faith.today

God has everything under control

These days many people are worried about their health and their livelihood. “Let us trust God,” the Chief Apostle recommends. Why and how can we experience this first-hand? Here are four pieces of advice and two promises from the Palm Sunday service.

May 7, 2020

apostolate Chief Apostle

+5

• divine service
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Palm Sunday
• sacraments

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Pentecost—local and online

Pentecost … At home with the Chief Apostle or in our own congregation, maybe even with Holy Communion? The first option is open to everyone, the second one only to a few. The Chief Apostle’s recommendation is clear.

May 5, 2020

Africa

+12

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Easter
• Europe
• Holy Communion
• New Year
• Palm Sunday
• Pentecost
• sacraments

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Pastoral care (02): real concern and care

Caring for others only works if you focus on the essentials. Here is a how-to-guide from the Master Himself. Jesus Christ has set an example for us: His pastoral care in seven approaches.

May 4, 2020

Pastoral care

+1

• society

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The Sacraments (8): As long as you use water!

Baptism is as old as the New Testament. It is both a bone of contention as well as a binding element among Christians. Some see it as a rite of entry into Christian life, others regard it as merely a private celebration. In fact, it is more than people think!

April 28, 2020

Baptism 

+7

• confessions
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Holy Sealing
• ministry
• Organisation
• sacraments

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Church leaders explore the possibility of reopening congregations

Online is not everything. How can we resume divine services and congregational life during the coronavirus crisis? Locally and very slowly and cautiously, is the answer of the European Church leaders.

April 23, 2020

acts of blessing

+15

• Africa
• America
• Chief Apostle
• Confirmation
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Europe
• Holy Communion
• Organisation
• Pastoral care
• Pentecost
• sacraments
• society

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“He does what we cannot do ourselves ”

No matter how powerful evil is, there is always One who can snatch the prey away from even the biggest predator. Yet even He does not do everything Himself. Read how Jesus Christ relies on every single believer.

April 22, 2020

Chief Apostle congregation

+5

• divine service
• doctrine 
• Holy Sealing
• sacraments
• Youth

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Getting through it together

Sewing masks, shopping for others, or creating online learning resources—many people are looking for ways to help others and keep in touch during the coronavirus crisis. Members of the New Apostolic Church are also organising all kinds of campaigns and activities to help others stay positive despite social distancing. Here is a look at some of the projects.

April 21, 2020

Africa

+5

• Asia
• congregation
• District Apostle
• Pastoral care
• Youth

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Communion wafers for after the lockdown

The baking machines in Lusaka and Cape Town have come to a standstill, and in Bielefeld the warehouse is being stocked up. Things in the three large wafer bakeries of the New Apostolic Church are anything but normal these days.

April 18, 2020

Africa

+9

• America
• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Easter
• Europe
• Holy Communion
• sacraments

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The Sacraments (7): In the name of God or the church?

Who is entitled to dispense the sacraments? The various Christian denominations have some very similar answers to that question—even though they all come from very different perspectives in arriving at them. Also common to all of them is the one big exception.

April 16, 2020

Baptism 

+7

• confessions
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• investiture
• ministry
• sacraments

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Congregational life goes digital

Although the app is still under development, the idea has really taken off. The web and app project “my digital congregation” is entering the second stage.

April 14, 2020

confessions

+3

• congregation
• divine service
• Pastoral care

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Experiencing the powers to come already today

“Let us celebrate Easter together,” Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider called to the faithful in the central divine service that was broadcast worldwide, and went on to explain why we have every reason to celebrate even in the middle of the coronavirus crisis.

April 12, 2020

Chief Apostle

+6

• concept of salvation for the departed
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Easter
• Holy Communion
• sacraments

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When less becomes more: an Easter Sunday service

Normally, 60,000 New Apostolic congregations come together for divine service on Sundays—but that was before the Corona crisis. Over the past few weeks, this offer has been reduced to two dozen central video services across the globe. On Easter there will only be one divine service: with the Chief Apostle.

April 9, 2020

America

+8

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Easter
• Holy Communion
• sacraments

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Suffering with Christ

Pakistan is a country where it is often difficult for Christians to profess their faith in public. Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider just recently preached about the Passion of Christ and the fact that those who follow Jesus Christ often do not have an easy time of it. Nevertheless, it is worth it.

April 8, 2020

Baptism 

+5

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• doctrine 
• sacraments
• society

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History in the making: the whole world comes together for Easter

When people do renovations, they are usually planning something special. And that is precisely what is happening right now in the middle of Germany. After all, Pentecost will already come on Easter this year. And the Chief Apostle will visit every interested party at home—online.

April 4, 2020

Africa

+11

• Buildings
• Chief Apostle
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Easter
• Europe
• history 
• Holy Communion
• Pentecost
• sacraments

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Grief is sometimes hard to cope with

Passion means suffering—enduring suffering. These days, more than ever, it seems that people have a sense of what it means to suffer. Grief and sorrow and a yearning for better times has taken hold of us. Join us for a look forward.

