The NAR, which stands for the New Apostolic
Reformation, is a collection of non-denominational and independent churches
rallying around a particular set of false biblical interpretations.
Popular teachers associated with the New
Apostolic Reformation include C. Peter Wagner,
co-founder of the World Prayer Center at New Life Church, Rick Joyner of the MorningStar Fellowship Church in
Charlotte, North Carolina, Bill Johnson of the Bethel Church in Redding, California, Che Ahn, of the Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California, Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer in
Kansas City, Missouri, Chuck Pierce of the Glory of Zion Church in Denton,
Texas and prophets Lou Engle, Bill Hamon and Kim
Clement, to name a few.
NAR churches can be found across the United
States, in virtually every large city and small town.
According to the New Apostolic Reformation,
God began to restore prophets and apostles over the last thirty to forty years.
The idea is that when the church is properly guided by the appropriate
spiritual leaders, it can fulfill its commission. This commission is seen as
more than spiritual, as it includes cultural and political control.
The New Apostolic Reformation teaches that
God’s intended form of church government is that the apostles and prophets are
the ones who hold leadership over evangelists, pastors, and teachers. It is
also being upheld very strictly that all churches and individuals who have the
privilege over being overseen by an apostle, must make sure to tithe to their
apostle, thus enabling the apostle to continue his ministry. Being part of the
NAR includes a required commitment to tithe to its leaders, a minimum of ten
percent of all their monetary income. This is also why they are always
promoting their various business networks for Christian businessmen, making
business a spiritual work, so all in
their business networks also tithes to their leaders.
In the New Apostolic Reformation, apostles
are seen as the highest of all spiritual leaders, being specially empowered by
God. True maturity and unity is only found in those who submit to the
leadership of their apostles. According to this teaching, as the church unifies
behind the apostles, these leaders will develop greater and greater
supernatural powers. Eventually, this will include the ability to perform mass
healing's and suspend the laws of physics. These signs are meant to encourage a
massive wave of converts to Christianity. These apostles are also destined to
be recipients of the so-called Great Wealth Transfer (in the End Times), which
will enable the church to establish God’s kingdom on earth. (See our teaching
on the “Great Wealth Transfer” http://instituteoflove.net/?s=wealth+transfer)
Prophets in the New Apostolic Reformation are
almost as important as apostles. These prophets have been empowered to receive
“new” revelations from God that will help the church in establishing dominion.
According to the New Apostolic Reformation, only prophets, and occasionally
apostles, can obtain new revelations. Evangelists, pastors, and teachers
cannot. The prophets’ new revelations are crucial to overcoming the world, and
the success of the church depends on the apostles following through on the
information prophets provide. Most of their prophecies are extremely vague and
easy to re-interpret, and the New Apostolic Reformation is willing to modify
them, since they set no standard of infallibility for themselves.
The thinking behind the New Apostolic
Reformation is that, mankind lost its dominion that God has given them over the
earth as part of the fall of Adam and Eve. And now, because of Jesus’ sacrifice
on the cross, it not only resolved our sin debt, but it empowered mankind,
specifically Christians to retake control of the earth, as commended in Genesis
1 verse 28.
“Then God blessed them and
said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the
fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along
the ground.” Genesis 1:28 NLT
The New Apostolic Reformation sees seven
areas, also known as the “Seven Mountain” theology, in which believers are
supposedly empowered and expected to dominate in the areas of government, arts,
finances, education, religion, family, and media. Of these, the New Apostolic
Reformation sees government as the most important because of its ability to
influence all of the other facets of life. For this reason, they unsuccessfully
tried very hard to have fellow Christian believer, Senator Ted Cruz be elected
to become the next president of the United States.
In some ways, this is not unusual, as people
should be expected to vote and lobby according to their convictions. But the
New Apostolic Reformation’s true agenda is for its main leaders to have power,
influence, and notoriety!
The New Apostolic Reformation goes so far to
say that the church must take control of the seven major spheres of influence as
described in the “Seven Mountain Mandate,” written by Johnny Enlow, in order
for Christ to return to earth. Once the world has been made subject to the
kingdom of God, Jesus will return and rule the world.
In an attempt to support their view, these
false teachers of the NAR movement use the Old Testament verse in Isaiah 2:2,
which mentions mountains:
“In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all—
the most
important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills, and people
from all over the world will stream there to worship.” Isaiah 2:2 NLT
But this passage is about a vision that the
prophet Isaiah saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. The “last days” in this
verse has the meaning of the time of Israel’s restoration following an exile of
the land and has nothing to do with the “Seven Mountain” mandate which requires
all Christians to create a worldwide kingdom that controls the seven major
spheres of influence in society before Christ returns.
The NAR and proponents of the “Seven Mountain
Mandate” have abandoned biblical teaching on the end times, choosing to believe
that Christians must set the stage for Jesus’ second coming by achieving
dominion over the world’s systems. According to the “Seven Mountain Mandate”
theology, Jesus will only return to a world that mirrors the kingdom of God.
This idea parallels to the New Age teaching that anticipates a cosmic spiritual
shift when man becomes a co-redeemer of Planet Earth.
Okay, now to the truth. There is absolutely no biblical requirement
for Christians to take control of all the world systems in order to usher in
Christ’s kingdom! None whatsoever! As a matter of fact, the Bible says that the
world will grow worse, not better, in the last days! And it even warns us to
stay away from certain sinful people!
“In the last days there will
be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money.
They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents,
and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and
unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be
cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be
puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act
religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away
from people like that!” 2. Timothy 3:1-5 NLT
“But evil people and
impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be
deceived.” 2. Timothy 3:13 NLT
“Most importantly, I want to
remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and
following their own desires.” 2. Peter 3:3 NLT
Jesus said that His followers are called to
be the light of the world!
“You are the light of the
world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and
then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it
gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds
shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
The “Seven Mountain Mandate” is very
deceptive and dangerous! It puts a tremendous burden on believers to perform,
make progress in their relative spheres of influence, encouraging
perfectionism. Little emphasis is placed on the gospel message of salvation by
grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This movement is more about staking claims
and taking control.
The New Apostolic Reformation and the Seven
Mountain Mandate movements are led by false prophets! These false prophets
denigrate the Bible and emphasize experience-oriented theology and the
promotion of mysticism. It should be avoided and exposed whenever
Bible-believing Christians encounter it!
The
Bible specifically warns us not to believe everyone who claims to speak by the
Spirit, but to test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God, because
there are many false prophets in the world! (See 1. John 4:1)
Otherwise
we will be immature like children who are being tossed and blown about by every
wind of new teaching and be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so
clever they sound like the truth! (See Ephesians 4:14)
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