Branches
There are currently at least four main divisions of this church in America. In the early 1900s a disagreement arose over the practice of some European customs (Namely, the wearing of a mustache) and the church split into two bodies (from 1901 to 1911). In 1932 a second schism originated from a letter sent by elders in Europe asking for greater adherence to traditional teachings and practices. Those adhering to the request of the letter became known as the German Apostolic Christian Church, while those opposing it became known as the Apostolic Christian Church of America. The Apostolic Christian Church of America did not retain German language preaching. It is a common misconception that German language preaching was a primary issue in the division.
- The German Apostolic Christian Church has several congregations in the United States and Europe. There are something over 100 members in the United States, primarily in Illinois and Oregon.
- The Apostolic Christian Church of America has about 94 congregations in 23 states, including 2 churches in Canada, 4 in Mexico, and 2 in Japan. The Apostolic Christian Church formed from a schism in 1932 from the German Apostolic Christian Church. The total number of members is approximately 13,000. This church has a national Missionary Committee, a World Relief program, a Work Projects program, ten nursing homes for the elderly, a Home for the Handicapped in Morton, Illinois, and a Children's Home in Leo, Indiana.
- The Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) has 50 congregations in the United States, with 2756 members, 14 congregations in Canada with about 850 members, 6 congregations in Australia with roughly 200 members, 16 congregations in Argentina with about 1200 members or so, as well as congregations in Brazil and Mexico. They have mission work in New Guinea, Argentina, and Paraguay. Though the minority of the split, this body remained in fellowship with the European churches. There is also a small congregation of Nazareans in Israel.
- The Nazarene Christian Congregation is the result of a split during World War II which had to do with disagreements in caving to Communist demands in Yugoslavia. This church also split into two sides during the early 2000s. The NCC has churches in Yugoslavia, Australia, US, and Canada, with more members in Yugoslavia than anywhere else. In North America the church has shrunk considerably.
- The Christian Apostolic Church (formed in 1955 from a split with the German Apostolic Christian) church has three churches in Forrest, Illinois; Salem, Oregon; and Sabetha, Kansas with approximately 150 members. Members have retained traditional teaching on divorce and remarriage, birth control, and higher education, whereas the Apostolic Christian Church of America and Apostolic Christian Church (Nazarean) have departed somewhat from earlier practice in these areas.
- The Christian Apostolic Church was the result of a 1955 schism from the German Apostolic Christian Church.
The European bodies have also faced divisions. Although once united throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, there are now two sides. During the 1980s members were pushing for more liberties, which resulted in a vast majority of churches leaving the more conservative congregations. They formed their own branch and adopted the name Evangelische Täufergemeinden. They currently have churches in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France. The small fraction that stayed call themselves Gemeinde Evangelische Taufgesinnter (Nazarener) with churches in Germany and Austria and about 400 members. The latter maintain strong ties with the rest of the Nazarene congregations. There are also three congregations of German Apostolic Christians in Germany, and one in the Emmenthal in Switzerland.
The remainder of Europe is made up of independent congregations in communion:
- Nazarenes - in Sweden, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia
- In Hungary their official name is Krisztusban Hívő Nazarénusok Gyülekezete (Congregation of Nazarenes Believing in Christ)
Read more about this topic: Apostolic Christian Church
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