Sharpening our doctrine, better equipping the ministers, and growing together as a leadership team. In part four of the interview, the Chief Apostle explains where he intends to focus his efforts.

How do you understand your ministry?

I do not need to reinvent how I carry out my ministry. It is already described in the Catechism. The office of Chief Apostle has two aspects, and they belong together. One concerns doctrine: keeping it pure, developing it further, opening up new insights, and ensuring that the same faith is professed everywhere. The other focuses on people: strengthening the clergy, tending the flock, and fostering unity. These two belong together. Doctrine that strengthens no one is mere theory. And pastoral care without a clear doctrine ultimately has nothing to offer.

You have announced that you want to sharpen the theological profile of the Church. What do you mean by that?

This involves two interrelated aspects. For one thing, there is the revision of the Catechism. The Catechism is an extraordinarily important document. It is the authoritative foundation of our doctrine, and it will remain so. We will change only what really needs changing. Why make any changes at all? Because knowledge grows. Because we see some things more clearly now than we did when the Catechism was first written. And because language changes. A sentence that was clear fifteen years ago may be interpreted differently today. We want to clarify such passages. What will not change is the doctrine itself.

The second aspect is the initial and ongoing training of our ministers. Doctrine does not become effective simply through a book. It becomes effective when someone stands before the congregation and preaches. We expect our ministers to proclaim the word properly. And we have long assumed that they somehow know how to do this. I would like us to prepare them better for this task.

Alongside these substantive issues, there are also organisational tasks. Where do you see opportunities for development in in this area?

We will ensure broader international representation in our working groups so that the same regions of the world do not always dominate the discussions. And we can improve in the areas of administration, finance, communication, and canon law. These things are not the heart of the matter. But without them, the heart will cannot get very far.

In recent years, almost all District Apostle Areas have undergone a change in leadership, and now the international Church has as well. What challenge does the Church now face?

That is true. When I compare the situation today with my first District Apostle Meeting in 2021, I see that of those who participated back then—it was virtually because of the pandemic—sixteen have since retired, including the Chief Apostle. And that brings us straight to the greatest challenge: the unity of the Church. A District Apostle leads his area based on what he has learned, what he has experienced, and what has shaped him. When almost everyone is new, there are also new perspectives at the table. That is a source of richness, but it also brings responsibility. We must now find a way to grow and work together—not just on paper, but in practice.

Diversity is incredibly important to me, but never at the expense of others. This is precisely what Jesus asks of His Father in John 17: for unity, love, and fellowship among believers so that the world may recognise God’s love through them. This is not an administrative matter. It is the very heart of the matter.

You said that your aim is not to please everyone, but to uphold truth and clarity. Can you give some concrete examples?

If you try to please everyone, you eventually end up saying nothing at all. Let me give you an example. If someone asks whether God intended their suffering, I cannot say, “There must be some kind of purpose behind it.” That would be the easy way out. At most, I can say, “I do not know. But I do know that God will not forsake you. And I am praying for you.” It is not that simple. But it is the truth.

A second example. When something goes wrong in a congregation—when two people are at odds, when a minister has caused hurt, or when a decision has led to discord—there is always an easier option: to cover it up with the cloak of love. It is swept under the carpet. And everyone is relieved because that awkward conversation has been avoided. Except that nothing disappears under the carpet. It remains there. And sooner or later, you trip over it again—even years later.

What challenges do you see for the proclamation of the gospel in the years ahead?

The challenge is whether we will truly continue to proclaim truth and clarity. For in some respects, the gospel is uncomfortable. It tells me that I need forgiveness. It tells me that I cannot save myself. It tells me that my life is heading towards a goal that I do not determine for myself. And then it tells me the greatest thing of all: Christ died for me. He rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is coming again. That is not an uncomfortable truth. That is the good news. Truth means telling the whole story. Even the parts that affect me personally. Clarity means: I say it in a way that people can understand. And love does not mean leaving out the uncomfortable parts. Love means that I proclaim the whole good news.

Photo: NAK Westdeutschland