Organizationally well established—both as a team and in terms of leadership: that is how the New Apostolic Church in the Americas has presented itself. Here is part three of our year-in-review journey around the world on nac.today.

Great need, many small joys, and an energetic sense of community: that was the year 2015 from the perspective of New Apostolic Christians in Asia and Australia, the second region to look back over the year on nac.today.

Youth development of a different kind, generational change in leadership, and a celebration of faith with a whole lot of “paaaahhhhh”: such was the year 2015 in Africa. The continent with the most New Apostolic Christians in the world opens our series of annual reviews here on nac.today.

Apostle John Leslie Kriel has been appointed as a District Apostle Helper for the Cape district. Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider commissioned John Kriel, a longstanding minister, in a divine service this past Sunday.

No time to read? You don’t enjoy paging through a book nor do you feel like installing the Catechism app on your mobile device? No problem! Starting in January 2016 you can listen to the Catechism.

“We can be proud of the development in Gambia; the impulse comes from within,” Apostle Jens Lindemann from Germany says. He has been responsible for the New Apostolic Church in this African country since 2007. At the beginning of December, the Gambian youth gathered for their Day of the Youth.

Featured this week are some recent retirements and ordinations, as well as an interdenominational information session in South Africa on World Aids Day.

The first Christians supported the efforts and the mission of the Apostles by professing the gospel, by revealing their love, their joy, and their steadfastness, and by bringing their offerings. It is not any different today. Following are thoughts from Chief Apostle Schneider on how we can help along.

Whether friend, stranger, or enemy, every single one of them is our neighbour in the biblical sense. Jesus Christ demands that we love them. How is that possible? Answers from a divine service by the Chief Apostle …

“It can never be said that the Apostle was a coward. I risked everything to help in the quick movement and furtherance of the Church work.” These words were written by the Chief Apostle’s right hand: Apostle Heinrich Franz Schlaphoff. Fifty years ago today he passed away.

Myanmar—for many years this extraordinary country was isolated from the rest of the world. Following the landslide victory of Aung Suu Kyi, many new possibilities have opened up for the country.

Lit tea-lights in the shape of a heart in Luxembourg, flowers and a “Pray for Paris” banner in Germany: the terror attacks last Friday in Paris have left people in shock, especially in Europe. But the District Apostles are also directing attention beyond Europe’s borders, to other parts of the world.

Twice a year the District Apostles of Europe come together for conferences to discuss topics that are relevant for the European regional churches. The conference centre at the international head office of the New Apostolic Church provides an ideal environment for such meetings.

He was a wise master builder in a double sense. He was also one of the first Apostles to be appointed as a District Apostle Helper. Apostle (ret.) Leonard Ernest Kolb (USA) has passed away. He was 82 years of age.

Together Sudan and the South Sudan form a very large region in the eastern part of the African continent. District Apostle Klingler from Hanover in Germany cared for the 6,000 New Apostolic Sudanese Christians for twenty years. The administrative and pastoral care of the members in Sudan will now be assigned to the District Church of East Africa.

Believing in Jesus Christ is not all that easy. After all, His gospel contains more than one stumbling block. This is what the Chief Apostle made clear in a recent divine service, listing seven stumbling blocks and a guiding principle.

Globalization even has an effect on liturgical implements. The communion cups used in our New Apostolic congregations are globally sourced these days. One manufacturer from whom the Church buys is in the state of Tamil Nadu in India.

He rendered the church a great service, even though it took a long time before it was acknowledged. Millions of Christians believe his tenets today. Traces of Martin Luther are also found in the divine services of the New Apostolic Church, such as elements of our liturgy or the Luther Bible, the German language Bible translation—a landmark in German literature. Who was this man?