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Part 1: 1889 - 1928
Part 2: 1928 - 1970
Part 3: 1970 - 2002

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PART 2

Consolidation and Growth: 1928-1940 As a result of Apostle Schlaphoff's death, his son was commissioned to take over the leadership of the church in Southern Africa. Heinrich Franz Schlaphoff was ordained as an Apostle on 5 December 1928, who immediately set about to consolidate the various congregations. Under his guidance an era of expansion commenced as well and he also gave permission for the building of the first church in Pretoria, indeed, the first in the Transvaal. Pretoria Central congregation as it came to be known, with a seating capacity of 1 000, was built by the members, and to the joy of all those who contributed was inaugurated by the Apostle on 2 November 1930.

As a result of continuous missionary work, a total of 70 congregations were established throughout Southern Africa by 1931. Apostle H.F. Schlaphoff was also appointed as Assistant Chief Apostle for the Southern Hemisphere in 1933. After six years, he had been entrusted with the Lord's Work over a vast area:

Mention should also be made of Deacon George Henwood Mkandawire (known as George Henwood). After joining the church in Cape Town, he went to reside in Livingstone in 1928, then the capital of Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). George Henwood was instrumental in establishing the Lord's Work in Central Africa, and during a visit of Apostle H.F. Schlaphoff and Bishop Kreunen in 1932, the first church building was acquired in Maramba, a suburb of Livingstone. It was also here where the first sealing service was conducted in Central Africa, that was to kindle a fire throughout Zambia and as a result, far beyond its borders as well. George Henwood was eventually to be ordained as an Apostle in 1954.

The Second World War: 1939-1945
In 1939, the year of the outbreak of the Second World War, the New Apostolic Church in South Africa became a recognised body. It was the same year in which Apostle H.F. Schlaphoff undertook his second journey to South America. This was the time when he served as Assistant Chief Apostle, due to Chief Apostle Bischoff's isolation in Germany. In his effort to bring care and comfort to God's people, he encountered much suspicion from the authorities and was often in danger of losing his life due to his German citizenship. Through the difficult war years, despite the severe hindrances, he continued to fortify, encourage and strengthen God's people. By the end of the war in 1945, the number of congregations in Southern Africa itself had grown to 145, and the Work was also established in Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi).

Development: 1946-1954
In the post-war years, the Work of God continued to develop, and Apostle H.F. Schlaphoff received further assistance with the ordination of Otto Wucherpfennig, on 19 January 1947, and Danie Malan, on 6 November 1949, into the Apostle ministry. Unfortunately, Otto Wucherpfennig only served as an Apostle for a year, as he passed away in South West Africa (now Namibia) on 3 March 1948. The much-loved Apostle de Vries, who showed much concern for the poorer people of Cape Town, passed away on 29 March 1952. In May of the same year, Bishop P.J. Erasmus was called to the Apostle ministry, being appointed to take care of God's people in the Johannesburg area.

In the wake of the Second World War, on Christmas Day 1951, Chief Apostle Bischoff announced that the Lord would return to fetch His bride during his lifetime. As a result, Apostles Malan and Erasmus resigned from their ministry and left the Church, going their separate ways.

An exhausted Apostle H.F. Schlaphoff withdrew from the Apostle ministry in 1954, and attended divine services in Claremont until his death on 20 November 1965. At the invitation of Apostle Schlaphoff, Chief Apostle Bischoff called on District Apostle Arno Abicht to lead God's people in Southern Africa.

District Apostle Arno Abicht was born on 23 December 1901, in Kassel, located in the eastern parts of Germany. At the age of 22, together with his older brother Otto, he emigrated to Argentina. There under difficult circumstances they endeavoured to establish and nurture congregations. In April 1937 he was sent to Australia. En route he disembarked temporarily at Cape Town, where, for the first time, he was introduced to the Lord's Work in South Africa. He was called to the Apostle ministry on 20 April 1947, and was given the responsibility to care for South America, and in 1954, also Southern Africa.

