The transition was prepared well in advance: as early as Pentecost 2025, Chief Apostle Schneider had appointed Helge Mutschler as Chief Apostle Helper and announced him as his successor. Chief Apostle Schneider based his sermon on the words from the First Letter to the Corinthians: 'For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body' (1 Corinthians 12:13). The church is the visible body of Christ and attests to the presence and work of Jesus Christ among people. Christ himself leads his church. 'No member is superfluous,' Schneider emphasized. 'Even the weakest are necessary.' Chief Apostle Mutschler reiterated the image of the body of Christ in his sermon contribution. He, like every believer, is a member of this body and moves towards the One who is to come together with the congregation.
The Chief Apostle is the international church leader of the New Apostolic Church and, according to the Catechism, their 'highest spiritual authority.' His responsibilities include, among other things, maintaining the purity and further development of the doctrine, uniform dissemination of the testimony of faith, and establishing church order.
Helge Mutschler, born in 1974 in Tübingen, holds a doctorate in law and was previously active in leadership roles as a lawyer and in the self-administration of tax advisory professions. He received his first ministry assignment in 1994, and in 2015 Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider ordained him as an apostle. He is married and has two children.
With the ordination, the New Apostolic Church begins a new chapter. At the same time, its mission remains the same: to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, prepare believers for the return of Christ, and promote the unity of the church.
Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider led the international church since 2013. His tenure was marked by theological clarification, international cooperation, and efforts to keep the church oriented toward Christ in a changing world. With his retirement, his service as Chief Apostle ends; his bond with the church and its believers remains.
The New Apostolic Church (NAC) is a globally active Christian church based in Switzerland. It has more than nine million believers in around 200 countries worldwide. The NAC consists of legally independent regional churches under the common umbrella of a unified doctrine and collegial leadership bodies. The church is financed through voluntary donations from its members. Its history dates back to the Christian revival movements of the 19th century.
Press Contact: Simon Heiniger Head of Communications +41 43 299 4105 heiniger@naci.org