If you grew up in the New Apostolic Church or in any other apostate religion as I did, if you have observed the bland and salt-less teaching in these rebellious churches, if you have watched moral decline of the culture around you and have felt helpless to affect any change, then this article is for you.
After serving for two years as a young priest in the NAC, I had just been placed on leave from my ministry for, paradoxically, teaching the 31st chapter of Proverbs to the confirmation class that I taught. When I was confronted on this by the bishop, I defended the Scriptures instead of humbly submitting to his authority, a move that earned me ostracizing from the church leadership. Instinctively, I knew that the NAC leadership was wrong to place their authority above that of the Bible, but I still at that time had a long-held emotional attachment to the NAC.
Still, with the knowledge that I had gained through independent study of the Scriptures, I felt a growing urge to help save souls from hell by the preaching of the Good News. I decided one day to go to a local abortion clinic to plead with young moms and dads to refrain from murdering their unborn children.
On Saturday August 2, 2003, I joined a group of protesters at an abortion clinic here in Charlotte North Carolina. I had not signed up for or joined any Christian organization, but simply knew that a group of Christians were going to be there at the clinic and decided that my presence would be useful. While my wife stayed home with the children and worried about the possibility of my getting arrested, I went at 8:00 AM and we stayed until noon.
There were about 3 dozen protesters, and they were people of good faith, intent on making a stand against this evil of murdering pre-born children. It was very refreshing and almost exciting to see these very outgoing people of faith do their work as they rushed up to cars that were turning into the abortion clinic to plead with the women that would have these abortions.
The group there had materials such as informational pamphlets on adoption agencies and names and phone numbers of doctors that would help young mothers free of charge.
There were also tense moments as the police, an ever looming threat to the endeavor it seemed, intervened when the traffic started to back up. "You can't stop traffic," they said in a menacing tone.
Somebody there, sensing I felt awkward and that I needed a job to do, handed me a large sign that had a picture of an adorable baby that said, "Choose Life." Occasionally, I attempted to speak with those walking into the abortion clinic from across the "yellow line," which marked the property line that was not to be crossed. Couple after couple, woman after woman, walked from their car into the clinic while Christians stood just on the other side of the property line pleading with them not to kill their children. Some of the Christians there seemed much more skilled and experience at pricking their consciences by exclaiming to the fathers, "You are a father right now! A real father would not kill his own child! Your place in hell is assured unless you come to repentance through Jesus Christ!"
The clinic had hired a security guard to escort the clinic's patrons from their cars to the clinic to make them feel "safe" from the "menacing, bible thumping protesters," whom the Christians had dubbed “the death-scort.” This guard, after a lot of heckling from one of the protesters, seemed to have his conscience pricked somewhat. He later revealed to me that he was a father of 4 children, and another standing by exclaimed, "well you will have to explain to them why their father assisted a slaughter house just for a few extra bucks. A real father would not provide for his children by helping to murder other children. How are you going to explain that to your children? 'My father, the murderer, they'll say.'"
The situation got a bit tense, yet there was a resounding peace in my heart because I was, for the first time in my life, surrounded by people who were actually living their faith and taking a firm stand against wickedness. I had hardly ever experienced such a thing in the New Apostolic Church.
Then there was a young man who had taken his wife or girl friend into the clinic who, upon shortly thereafter exiting the clinic, judging by the expression on his face, had a difficult time with this in his own soul. While observing him, I noticed that, to evade what his conscience was telling him, looking woefully at the ground, he looked up, shook his head and chuckled only to be quickly rebuked by one of the more outspoken protesters with "you know it is not a laughing matter to murder a child! Don't laugh! You are murdering your own child! A REAL man doesn't shirk his responsibilities. If you you want to be a REAL man, then go in there and stop what is about to happen before it is too late!"
I remember feeling at the time that there must be a better way to reach people with kindness and love instead of damnation. As time went on however, I realized that only the pure truth would ever change a person’s heart. If that person was on their way to hell because of their wickedness, then over time it became very apparent only by reminding them of this fact would they change their minds and leave without murdering their children. Telling the truth is always the most loving act of kindness.
