The Apostolic church (The member of Assemblies of God)

The Apostolic Church (AC) in the Czech Republic belongs to Evangelic churches. It ranks among Pentecostal churches which are associated in the Pentecostal World Conference, and is a member of the Pentecostal European Fellowship.

The first Pentecostal congregation in Czechoslovakia emerged in North Moravia before 1910. A group of Christians of different denominations started to meet in order to study God's word and to pray for the empowering to spiritual work and God baptised them in the Holy Spirit. They received a gift of speaking languages. Soon other groups came to being in Brno, in Prague and in other places and in 1910 they were registered under the name The Union of Resolved Pentecostal Christians. During the Nazi occupation their activity was forbidden and after 1948 the Unions were abolished. Though the brothers tried to integrate in some church communities and applied for establishing their own church, they were not allowed until 1977. The AC was legalised only in 1989.

In the doctrine and practice of the AC the Holy Spirit, the baptism by the Holy Spirit and an active role of the Holy Spirit in the life of an individual and of the church are emphasised apart from traditional axioms of Christian theology.

Principally, the AC has two main rites: the baptism by immersion into water and the Lord's Supper.

The AC is administered in a Congregational-Presbyterian way. The basic unit of this church is a congregation, which is administered by the Elders. The church itself is a union of separate congregations with their stations and diasporas. Head of the church is a Bishop.

The church has established the Missionary and Theological College in Kolín (Central Bohemia), which provides instruction to ministers of the AC.

The church has its publishing house Křesťanský život (The Christian Life) and it issues the magazine Život v Kristu (The Life in Christ).

Further activities of the AC:

• Foundation Nehemia - gathering finances, clothing, and foods and delivering them to people in need.
• The Society AC Teen Challenge - works among alcoholics and drug-addicts.
• Royal Rangers - works among children and young people.
• The Diaconia - deals with homeless people the old and the sick
• The ICI University - the correspondence form of Christian education, several levels, starting from the elementary education up to the Baccalaureate.
• The missionary society Život (Life)
• The Women's Section addresses women in as well as outside the church.

The AC has 7040 members on the territory of the Czech Republic, including children and applicants in 41 congregations and 43 preaching stations.

Adresses

Apoštolská církev (The Apostolic Church)
V Zídkách 402
280 02 Kolín 2
Czech republic

tel: +420 321 72 04 57, 72 76 58
fax: +420 321 72 76 68
e-mail: ustredi.kolin@apostolskacirkev.cz

Rada Apoštolské církve (The Council of the Apostolic Church)
Pod Červenkami 504
735 43 Albrechtice
Czech republic

tel/fax: +420 558 742 322
e-mail: acrc@volny.cz