New Apostolic Reformation

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a title used to describe a movement which seeks to establish a fifth house within Christendom, distinct from Catholicism, Protestantism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Eastern Orthodoxy. The movement is largely associated with the Pentecostal and the Charismatic movements and advocates the restoration of the lost offices of church governance, namely the offices of prophet and apostle.[1] Inspired by the G12 movement, it grows by recruiting pastors of independent congregations and nondenominational churches, by assimilating members from other churches through cell group meetings, and by frequent Church planting and rapid expansion, including foreign missions around the globe.

Beliefs

The New Apostolic Reformation is a title originally used by C. Peter Wagner to describe a movement within Pentecostal and charismatic churches. The title New Apostolic Reformation is descriptive of a theological movement and is not an organization and therefore does not have formal membership. Among those in the movement that inspired the title NAR, there is a wide range of variance on specific beliefs. Those within the movement hold to their denominational interpretations of the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit within each believer. Unlike some parts of Protestant Christianity, these include the direct revelation of Christ to each believer, prophecy, and the performance of miracles such as healing. This movement has also been given the descriptive title "Third Wave of the Holy Spirit".[2]

Although the movement regards the church as the true body of saved believers, as does most of evangelical Protestantism, it differs from the broader Protestant tradition in its view on the nature of church leadership, specifically the doctrine of Five-Fold Ministry, which is based upon a non-traditional interpretation of Ephesians 4:11. C. Peter Wagner wrote that most of the churches in this movement have active ministries of spiritual warfare.[3] As an example of this warfare he claimed that God acted through him to end mad-cow disease in Germany. In an article responding to criticism of the NAR, Wagner noted that those who affiliate themselves with the movement believe the Apostles’ Creed and all the orthodoxy of Christian doctrine, so that the movement is therefore not heretical.

Wagner has listed the differences between the NAR and traditional Protestantism as follows:[1]

  • Apostolic governance – The Apostle Paul's assertion that Jesus appoints apostles within his church continues to this day.
  • The office of the prophet – There is within the church a role and function for present-day prophets.
  • Dominionism – "When Jesus came, He brought the kingdom of God and He expects His kingdom-minded people to take whatever action is needed to push back the long-standing kingdom of Satan and bring the peace and prosperity of His kingdom here on earth."[2]
  • Theocracy – Not to be confused with theocratic government but rather the goal to have "kingdom-minded people" in all areas of society. There are seven areas identified specifically: religion, family, education, government, media, arts & entertainment, and business.[1]
  • Extra-biblical revelation – There is available to all believers the ability to hear from God. "The one major rule governing any new revelation from God is that it cannot contradict what has already been written in the Bible. It may supplement it, however."
  • Supernatural signs and wonders – Signs and wonders such as healing, demonic deliverance, and confirmed prophecies accompany the move of God.
  • Relational structures – church governance has no formal structure but rather is by relational and voluntary alignment to apostles.[4]

History

The term "New Apostolic Reformation" traces its historical roots to late-twentieth-century American charismatic churches, and the earliest use of the moniker was by C. Peter Wagner,[1] which unintentionally prompted journalists to perceive him as spiritual god-father of the movement.[5]

Though few, if any, organizations publicly espouse connection to the NAR, there are several individuals often associated with this movement including:

  • Lou Engle, founder of The Call[6]
  • Bill Johnson, head pastor of Bethel Church "critics believe Bethel to be instrumental in leading some Christians to embrace tenets of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement known for dominion theology and a belief in the continuing ministries of apostles and prophets alongside those of evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Bill Johnson is regularly listed as an NAR leader. He believes in the apostolic and prophetic ministries, but says the church does not have any official ties to the NAR."[7]
  • Rick Joyner, founder of MorningStar Ministries -"there will likewise be a horde of false apostles released. Our team received two very specific dreams warning about false 'apostolic movements' that were built more on organization than relationship. The dreams indicated that these were trying to bring forth apostles that were really more like corporate CEOs, and the movement that they led had the potential to do great damage to the church. The enemy's intent with this false apostolic movement was to have the church develop a deep revulsion to anything that was called apostolic."[8]
  • John P. Kelly, founder of John P. Kelly Ministries and Convening Apostle
  • Joseph Prince, current Senior Pastor of New Creation Church, Singapore[9]
  • C. Peter Wagner, founder of Global Harvest Ministries[1]
  • Che Ahn, Harvest International Ministries[10]
  • Mike Bickle, founder of International House of Prayer (IHOP), Kansas City, Missouri[10]
  • Todd White, Lifestyle Christianity[10]
  • Randy Clark, Global Awakening[10]

