House Rules And Creed 1969_scan

House Rules

and

Creed

for the Members of the New Apostolic Church

English Edition 1969

1 The Apostles' College of the New Apostolic Church 1966

Preface We human beings live on this earth only once. During this brief span of time 'Ne deternline our fate for aU eternity. Manifold are the ways that go over into the beyond. and yet Jesus declared that only one way ends in the kingdom of God. Therefore it is most important for us during our time on eanh to ascertain beyond all doubt whether we are really on this one way. Because the first people on earth sinned, death entered into Lhe world, and so death "passed upon all men. for that all have sinned" (Romans 5 : 12). But God did not wish to abandon the lords of creation to the power of darkness forever. After their fall He promised the first men that one of their seed should bruise the serpent's head (Genesls 3 : IS). This promise was fulfilled in Jesus' mission on earth. In Him God and man were united, for He was begotten by'rhe Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. Although He vvas exposed to many temptations He remained free of all sin and thus the prince of this world could lay no claim whatsoever to Him. Acting in accordance with the ",viI! of His heavenly FatheI', Jesus took the sins of mankind upon Himself and offered Himself, an incontestable sacrifice, in atonement, thereby satisfying the demands of divine justice. He carried om His mission of His own free will and out of divine [ave for us, in order to save us from everlasting death as He said: "J am lhp resurrection, and the hie: he that believelh in me, though he were dead, yet shall he iive: and H'hosoever !iwth and believeth in meshatlnever die" (John] I: 25-26). Then the very last thing that His adversaries had expected did actually happen: He who had died on the cross rose from the

dead on the third day! He appeared to His followers and gave His Apostles final instructions concerning the task awaiting them, as they were to go on with His work of redemption upon earth (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20 and 21; Acts I : 1-9). He affirmed and stressed the power they had been granted, which enabled them to remit and to retain sins in His name. He commissioned them to undertake their task as Apostles with the following words: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, 10, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28: 18-20). After which He ordered them to remain in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high (Luke 24: 49). Ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven the disciples, who were gathered in Jerusalem, were filled with the Holy Ghost,just as He had foretold. Peter preached a sermon so impressive that in consequence about three thousand souls were baptized and thus became members of the work of God on that day of Pentecost. The Holy Scripture says of that first Church, rich in gifts and in the power issuing from the Holy Spirit: "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread,' and in prayers" (Acts 2 : 42, cf. 4 : 32). Thus the Early Church, God's work of redemption, was an Apostolic Church being led by the Apostles of Jesus, ambassadors for Christ. In the same manner as He elected the Apostles of the Early Church in the past, the Lord has again called Apostles in our times and has sent them out into the world. These men have been commissioned to gather together the Lord's congrega­

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tion for Him here on earth; using the lIleans of grace with which the Lord has empowered them they are to liberate the members of Christ's Church from the claims of the prince of darkness; furthermore it is their task to prepare the souls entrusted to their care in readiness for the Day of the Lord, when He will come and take His own unto Himself. It was the Lord who began the work of salvation and today He is completing it! He it was who set up the ministry of grace and Apostleship, not men, and through the medium of the Holy Spirit He is building His house of those who are Willing to do as His messengers tell them. Therefore we can truly say that we are built "upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2: 20), We know that the New Apostolic Church, the Church of Christ, can reckon with the second coming of the Lord in the near future. When that moment comes, d day and an hour which no one knows in advance (Matthew 24 : 36), the first­ fruits and the overcomers in the realm of the departed and also those living on earth will be united with the Son of God. That is the First Resurrection (Revelation 20 : 6). This will be followed by the marriage of the Lamb with His elect (Revelation 19 : 6-8). During this space of time the world will witness the increase of ungodliness under the rule of the Antichrist to a point never reached before, when the people living on earth will suffer afflictions such as had never been in the past (Daniel 12; Matthew 24). After this period judgment will be passed upon Antichrist and the Millennium, when peace prevails, will begin. As we believe that the Day of the Lord is approaching fast we are mindful of His admonish­ ment: "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 2 I : 36).

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The New Apostolic Church

called to their ministry in response to signs from heaven when the acute need for such a ministry became evident; this leadership is undivided and under it the congregations receive spiritual ministration and are prepared with divine wisdom for the Day of the Lord that will soon dawn.

A brief account

The New Apostolic Church is a community of faithful

Christians who are aware that they possess a high calling in

God, which knowledge has prompted them to congregate

round the Apostles of Jesus sent in our time. They know that

they can partake of Jesus' merit through the intermediary of

the Apostles alone, and that this is the only way to attain the

righteousness that counts with God.

