English (United States) 
"Church Strategy" from the Summer 2018 Vision Newsletter
What will the Church look like in fifteen or thirty years? A fascinating question for which we cannot provide competent answers without a strategic approach. In an interview with our online news magazine nac.today, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider provides detailed information on his plans for the years to come.
How and in what direction should the New Apostolic Church develop in the years to come?
Our actions are distinguished by several objectives. Our primary goal is to preach the gospel truthfully and conscientiously throughout the world. For us as Apostles, this means the following.
- We need to be careful that Jesus Christ takes first place, and not the institution or a particular person.
- We want to define the New Apostolic doctrine on the basis of the Bible. This is the purpose of our Catechism. It describes the current globally valid doctrine of the New Apostolic Church in a clear and structured manner.
- We want to make sure that the sermons correspond to the biblical message and the doctrine.
- We want to give priority to that which is decisive for the salvation of the believers. While Church traditions certainly deserve respect, they must never become as important as the message of the gospel itself. We want to clearly distinguish between the message of the gospel, the rules of the Church, and local traditions.
- We need to make sure that all New Apostolic children across the globe receive quality religious education that is adapted to their needs and local conditions.
All of our Church-related activity must be defined by this focus on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Making people into disciples of the Lord ... What do you mean by that?
Let me put it this way: we want people to follow Jesus Christ. As Apostles, we can make a decisive contribution to this. Love for Jesus Christ and belief in His teaching are to be spread in all directions and encouraged and promoted. Of course there are limits to such activities, but these have been set by God Himself.
- He has given man freedom of choice. Faith is a gift that God gives to man, but man must long for and accept it. We cannot force anyone to love the Lord. But what we can do is encourage our neighbor to follow the Lord.
- The gospel is the absolute truth. We cannot adapt it to suit people’s tastes. God expects us to proclaim the pure, unadulterated gospel.
- And finally, we need to make sure that salvation, which God will offer until His return, remains accessible to all.
If it is so important to adhere to the ever valid gospel, is there still even room for change?
Well, there will always be changes and they happen all the time, even in our Church. In terms of faith, the gospel of the Lord offers everything that a believing person needs.
Our mission is going to people and making them into disciples of the Lord, not members of the Church.
We fulfil our mission by making sure that people feel at home in our Church, that they can experience the love of God and the joy of serving Him and others, and feel a desire to bring their lives into alignment with the gospel. That is our Vision! And in my opinion, that is quite sufficient.
To read the rest of the interview with the Chief Apostle, search for the following articles on www.nac.today:
- Making people Christians, not members of the Church
- A faith that lives in cultural diversity
- Contributing to a collective solution