It was the year of the District Apostle Helpers: over the past twelve months, the Chief Apostle assigned no less than three new ones. This is not by coincidence. In fact, there is a stated reason behind these changes. And it all has to do with the future.

“Adam”—that’s the name of the first man, right? Actually the word means something completely different. And it has a lot to say about gender equality. However, this can only be recognised by someone who reads the Bible carefully.

The new man has already demonstrated leadership qualities: both in the Church and in his working life. He also has pastoral qualities. This is what companions say. They are convinced: the New Apostolic Church Western Germany can look forward to its District Apostle Helper.

One hundred years ago today, Apostle Sadrach is believed to have retired. This is not verified information though. What we do know is that the Europeans at the time were a little suspicious of the Javanese Apostle, and today we cannot say with certainty whether he held divine services until shortly before his death in 1924 or retired on 5 December 1922.

At Christmas, Christians look back and celebrate the birth of their Saviour, Jesus Christ. But they also look ahead, full of hope in the return of Jesus. But the significance of Jesus’ birth can also be experienced in the present.

Men and women in ordained ministry? This is only a fragment of a much larger question: how do human beings understand themselves and their task in the world? The Bible gives us the answer in the creation account. And there we read: created in the image of God.

What is ministry? How does it work? How does it relate to the person? This is what we have been discussing over the last 17 instalments of this series. Now we are moving on to look at who can carry a ministry. To find the right answer we need to look closely.

Acknowledging, remembering, and appreciating the value: this is how gratitude works. And that is the answer to a question that is thousands of years old: “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (Psalm 116: 12)

Apostle Albert Mendy died just a few days before his 44th birthday. That was exactly 20 years ago. Time to look back and pay tribute to the Apostle.

“We will answer all your questions.” The New Apostolic Church is serious about its promise to ordain women. The fundamental teaching document is on its way. And meetings are starting to be offered at the local level.

The periodical points the way, but every preacher has to find his own way into the listener’s heart. This was one of the topics discussed by the authors of the Divine Service Guide at their most recent annual meeting, which took place on two continents.

Divine services are usually conducted twice a week in the New Apostolic Church, and every divine service is special. But some services still have that certain something extra.

It is 1972: a tall man in a black suit sits in the park and waits. At some point someone comes up to talk to him. Their conversation marks the beginning of the New Apostolic Church in the Philippines. Today our members there look back on fifty years of Church history while also looking forward to the anniversary celebration.

Already the name itself is a little unusual, but even more so the man’s actions: Rudolf Rosochacky was invested with the ministry of an Apostle 160 years ago today. Interestingly, he only took up his tasks publicly three months later, only to resign it again after a week. From the beginnings of the apostolic movement.

Before we can begin to look at who can carry a ministry, we have to answer the big question of what: what is a ministry; what constitutes, determines, and terminates it? Here is a summary with links that will take you deeper into the subject matter.

The structure and features are always the same, but the content is always new and different. The latest edition of community is ready to be distributed in many languages and with news from around the New Apostolic world.

Read up in black and white on what the Chief Apostle had to say about the Church’s understanding of ministry: the transcript of his video address is available for download here.

For the first time in its 160-year history, the New Apostolic Church has, from a doctrinal perspective, provided a response to the question of whether women can be ordained to ministry—and the answer was a resounding yes. Following are some of the reasons and background information for what amounts to a “significant shift in our tradition”.