far more than an exercise in theological principles or structural management: the reform in our concept of ministry has some very concrete benefits—for Church leadership, for the ministers, and for every individual member of the congregation.

October 24, 2019

Chief Apostle

+8

• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• investiture
• ministry
• Organisation
• sacraments

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“We will work together as a team”

Kububa Soko is the new District Apostle for Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. In the interview he shares some of his experiences to date and talks about what he will be concentrating on in future.

October 22, 2019

Chief Apostle

+6

• District Apostle
• doctrine 
• Easter
• investiture
• ministry
• Organisation

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It is only by God’s call that a person becomes a person

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.

October 14, 2019

Bible study

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Not in your room …

Recognising and addressing the needs of others, praying together, and making music together to praise God—this is the weekly programme of many Christians. They are out and about to make a difference.

October 11, 2019

Africa

+10

• apostolate
• charity work
• confessions
• congregation
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Local news
• ministry
• Thanksgiving Day
• Youth

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Ministry (9): Adapting ministry to the times

Can the Apostles just go ahead and do that? Are they even allowed to reorganise the ministerial structure? Not only are they allowed to do so—they must! Read on to find out why they did so in the first place, and where the limits are—ministry between the past and the future.

October 10, 2019

Chief Apostle congregation

+8

• District Apostle
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• investiture
• ministry
• Organisation
• Pentecost
• sacraments

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“Here I am”—be creative

Creativity needs room. After all, ideas need to be able to develop and grow. This is not always easy. In fact, sometimes it requires persistence. However, when a good result has been achieved everyone is happy.

October 4, 2019

America

+5

• congregation
• District Apostle
• Europe
• Event
• Youth

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The return of Christ—our daily plea (2/2)

A belief that inspires, yet at the same time it presents us with certain challenges. “How should we talk about the return of the Lord?” Chief Apostle Schneider asks, and gives some tips.

October 3, 2019

Ascension Day

+3

• Chief Apostle
• divine service
• history 

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The return of Christ—our firm belief (1/2)

God is omnipotent, eternal, and triune. For centuries this belief has been described in detail in the various creeds. Faith in the return of Christ can even unite today’s Christians.

October 2, 2019

apostolate

+9

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• ministry
• sacraments

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Ministry (8): Messengers of Jesus

Not every gift requires a ministry in order to unfold. And not every duty requires a ministry for its implementation. This is always a question of the respective duty—and there are some clear distinctions here.

September 17, 2019

Baptism 

+10

• Chief Apostle
• confessions
• congregation
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• investiture
• ministry
• Pastoral care
• sacraments
• Youth

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Team player rather than lone wolf

Shared leadership and collective decision-making: that is the programme in the New Apostolic Church. And this is not only the way things work in the International District Apostle Meeting, but rather also in the various governing bodies of the District Churches.

September 13, 2019

congregation District Apostle

+5

• doctrine 
• investiture
• ministry
• Organisation
• Youth

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Teachers: connected to God and the server

The digital age does not stop at the church door. It is quite apparent when ministers and teachers have modern technology and technical support at their fingertips. Current examples from Canada and Europe.

September 3, 2019

acts of blessing

+8

• America
• Confirmation
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Europe
• Social commitment

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In the service of Jesus

A familiar hymn urges: “Of service be to Jesus” and goes on to admonish listeners to be “a fit tool in His hand”. This is a question of what individual Christians can do—both for themselves and for others—even without an official ministerial mandate.

August 31, 2019

acts of blessing

+12

• Chief Apostle
• Confirmation
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• investiture
• ministry
• Organisation
• Pastoral care
• Pentecost
• Youth

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Is being holy even possible?

People are people—and all of them have their faults and weaknesses. Period. This is true for everyone. And yet faithful, believing Christians are also described as the “communion of saints”, or “the community of the saints”. How do these disparate concepts fit together?

August 29, 2019

divine service

+4

• doctrine 
• Easter
• Holy Communion
• sacraments

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Preventing violence and sexual assault

It is a burning social issue, and it doesn’t stop at the doors of the church either. Nevertheless, everyone is to know that the New Apostolic church condemns violence and sexual assault in the strongest possible terms. Such actions are violations of human personality and dignity.

August 15, 2019

charity work

+8

• congregation
• District Apostle
• doctrine 
• investiture
• ministry
• Organisation
• society
• Youth

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don't miss

“Questions and Answers” will be published in fall 2015

A new variant of the Catechism of the New Apostolic Church is scheduled to appear in September 2015. This resolution was passed by the District Apostle Meeting at its most recent session. The reference work has been structured into "Questions and Answers" and is scheduled for publication in five languages to start.

March 16, 2015

Chief Apostle District Apostle

+7

• doctrine 
• divine service
• congregation
• Youth
• Organisation
• Asia
• Africa

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“The Lord is risen indeed!”

The Passiontide, with the death of the Lord on Good Friday, ends magnificently in the resurrection of the Lord. This is the fundamental belief of all Christians. But why is this day of the resurrection so important for us?

April 4, 2015

Good Friday Chief Apostle

+9

• apostolate
• doctrine 
• sacraments
• Baptism 
• Holy Sealing
• Holy Communion
• divine service
• congregation
• confessions

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“Typically New Apostolic”—the legacy of Apostle Schwarz

Like no one else, he influenced the development of a movement that eventually became the New Apostolic Church . Not only because he played a central role in our Church's history, but also because he had a defining impact on a Christian denomination that was still in its infancy at the time: Apostle Friedrich Wilhelm Schwarz was born 200 years ago today.

April 11, 2015

District Apostle apostolate

+10

• doctrine 
• sacraments
• Holy Sealing
• Holy Communion
• concept of salvation for the departed
• divine service
• congregation
• Pastoral care
• grieving
• history 

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