For the most part however, the Christians, with just a few outspoken exceptions, remained silent, held their signs and prayed. A very faithful middle aged man, a gentle guy, named Paul was speaking with me when a car pulled into the clinic and was stopped by one of the more "in your face" protesters telling all about how the clinic was going to lie to them and kill their child just to get their money. I got a glimpse of an apparently very tender-hearted Paul as he put his hand on my shoulder, squeezed his eyes shut and started praying for the car to just turn around and go away. As he started calling upon Jesus Christ and God in a very zealous but quiet way, I was moved to feel that his zealousness was not an act. His faithfulness was both humbling and inspiring.
It was interesting to see all of this unfold, but I realized that simply standing there and holding a sign is going to do very little to change hearts. People have to be confronted on a very personal level and in a very loving way in order to make them look inside themselves and make a change. This confrontation is, as you can imagine, somewhat risky, as some people react very angrily. Others however were more tender-hearted and changed their minds upon seeing the Christians taking a stand and hearing their preaching.
I remember seeing a few couples driving their cars slowly by looking at the Christians with their signs and then looking at the clinic, and then drive by a second time not to be seen again. I prayed that they decided to call the whole abortion procedure off instead of simply returning another day. I remember praying that our presence there pricked some consciences and saved the life of at least one child.
But if the life of one child was saved – the life of one precious child made in the image of our Father in Heaven – would that not be worth the effort and much more?
I met some very faithful people, which was very nice. Even those who were Catholic were there holding their beads and singing hymns. There were people from many different Christian denominations.
People also brought their own very young children to the protest -- something that at the time I would have been uncomfortable doing only because of the graphic signs the protesters were holding. One of the rather large signs held by a protester showed a very graphic picture of a dismembered baby that had just been murdered. It was an image that was very disturbing. Explaining that to a 3 year old would have been difficult at the time for me. All in all however, it was a wholesome, comfortable, loving group of Christians people, one in which children would be right at home despite what was going on just a few yards away, despite the fact that this would be, in a sense, a battle ground.
At the time, I had no idea what other New Apostolics would think of doing such a thing but could think of no reason why they should object. It was not exactly an activity that is historically becoming a New Apostolic Christian -- at least not that I am familiar with. Regardless, wouldn't it be edifying for the youth and even our congregations to experience something like this? I remember thinking that it seemed to me it would likely be an eye-opener. It would definitely take our faith from the spectator stands and more into the arena.
Soon, I would find out exactly what New Apostolics would think of such a thing. Life in the New Apostolic Church turned very ugly very quickly.
Unable to contain the joy that I had felt by seeing people change their minds and decide not to murder their unborn children, I remember the very next day telling others at the NAC what I had experienced. They saw the enthusiasm in my eyes as I explained the previous day, and some seemed genuinely inspired. Others however seemed disgusted.
Word of this soon reached Apostle Karl Hoffman, and little did I know the venom with which he was to attack this “trouble-making” young priest. The man that I had known as gentle and kind was about to be exposed as the serpent himself.
Just after the next “apostle service,” Apostles Karl Hoffman and Reinhardt Hecht summoned me into the sacristy.
As soon as we entered the sacristy, Hoffman turned to me and abruptly pointed his finger at me. Hoffman informed me that my activities with “marching and picketing and holding up signs at abortion clinics” were wrong and that I should stop doing it. Furthermore, he said, "If you are going to do that, then why don't you go picket Enron executives because the fraud they committed has hurt so many people."
My reply was, "Sure! Let's go!"
He then said, "well... were not going to do that." His next gesture communicated, "GET REAL, TIM."
Furthermore, he informed me that I was not to try to recruit any of the members in the New Apostolic Church to accompany me to the abortion mills. Hoffman said, "When Jesus returns and establishes his kingdom on this earth, referring to the 1000 year kingdom of peace, "He will put all of that right. We do not have to get mixed up with these earthly matters right now. You only need to concern yourself with helping along with this work."
Hoffman then asked, "How long have you been with us, Tim?"
"31 years."
In an exasperated tone, Hoffman looked over at Hecht and then back at me and said, "31 years. SHIT. And you haven't learned anything!"
I replied, "Well I would like to ask you some questions..."
Hoffman interrupted by referring to the purpose of the church’s hierarchy and saying, "I don't want to answer YOUR questions.”