Wagner considers 2001 the beginning of the second apostolic age, for the movement holds that the lost offices of prophet and apostle were restored in that year.[11]

Controversy

Forrest Wilder, an environmental-issues writer for the Texas Observer, describes the New Apostolic Reformation as having "taken Pentecostalism, with its emphasis on ecstatic worship and the supernatural, and given it an adrenaline shot."[2] Wilder adds that beliefs of people associated with the movement "can tend toward the bizarre" and that it has "taken biblical literalism to an extreme."

Al Jazeera called the NAR "America's Own Taliban" in an article highlighting NAR's dominionism as bearing resemblance to Islamic extremism as seen in groups such as the Taliban because of the NAR's language concerning spiritual warfare.[12]

National Public Radio brought the discussion about the political influence of the NAR to a national audience with a 2011 article. Lou Engle and Don Finto, who are considered to be leaders within the NAR, participated in a prayer event called "The Response," hosted by 2012 presidential nominee Rick Perry, on August 6, 2011, in Houston, Texas. This event is cited as a sign of the influence of NAR beliefs on Rick Perry's political viewpoints.[2][13] Other politicians that have been cited as supposedly having connections to the NAR are Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Sam Brownback,[2] and Ted Cruz.[14]

See also

Further reading

  • Churchquake: The Explosive Dynamics of the New Apostolic Revolution ISBN 0-8307-1918-0
  • The New Apostolic Churches ISBN 0-8307-2136-3
  • The Apostolic Revelation – The Reformation of the Church ISBN 0-646-41849-1
  • God's Super-Apostles: Encountering the Worldwide Prophets and Apostles Movement ISBN 1-941-33708-2
  • A New Apostolic Reformation?: A Biblical Response to a Worldwide Movement ISBN 1-941-33703-1

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Wagner, Peter (24 Aug 2011). "The New Apostolic Reformation Is Not a Cult". Charisma News. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wilder, Forrest (2 August 2011). "Rick Perry's Army of God". Texas Observer. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  3. ↑ Wagner, Peter (2000). "Renewal Journal #15, The New Apostolic Reformation". Renewal Journal. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Wilder, Forrest (12 August 2011). "As Texas Gov. Rick Perry Enters GOP Race, New Exposé Reveals His Close Ties to Radical Evangelicals". Democracy Now. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  5. ↑ C Peter Wagner, The New Apostolic Churches (Ventura CA; Regal, 1998), p. 18.
  6. ↑ Tabachnick, Rachel (19 August 2011). "The Evangelicals Engaged In Spiritual Warfare". National Public Radio. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  7. ↑ http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/may/cover-story-inside-popular-controversial-bethel-church.html?TB_iframe=true&width=369.9&height=657.9&start=2
  8. ↑ https://www.morningstarministries.org/resources/prophetic-bulletins/2000/revolution#.WWmOqITytEY
  9. ↑ "The Hypergrace of Joseph Prince: A Review of 'Destined to Reign' - The Gospel Coalition | Australia". The Gospel Coalition | Australia. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Kozar, Steven (9 February 2016). "The New Apostolic Reformation Cornucopia of False Doctrine, Dominionism, Charismania and Deception". Pirate Christian Radio. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  11. ↑ The "New Apostolic" church movement – Let Us Reason Ministries – (C. Peter Wagner Arise Prophetic Conference Gateway Church San Jose, CA 10/10/2004) Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  12. ↑ Rosenberg, Paul (28 July 2011). "America's Own Taliban". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Posner, Sarah (15 Jul 2011). "Rick Perry and the New Apostolic Reformation". Religion Dispatches. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  14. ↑ Kuns, Karoli (2013-07-23). "Rafael Cruz Declares Son Ted Cruz 'The Anointed One'". Crooks and Liars. Retrieved 2017-10-17. Rafael Cruz has some deep connections to the current movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation.
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