April 3, 2020

Easter

+3

• Good Friday
• grieving
• Pastoral care

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How the sacrifice of Christ gives new life

Why did Jesus have to suffer and die? Well, naturally so that human beings could find their way back to God. But that is not the only significant aspect.

April 2, 2020

Baptism 

+5

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• sacraments

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The sacraments (6): What matters is a matter of faith

Seven, three, or two: how many sacraments are there actually? Not even all the Christian denominations are in agreement with themselves when it comes to that question. But there is one point of intersection which all of them do acknowledge—almost all of them, that is.

March 30, 2020

Baptism  confessions

+9

• doctrine 
• Easter
• history 
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• investiture
• ministry
• Organisation
• sacraments

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Congregations are coming to life again

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.

March 27, 2020

Bible study

+6

• congregation
• divine service
• Easter
• Pastoral care
• Seniors
• Youth

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Divine salvation: no pain, no gain

“We are responsible for our own salvation,” the Chief Apostle said in his sermon in Niamey. God puts the necessary means at our disposal so that we can obtain salvation. Our mission is to accept these means.

March 26, 2020

Baptism 

+7

• Chief Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Good Friday
• Holy Communion
• Holy Sealing
• sacraments

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The word of God brings light during the lockdown

A congregation without walls and borders—this is how hundreds of thousands of New Apostolic families experienced the past Sunday. Even though the doors to our churches were locked, the Church itself was more open than ever before.

March 25, 2020

Africa

+14

• America
• Asia
• Australia / Pacific
• Buildings
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Easter
• Europe
• Holy Communion
• Local news
• Pastoral care
• sacraments

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SOS: pastoral care is as varied as the people who need it

The body needs care and so does the soul. The image of the duality of man is shared by all churches. A priest is both a preacher and a shepherd. And both are legitimate. Pastoral care at a glance.

March 24, 2020

congregation

+1

• Pastoral care

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Spotlight 5/2020: A healthy relationship between mankind and God

In order to attain freedom in Christ, there must be a relationship between mankind and the Lord. This is the foundation of spiritual freedom. That is how District Apostle Kububa Soko from Zambia describes it.

March 23, 2020

annual motto apostolate

+6

• Ascension Day
• District Apostle
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• ministry
• sacraments

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Chief Apostle: “Just have courage: we will move on!”

There is a curfew in France. Even Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider is housebound—and will also be without Holy Communion for weeks. But he has not become discouraged: “I know that God will not abandon His children, especially in difficult situations.”

March 21, 2020

Africa

+6

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• sacraments

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The sacraments (5): Valid first, then effective

Let’s suppose a Priest proves unworthy and loses his ministry: are the baptisms he has performed still valid? The question of the efficacy of the sacraments has different answers.

March 19, 2020

doctrine 

+3

• Holy Communion
• ministry
• sacraments

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Europe and Canada switch over to transmissions

All activities in all New Apostolic congregations throughout Europe have been cancelled with immediate effect. This was the decision made by the Chief Apostle and District Apostles earlier today. And still there will be divine services—but of a somewhat different nature.

March 16, 2020

Africa

+10

• Chief Apostle
• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Europe
• grieving
• Holy Communion
• Pastoral care
• sacraments

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Praying that the situation will soon improve

COVID-19 is keeping people around the world on tenterhooks. The New Apostolic Church too is doing its utmost to counteract the spreading of the virus. Despite all the alarming news, there are still events that give rise to joy.

March 13, 2020

Chief Apostle

+6

• congregation
• District Apostle
• divine service
• doctrine 
• Holy Communion
• sacraments

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don't miss

“Always speak the language of love”

Enrique Eduardo Minio is at work as the “architect of the future” in the southern regions of South America. That is how the Chief Apostle referred to him at his ordination. What does this mean in practice? Following is an interview with both the former District Apostle and the new District Apostle.

July 27, 2016

ministry investiture

+9

• Chief Apostle
• District Apostle
• doctrine 
• divine service
• congregation
• Youth
• Europe
• America
• Event

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“Do you still remember why I had to suffer?”

Lent and Passiontide… It can feel like pain and sorrow. Compassion is what is called for! At the same time, however, it becomes clear that Christians must never forget why their Saviour Jesus Christ had to suffer: it was for them!

March 1, 2021

Palm Sunday Easter

+8

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

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“Felix Austria”: lucky Austria makes music

The stalls, the boxes, the lower and upper galleries … the Vienna Concert Hall was filled to the last seat. “We invite you to have an encounter with Jesus through music,” Franz Jochum, the musical director and conductor, said to the audience at the beginning of the concert.

June 3, 2017

Pentecost congregation

+3

• Youth
• Music
• New Year

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