The leader of the New Apostolic Church is the Chief Apostle. He is the visible head of the Church and as such the supreme authority in all matters concerning faith. Since the members of the New Apostolic Church look on him as the first servant of the Lord upon earth, and because he himself is constantly aware that it is incumbent upon him to aid his Brothers and Sisters in all questions relevant to their belief, the unique position he occupies is devoid of any dictatorial authority over the Church or the members, which is perfectly consistent with the intentions inherent in Christ's cond uct and in that of the first Apostles.

The contemporary work of God goes back to the years around 1830. A number of devout men searched the Holy Scripture for illumination and they came across the prophecies recorded therein relevant to the last time. This caused them to offer up fervent prayers in answer to which, and also guided by prophecies uttered at that time, they were commissioned to restore the Church of Christ in precisely the same form as the Early Church. They experienced the second pouring out of God's Spirit predicted in the Bible for the evening of the Church of Christ in the Occident, just as had formerly happened in the morning of the Christian Church in the Orient. This Spirit called a small number of men to the Apostle ministry, and these men proclaimed the glad tidings that the Apostolic Church had been restored; the Lord was quite unmistakably with them and their efforts were crowned with success. Within a short time a considerable number of congregations were founded both in England, the country where the first Apostles were called, as well as in other European lands. This testimony was subsequently carried further afield by men of faith inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that today New Apostolic congregations are to be found in each continent. They arc all in charge of Apostles

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The New Apostolic Church is divided into Apostle Districts, each of which is in charge of a District Apostle. The District Apostle may be assisted by one or even several Apostles.

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The District Apostles and the Apostles are the immediate assistants of the Chief Apostle, who is an Apostle like them although he is the first amongst them. Together with the Chief Apostle these men, since they all bear the ministry that administers the Holy Spirit, make up the community commissioned by Christ to offer mankind salvation and redemption, they bestow upon the faithful eternal life in Christ. The Chief Apostle ordains them for this purpose and instructs them in all questions appertaining to their ministry. The Apostle Districts are divided into districts headed by Bishops, which in their turn are subdivided into Elder Districts. As a rule a Bishop District comprises several Elder

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Districts and each Elder District includes a number of New Apostolic congregations. At the head of every congregation is a Rector who attends to its needs; he is generally a Shepherd, a Community Evangelist or a Priest. To assist the Priests in their work Deacons and Subdeacons are appointed.

uncomplicated and straightforward. The service opens with a hymn sung by the congregation. after which the Administra­ tion Brother conducting Ihe service says a prayer and reads aloud a text taken from the Bible. A mixed choir then sings an anthem meant to provide a melodious introduction to the simple ceremony, the most important part of which is the proclaiming of the word of God. At the Sunday services the whole congregation nses after the sermon and recites the Lord's Prayer aloud, which IS foHowed by the pronouncing of Absolution and then by Holy Communion. The divine service ends with a closing prayer and Benediction. The contents of the Holy Scripture in both the Old and the New Testaments provide basic teaching for the servi ces. The word inspired by the Holy Spirit that is proclaimed in the sermon awakens and confirms belief in God eternal and in His Son Jesus Christ. Just like the early Christians the members of the New Apostolic Church also are firmly persuaded that Jesus will soon fulfil the promise He made to come again and take His own unto Himself.

All the Administration Brothers in an Apostle District are responsible to their District Apostle. The latter, or one of his fellow Apostles acting on his instructions, ordains Adminis­ tration Brothers to their ministries as the need arises. The entire organic structure of the New Apostolic Church corresponds to that of the Early Church. The Administration Brothers are carefully selected, it being their task to minister spiritually to the souls; they are men of firm faith who, in addition to possessing the gifts going with their ministry, have also experienced God in many ways. Thus they are competent to offer spiritual sustenance to the members and guests of the New Apostolic Church and, by virtue of their commission, are truly able to help souls to salvation. Following the example of the Early Church all the ministers of the New Apostolic Church are laymen in the sense that they have neither studied theology nor been trained at any theological college. These men come from all classes of society and all walks of life; with few exceptions they are voluntary workers who receive no remuneration for the leisure time hours and the energy they devote after their daily work is done towards serving the work of God. Their sole motive is their desire to help their fellow men in need who are seeking and longing for salvation.

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The sacraments dispensed in the New Apostolic Church differ fundamentally from the sacramental acts performed in other religious communities. The New Apostolic Church recognizes three sacraments correspondlllg to the divine Trinity and further to the triplicity of body, soul and spirit. Two of these sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion, are also known in other religious communities. The third sacrament is Holy Sealing, which is Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Baptism with water and Holy Communion can be administered by a Priest of the Church in the name of Jesus and commissioned by an Apostle. Baptism with the Holy Spirit, however, must be dispensed by an Apostle, as was the case in the Early Church. This last-named sacrament provides the foundation on which a new life in Christ can grow.

