United Apostolic Church

The member churches of the United Apostolic Church are independent communities in the tradition of the catholic apostolic revival movement which started at the beginning of the 19th century in England and Scotland.

The goal of their faith is the reconciliation of mankind with God and the union with Jesus Christ at his return. They want to spread and promote the Christian faith on the basis of the Holy Scripture.

In 1956 eight apostles who have been excommunicated from the New Apostolic Church on various occasions gathered in Düsseldorf, Germany and founded the "Association of Apostles of the Apostolic Churches" which later became synonym with the "United Apostolic Church". Five more apostles from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and overseas joined the union also in 1956. In fact this association has no own juridical structure and is only an association of the church leaders and not of the churches themselves.

Currently the apostles of nine churches are members of the association:

Since 1994 the Apostolische Gemeinschaft in Germany incorporates also the Reformiert-Apostolischer Gemeindebund of the former German Democratic Republic.

The United Apostolic Churches are currently led by nine apostles:

From 1 June 2007 on Ap. Schaeffer from France is also spiritually responsible for the German congregations in the Saarland, however they still belong to the German organisation. Small congregations in São Paulo, Brazil; Los Angeles, USA and Buenos Aires, Argentina do not exist any more. The Philippine congregations were founded and are administered by the Australian apostles. In London, Great Britain a new congregation of immigrated South Africans has been founded recently. After the sudden death of Apostle Vanathaian of India in 2005 these congregations were closed and the members were asked to join other Christian denominations. From 2010 on the Australian church took over the administrative structure and the remaining people and restarted the mission work. From Australia on also mission work is done on the Philippines, in Pakistan, Kenya, Myanmar and Canada.

The European member churches are very close in theological and organizational matters. There are more or less loose contacts as well as theological differences to the churches in Australia and South Africa.

The history of the denomination starts with a revival movement at the beginning of the 19th century. London banker and member of parliament Henry Drummond. In 1826 he invited about 30 clergymen and laymen for a prophetic conference at Albury Park, to discuss interpretations of prophecies concerning the apocalypse, with prayer and Bible study. This group also contacted Christians in Scotland, where it was reported that people had experienced prophecy, speaking in tongues and miraculous healing. The focus of these revelations was the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

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