Kitchener Waterloo Record August 6, 1977

NEW APOSTOLIC FAITH Copyright The Waterloo Region Record

Reprinted with Permission

Church teaches God speaks

through carpet company 'head
When Michael Kraus ap-
pears behind the altar, a huge
The mooey is usually gIVen
in cash. Kraus says he is
Church history describes .t
this way:
light God H~ 01,11 It",,~
dod yoo will Wither ••
"'"
singly n$ponslble for church
metal sun behind him lights
up, the organ starts to play funds.
"nu':~11 came the year 1900... •
the cluel apostle lell III ... On It I::. the end of dnot.her
and the cohgregarion stands When asked how il was used, July 6, 1900, lIle Lonl called An angry M!chael
'3eJVI<,e.
and sings. Kraus said: "That's none of him away before the prormsed Kraus stands behllld the
Kraus, dressed In black and your business." He said be goal was reached.(We) are- allar.
white, stares benevolently at sends a monthly audited stale- firmly convinced the chief His VOI4:e lakes on a sharp
his flock in the New Apostolic ment Lo the head of the church apusrle had spoken the truth. edge, he Slabs his fingers in
Church and sings along. in SwJtzerJand.. "The ways of U1e Lon! are the air to emphasize hiS
He is their self-professed The New Apostolic QlUrch right, even If we do not words.
"autocratic ruler. U started in England around undeTSland them." A baby had cried earl••r.
When Michael Kraus speaks, 1832. • < 'l11.e mother had qUickly taken
Ihey listen, They need Michael Early rnembers set up a I1le congregation, silting on it oUl, but nut before KraWt
Kraus: and his officials in the ~trir.Uy ordered hierarchy. Al heard Ihe cry.
padded pews in the red..carpel-
church if they want to become- the top was a chief aposlle, a f!d church, IS lislelliilg 10 "If a child i~ sick, doft'l
kings and priests 111 G(KI's .supreme ruler ('hosen by God, Erwin Wagner. Kraus's apost· bring him info the ~er­
beavenly kingdom. He lIlen chose helpers - called le and business partner. taU, vice. They shoulll he in Ihl;:
Church doctrine says God dist riel apostles and &postJes. ahout lack of faith. mother':; room. rhi~ pjace J~
speal<s through Michael TIlere are 55 belpers in the In the back, in a gtasse<.l~in huly, ..
Kraus, a district apostle, and world today. Michael Kraus roorn, sit about 2t1 mothers
his helpers, the aposlles. bt.'"Came a dl:Hncl apostle in Tht: place i::. quiet. dliJd.t"cll
with their wading babies. Tht.~ are told to ~il ~t1"ajghl and
The 69-year·old Waterloo 1958 and ha;; a number of cries are mut~d in the
carpet maker gives hl~ foHow· apo~Ues \\4)t.i<;jng under him. bt~hU\.'e c.llld thL.on au itfJmml~
"mother's room," It 15 il bUSy 11 at 1011 bl'olher says ol1n~
ers a basic message. 1 hey Church doctrine says that place where lIlothers jlace
mu.",t have- ~.hildlike faith. only lhese apostles are able 10 dgain huw grateful they nit
bacll and If/rlit with theit' chil.
His words, marked by ~n udmitJister the church's three w~re to hav~ Kmm,. the
dren.
.aI.XCul (ift. <:ame to CdtUaUU whidl •.iIe meUl-
~t.:,'tlnu::.nt~
Erwin Wagner is telling O,,:,lllC[ a!'(J:jue. lIt:re.
from Romania 40 years ago), ber'S passports to heaven. these mothers and others In T~ mun ask~ lne £.1Jf1gre-ti:'·
Kraus tells lhem about New III 1951 lhe New Apostolic the church they mt1::iL not (fUll if they are 10 favor of him
Apostolic missionaries in chief apostle in Gel111any pr()~ doubt, that tbey must foHow pulling his hand on Krdus';:,
Kenya who recently gaU1ered claimed God had told him be the aposlles 1f they want LO hand to give thanks.
8.357 people inlo 'he world- would return during his life- become kiogs and priests. As one, lIley stand up and
Wide New Apostolic fold. The time, but the mau died ill 1960. "To light the ap""i.les is to re:,oundingly say "ye;.H
unqueslioning faith of these
"heathens" is a lesson 10 them
all, he says.
"They are not cluttered with
civilization... with CUlture.
They \isten when the man of
God comes .. They don't ask
where Christ was born or Why.
They just say there i~
Christ."
The people in this $2-millron,
1,200-seat church OD Margaret
Avenue are a small part of
Michael Kraus's flock of about
160,000 people in more thaD JO
countries.
Kraus. who it. revered and
followed without doubt,
worked 1us way steadily up the
hierarchial ladder of the New
Apostolic Chw'Ch after joimng
a congregatIon in Waterloo
around 1931.
Sitting in the large office at
Kraus Carpel Mills, Waterloo.
which he uses for both church
and other busmess. Kraus
proudly talks ahout the 200
North American churches he
has built "'with cash."
Asked how, he smiles and
tiays; "00 you want to know
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