Hoffman then walked out of the room, and I cornered Hecht (Hecht answered to Hoffman) and compelled him to answer some of my questions. "What if I told you that one woman was helped by our presence at the abortion mill. What if just one woman decided not to kill her child? Now, what if I told you that five women have been helped, or ten? Would that make this work at the abortion clinics worthwhile in your mind?"
Hecht's reply was, "Tim, you are so far off base. You need psychological help. You have multiple personalities. Get help." Furthermore, he then lamented to me, "My greatest fear is that you have taught my children! What evil seeds have you planted in their heads? That scares the HELL out of me!"
I then turned around and picked up a Bible from the shelf. "My greatest concern is to understand God's will, and to do His work."
"Don’t read the Bible to me, Tim! You take it out of context. You pick it apart!" Hecht said.
"I DO pick it apart! I want to understand it! I want to learn it! I want to understand the full context!"
Hecht then said, "You know, Tim, the greatest concern that I have is the fact you taught my children Sunday School."
"Speaking of which, do you know when it first dawned on me that this church could be a false doctrine? It was when I was rebuked so harshly for teaching the children about the 31st chapter of Proverbs."
"I know that! That rebuke came from me!"
I replied, "Do you realize that you impugn the Word of God?"
In frustration and anger, Hecht then turned and walked out of the room.
Notice how he attacked my character by implying that I was psychologically unhealthy. I am sure that this will be his justification to the other ministers going forward. "Tim needs psychological help," therefore anything he says is wrong. A typical weapon in the enemy’s arsenal: the ad hominem fallacy.
The typical New Apostolic Christian has not read the Bible let alone made a daily habit of reading the scriptures. The New Apostolic Christian believes that the words of the Apostles is the inerrant word of God and furthermore believes that the Bible can be in error especially when the Apostles teach something different than what is found in the Bible. As yet more evidence of this, understand that any New Apostolic Christian who brings his Bible to the services is frowned upon. The New Apostolic Apostles claim that, because the Holy Spirit is required to understand the true meaning and intention of the Bible, only THEY, as Apostles (I Corinthians 2), are equipped to interpret it correctly.
However, if the Apostles claim to dispense the Holy Spirit with their own hands, and if the Holy Spirit is required to correctly understand the Bible, do they not impugn the work of their own hands by claiming sole ability to, by the Holy Spirit, understand the scriptures? What about the Holy Spirit that they gave to other souls through their own hands? Why is that not a sufficient measure of the Holy Spirit to understand the scriptures? This, in my mind, was yet more evidence of the apostasy of these “apostles.”
Is this what Paul meant when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:13-14? "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
I called the rector of the congregation that evening and informed him that my family would no longer be participating in any congregational activities. I was now scared to set foot in the New Apostolic Church believing it to be Satan's house of deception keeping its members from God's word in the Holy Bible.
Are these the Nicolaitans mentioned in Revelation 2:6, 15?
My greatest regret is that I did not have the presence of mind to bring witnesses with me to this conversation, which is apparently the way they wanted it. It all happened so quickly. However, I suppose that anybody that follows in my footsteps will be met with the same treatment.
I gave much of my time to prayer and fasting. This was indeed a difficult time for my family and me. We felt like we were losing our family. I suppose this is what Jesus meant in Luke 12:51 and Matthew 10:34-42.
With time, it became abundantly clear that the New Apostolic Church has no interest in righteousness or in saving souls for the flames of hell. The NAC was interested only in loyalty to its hierarchy, a hierarchy that they claim is a source of blessing for them, but sadly, without the truth from Scriptures and without righteousness as defined by our Creator, the NAC is nothing but a beastly deception ensnaring souls into the flames of hell.
If you are in the NAC or in any other religious order that in any way impugns any part of the Scriptures, then I implore you with tears to run for your very lives! Trust that the true prophets of Yah have left us a testimony and an example of how to live righteously on this earth today. Trust that Yahshua our Messiah died to be a propitiation for our sins. Believe that he also arose from the dead. Believe in Yahshua and keep His commandments in order that you might be saved from the coming wrath. Do not trust in men nor fear them; trust and fear only Yah.
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