New Apostolic Church International
Change at the Helm of the New Apostolic Church International
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During the Pentecost service of the New Apostolic Church in Cape Town, Helge Mutschler was ordained as Chief Apostle. He succeeds Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider, who retired after serving in this ministry for thirteen years at the head of the global Church. The divine service was broadcast worldwide and followed by New Apostolic Christians across the globe.
The transition had been prepared well in advance. As early as Pentecost 2025, Chief Apostle Schneider had assigned Helge Mutschler as Chief Apostle Helper, thereby designating him as his successor.
Chief Apostle Schneider based his sermon on a passage from the first epistle to the Corinthians: “For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body” (1 Corinthians 12: 13). He said that the church is the visible body of Christ and that it bears witness to the presence and work of Jesus Christ among humanity. Christ Himself leads His church, Jean-Luc Schneider said. “Not a single member is superfluous,” he stressed. “Even the weakest are necessary.” In his own address, Chief Apostle Mutschler reflected on the image of the body of Christ. He pointed out that, like every believer, he is a member of this body and is preparing for the return of Christ together with the congregation.
The Chief Apostle is the international leader of the New Apostolic Church and, according to the Catechism, its highest spiritual authority. His responsibilities include preserving the purity of the doctrine and developing it further, assuring the uniform spreading of the testimony of faith, and defining the order within the Church.
Helge Mutschler, born in Tübingen in 1974, holds a doctorate in law. Before entering the service of the Church full-time, he worked as a lawyer and held senior positions within the self-governing body of the tax consultancy profession. He received his first ministerial mandate in 1994. In 2015, then, Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider ordained him as an Apostle. Helge Mutschler is married and the father of two children.
Although this ordination marks the beginning of a new chapter for the New Apostolic Church, its mission remains unchanged: to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to prepare believers for the return of Christ, and to foster the unity of the Church.
Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider had led the international Church since 2013. His ministry was characte-rised by theological clarification, international cooperation, and a commitment to ensuring that the Church remained centred on Christ in a changing world. Although his retirement concludes his service as Chief Apostle, his close connection to the Church and its members remains.
The New Apostolic Church (NAC) is a worldwide Christian church headquartered in Switzerland. It has more than nine million members in some 200 countries worldwide. The Church consists of legally independent Regional Churches united by a common doctrine and collegial governing bodies. It is financed by voluntary donations from its members. Its history dates back to the Christian revival movements of the nineteenth century.
Contact:
Simon Heiniger
Head of Communications
+41 43 299 4105
heiniger@naci.org