The divine services held in the New Apostolic Church are

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No charge is made for dispensing these sacraments or for any of the ceremonies performed by the ministers of the Church, even if they take place outside the regular church services (Matthew 10 : 8). Understanding spiritual ministration on the part of the Administration Brothers, regular attendance of church services, combined with a general spirit of helpfulness make the members feel they are really all one big family. They are Brothers and Sisters united closely by spiritual bonds and they are seriously concerned to lead lives such as will stand up to all scrutiny, to walk in the fear of God. The sincerity of their purpose they reveal in everyday life by their honesty, straightness and loyalty and they perform all duties conscien­ tiously.

show the members how to lead godfearing lives and to remind them constantly of the implications of eternity.

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To console and take spiritual aid to human hearts longing for salvation, to do work of redemption and to be found in unalloyed brotherly love and practical charity. To raise up and stand by people who have fallen low morally and ethically so that they can once more live as useful citizens and members of society.

The New Apostolic Church is not an imitation of the first Apostolic Church, it is the direct continuation ohhe work of salvation that Jesus instituted in the Early Church and entrusted to His Apostles, and it was called into existence through God's will; the New Apostolic Church is inseparable from the first Christian Church, they are one.

The New Apostolic Church is self-supporting and receives no State subsidies. The incomes of its members are not subject to a Church Tax. The means required for the upkeep of Church property and for the expenses attached to the running of the Church accrue from the voluntary offerings given by the members.

The aims of the New Apostolic Church are expressly religious and may be summarized as follows: To create and encourage the growth of a community of faithful Christians among whom profound faith is found, where envy is not known, where there is brotherhood. They help one another along in a spirit of Christian charity and goodwill, and "are built up a spiritual house" as we can read in I Peter 2 : 5. Through the word inspircd by the Holy Spirit and through the impeccable conduct of the Administration Brothers, to

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To inculcate respect in the children and juvenile members for their parents, theil' teachers and also for the laws of the land. To make the will of God comprehensible forthem and to admonish them to stay humble, recognizing God's omnipotence. Furthermore to teach these young people to observe the laws of nature and the moral code.

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The foregoing gives some idea of the objectives of the New Apostolic Church·-it is an account which cannot be anything but incomplete because of its brevity. When inner life becomes manifest this is a natural consequence of healthy spiritual fertilization, it is in itself not the main objective of this community. The Church's supreme aim issues from the Lord and does not spring from human wishes and understanding­ it is to have everlasting fellowship with the Son of God and the Father and to leave nothing that this close relationship entails undone, for doing God's will brings great hliss. 9

To enlarge further on this subject would exceed the scope of this small booklet.

Membership Any person who undertakes to live in a manner consistent with the teaching of the Apostles, with the Creed, and in conformity with the Holy Scripture, and who is moreover willing to comply with the instructions issued by the Church authorities, is eligible for membership, which is acquired in two stages:

2. Holy Sealing

The sacrament of Holy Sealing confers full membership of the Church. Permission will be granted for an adopted member to be sealed when it is clearly evident that the member has accepted the teaching of the Apostles in faith and in all respects deserves to be admitted fully to the Church, and when there are no grounds for refusal. Prior to the act of Holy Scaling the membership card must be signed, this being the formal application for admission to the Church. In the case of children under 14 years of age their legal guardian is required to sign for them; this stipulation may vary in that children of 12 years of age are in some countries entitled to express their personal wishes concerning conversion.

1. Adoption

Adoption confers the right to partake of the acts of blessing dispensed by the Church, in particular Holy Communion every Sunday. People wishing to be adopted as members of the Church should apply to the Rector who will make inquiries as to whether the applicant has attended church services regularly for at least three months, and he will also find out whether the applicant has sufficient understanding of the teaching of the Apostles. When these conditions are satisfied the applicant is handed a copy of the HOUSE RULES and an adoption form, which is to be completed and returned to the Rector, this information being required for the Church Register. As a rule new members are adopted by a District Leader during a divine service. Adoption makes the new member a guest in the New Apostolic Church.

