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.

Forty degrees Celsius in the shade and a long holiday break … While the people in the northern hemisphere are dreaming of a white Christmas, the southern hemisphere is in the midst of summer. We asked a European living in South Africa about the festive season there …

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.

“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.

On Thursday, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider will embark on his trip to South Africa. He is planning to conduct a divine service already on Thursday evening. This will be followed by visits, meetings, conferences, and a divine service on Sunday.

On 1 December, World AIDS Day reminds us that some 35 million people around the world are living with this disease. Approximately three million new infections are added every year. This is also a matter with which the New Apostolic Church is dealing — particularly in Africa.

“The congregations are like remote islands,” Raúl Eduardo Montes de Oca, the responsible District Apostle of Brazil, says. Following is his report about the Chief Apostle’s recent visit to Brazil and the life of the congregations there.

“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.

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.

The congregations of the New Apostolic Church worldwide are full of life. Photographers have captured some memorable moments on camera.

Young brothers take on responsibility in the Church, and brothers and sisters in South Africa celebrate the dedication of their church building. nac.today takes a look at the congregational life on three continents.

The New Apostolic Church is active in almost all countries on all continents. Africa is home to the majority of members. Countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia top the list. At its recent conference in Johannesburg, the District Apostle Meeting made a slight adjustment to the worldwide membership figures.

District Apostle Noel Edward Barnes will turn 66 this year. He is responsible for the New Apostolic Church Cape and is approaching retirement age. In view of his pending retirement a District Apostle Helper will be commissioned: Apostle John Leslie Kriel. The congregations in the District Apostle Area were informed about this last Sunday.

In the archives of the New Apostolic Church, there are extensive travel reports of Chief Apostle Ernst Streckeisen’s journeys between 1975 and 1978. Today, Ernst Streckeisen would have been 110 years old.

An ambassador of love and joy, a church-turned-refugee shelter, and a national synod are today’s topics on our trip around the New Apostolic world.

“After the Catechism is before the Catechism …” This was the motto that accompanied the introduction of this fundamental reference work in December 2012. And driven by this motto, the District Apostle Meeting continues to work on fundamental concepts. Currently in the District Apostles’ focus is our concept of ministry.