In Southern Africa District Apostle Abicht found the customs vastly different to what he had experienced in South America and Australia. In addition, great distances separated the various Apostle areas. For example, congregations in Rhodesia, the furthest point from Cape Town, was over 3 000 km away. Help was at hand, however, and Bishop J.R. Bell (Eastern Cape), Bishop H.H. Fernandes and District Elder Henwood (Rhodesia), Evangelist Karl Gut (Cape), and Bishop A. Boer (Johannesburg) were called to the Apostle ministry in 1954 to assist in the nurturing of God's Work.

	It was also on 12 September 1954, that the pioneer of God's Work in Pretoria, the Bishop J.R. Kreunen, by then 74 years old, was ordained into the Apostle ministry. He had already worked faithfully for 43 years in Pretoria and as Bishop was commissioned to care for Natal and the Rhodesias (Zambia and Zimbabwe). Several months later, during a divine service on 19 October 1955 in Frankfurt, Germany, Apostles J.R. Kreunen and H.H. Fernandes were ordained into the District Apostle ministry. This was in order to facilitate the re-organisation of the vast District of Southern Africa. The District of Southern Africa was divided on 10 November 1955 as follows:
	District Apostle J.R. Kreunen: Transvaal, Orange Free State, Natal and Eastern Cape District Apostle Arno Abicht: Remained responsible for the Cape and South West Africa (Namibia) District Apostle H.H. Fernandes: Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi)
	District Apostle Kreunen set up office in Pretoria and Johannesburg. On 12 October 1958, he ordained the first Apostle for our Zulu-speaking members, namely Apostle S.M. Bhulana. Apostle Bhulana was at first also responsible for our Xhosa members in the Eastern Cape. It was eventually on 1 November 1978, that Wilkin Ntiso Jonas was ordained as Apostle by Chief Apostle Streckeisen during a service in the Feathermarket Hall in Port Elizabeth. Apostle Jonas took over the Work in the Eastern Cape, Ciskei and Transkei from Apostle Bhulana, who resided in Johannesburg at the time.

The First Chief Apostle Visit: 1965

It was in 1965 that the children of God in South Africa experienced a tremendous blessing, for it was the first time a Chief Apostle came to visit this part of the New Apostolic world. Chief Apostle Schmidt conducted a divine service in the Wembley Ice Rink in Johannesburg on 11 April. During the service, he ordained A.G. Budden as District Apostle for the Pretoria District. This meant that for a few months two District Apostles were active for this region, until District Apostle Kreunen at the ripe old age of 85, was retired on 17 October 1965.

The Chief Apostle then continued his visit by inaugurating Katlehong Church on the afternoon of 11 April, and conducted another service in Port Elizabeth on 14 April in the Exhibition Hall.

Development: 1965-1970
After District Apostle Budden received his commission, he proceeded to organise the work into sub-districts and ordained various ministries to assist him. Apostles Bell and Bhulana, as well as Bishops W. Bossert, G. Lawrence and C. Must were his immediate helpers. Despite a severe depression during these years, the Work continued to develop steadily and further congregations were established in rural towns and in and around most of the cities.

The government policy at the time known as 'apartheid' ('separation', 'being apart') also affected the Work in various ways. For example, since the late 1920's, a coloured congregation had been growing in Marabastad, west of Pretoria. The congregation grew under difficult circumstances whilst being forced to hold services in small houses, served by priestly ministries from Pretoria Central. During the 1960's the Eersterust area east of Pretoria was proclaimed a coloured area and all the families of Marabastad had to move to Eersterust. A building site was eventually purchased there, and in 1967 District Apostle Budden inaugurated the Eersterust Church to the joy of the congregation.

Since the administration of the District expanded beyond the capacity of the existing premises in Johannesburg, District Apostle Budden had to negotiate the construction of an office building in Jules Street, Johannesburg. This building was dedicated on 9 August 1970.

Part 3: 1970 - 2002