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An Apostle alone is authorized to carry out Holy Scaling, which is the act of Baptism with the Holy Spirit whereby the believing soul becomes a child of God. Members may leave the Church at any time, which is effected by notifying the Rector in writing of the decision to give up membership; this procedure applies generally except for those places where other legal regulations are in force. Excommunication from the Church also entails loss of membership and takes effect when the District Apostle has notified in writing the persori in question of the decision. A member can be excommunicated for disorderly conduct, for not attending church services over a longer period without any good reason, as well as for wilfully and persistently opposing the instructions of the Church authorities.

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Inner Order

Complaints about Administration Brothers

Should the conduct of a member not be compatible with the Apostles' doctrine to such an extent that he causes offence and thereby harms the reputation of the Church, the member will in the first place be invited to have a word with the Rector, who will warn him in a confidential talk. If this is of no a vail then a second warning will be given in the presence of two witnesses. Should this too prove useless the matter will then be reported to the District Leader; if the efforts of the latter to bring about a change also prove ineffective he is authorized to exclude the member from Holy Communion for a period of four weeks. If this measure does not result in a change of attitude the case will be referred to the Bishop or the Apostle, who will in his turn repeat the warning to the person in question in an understanding manner, and will then proceed to bar the member from Holy Communion over a longer period should no improvement be observed. If the member continues to ignore all these warnings, the District Apostle is authorized to expel such a person from the Church for a limited period or permanently. The Chief Apostle also is entitled to excommunicate a member from the New Apostolic Church temporarily or permanently as he thinks fit, or at the request of one of the District Apostles.

Should the conduct of an Administration Brother be inconsistent with the teaching, the statutes or the Creed of the New Apostolic Church. members of the Church have the right and are also expected to lodge a complaint with their Apostle.

Once a person has been excommunicated or has forfeited membership of his own 'accord, the District Apostle alone is competent to allow re-admission to membership. If members have remained absent from divine services without showing express hostility towards the work of God, the District Elder or the Bishop, acting upon his own discretion, may admit these members to Holy Communion again.

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Confession If a member is uneasy about some errors committed in the past even though he or she has been offered grace at divine services, this member may make a confession to the Apostle, either orally or in writing; no other Administration Brother should be approached in matters of this nature. The Apostle is an ambassador of the Lord and as such bound to treat in strict confidence all confessions made to him. If the members of an Apostle's family, including those relations four times removed or persons living in his home or in the same house, wish to make a confession they may address themselves to the Chief Apostle for this purpose.

Church Finances The New Apostolic Church does not exact a Church Tax of its members. The members are free to give the offering they find appropriate, it is a voluntary donation made in faith, out of love for God and His work. These offerings are given with believing hearts as tokens of gratitude towards God, an attitude that He sees and blesses in His turn. All expenses connected with the running of the Church are met out of these voluntary offerings.

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Administration Brothers are not allowed to insist on members contributing financially to the Church.

The New Apostolic Creed

The Rectors and District Leaders are required to submit a monthly statement to the District Apostle and pay into the account designated by him the balance of the receipts of the congregation and the district. The District Apostle has to submit to the Chief Apostle a monthly financial report for his district showing receipts and expenses, and he is expected to keep an exact control over the cash and capital assets. Furthermore he is required to submit a duly audited annual balance sheet to the Chief Apostle at the end of each year.

The First Article of Faith: 1 belteve in God the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and .earth.

As a rule the Church does not accept legacies or endowments. In special cases the District Apostle is competent to make an exception.

Attitude towards other Religious Denominations The ministers and the members of the New Apostolic Church will always refrain from making derogatory remarks about other religious institutions. A person who attends divine services held at our Church and listens attentively to the word inspired by the Holy Spirit will notice on his own the difference between the New Apostolic Church and other religious communit'ies. Even if we do not share the religious views of members of other Churches in every point this is no reason not to treat other beliefs, the exponents of the same and members of other Churches, with all due respect, all the more so as we ourselves expect to meet with courtesy.

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The Ten Articles ofFaith

The Second Article of Faith: I believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, entered the realm of the departed, rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from whence He shall return. The Third Article of Faith: I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Apostolic Church, the community of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead, and life everlasting.

The Fourth Article ofFaith: I believe that the Lord Jesus rules His Church through living Apostles until His return, and that He has sent them into the world and still sends them with the commission to teach, to forgive sins in His name and to baptize with water and the Holy Spirit. The Fifth Article of Faith' I believe that all ministrations in the Church of Christ are chosen and ordained into their ministries on! y by Apostles and that all gifts and powers must come forth out of the Apostle ministry; equipped with these, the community becomes a legible letter of Christ. The Sixth Article of Faith: I believe that the Holy Baptism with water is part of the rebirth, and that a person baptized with water is entitled to the Holy Sealing. It is furthermore the covenant of a good conscience with God. 15

The Sevel
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