What is the New Apostolic Reformation?

Response

The New Apostolic Reformation, known as NAR, is a religious movement that is considered to be not in line with biblical teachings. It places a higher value on personal experiences rather than Scripture, prioritizes mysticism over doctrine, and elevates modern-day “apostles” above the clear teachings of the Bible. One of the key features of the New Apostolic Reformation is the emphasis on the authority and abilities of spiritual leaders and miracle-workers, the belief in receiving “new” revelations from God, an excessive focus on spiritual warfare, and a desire for influence in cultural and political spheres. The pursuit of miraculous signs and wonders within the NAR is consistently accompanied by teachings that are clearly incorrect.

The growth of the New Apostolic Reformation primarily occurs through small groups and the establishment of new churches, often operating independently from existing congregations. This movement lacks centralized control, and many of its adherents may not identify themselves as part of it or be familiar with its name. Nevertheless, thousands of churches and millions of believers follow the teachings of the New Apostolic Reformation. Prominent figures associated with this movement include Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner, Kim Clement, and Lou Engle.

The New Apostolic Reformation promotes the idea that the ideal structure of church leadership consists of apostles and prophets at the forefront, with evangelists, pastors, and teachers in supporting roles. This model contrasts with the historical Christian tradition where this hierarchy was not prevalent. According to the New Apostolic Reformation, God has been restoring the roles of prophets and apostles over the past three to four decades. It is believed that only with the guidance of these spiritual leaders can the church effectively carry out its mission, which is viewed as extending beyond spiritual matters to encompass cultural and political influence.

In the New Apostolic Reformation, the emphasis is placed on the importance of experiencing a personal relationship with God, rather than just following religious traditions.In the New Apostolic Reformation, apostles are regarded as the highest spiritual leaders, specially empowered by God. True maturity and unity are believed to be found only in those who submit to the leadership of their apostles. According to this doctrine, as the church unites behind the apostles, these leaders will develop increasing supernatural abilities. Ultimately, this will include the capacity to perform mass healings and defy the laws of physics. These miracles are intended to inspire a significant influx of converts to Christianity. Additionally, these apostles are believed to be destined to receive a substantial transfer of wealth (in the end times), which will enable the church to establish God’s kingdom on earth.

Prophets in the New Apostolic Reformation hold a position almost as significant as apostles. These individuals are empowered to receive “new” revelations from God that will assist the church in establishing dominion. According to the New Apostolic Reformation, only prophets, and occasionally apostles, can receive new revelations. Evangelists, pastors, and teachers are not able to do so. The new revelations from prophets are deemed essential for overcoming the world, and the success of the church relies on the apostles acting upon the information provided by the prophets. Most of their prophecies are highly ambiguous and easily open to reinterpretation, and the New Apostolic Reformation is willing to adjust them, as they do not hold themselves to a standard of infallibility.

According to New Apostolic beliefs, humanity lost its dominion over the earth as a result of Adam’s fall. Therefore, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross not only settled our sin debt but also empowered humanity—specifically Christians—to reclaim control over the earth. The New Apostolic Reformation identifies seven areas in which believers are supposedly empowered and expected to exert influence: government, arts, finances, education, religion, family, and media. Among these, government is considered the most crucial by the New Apostolic Reformation due to its ability to impact all other aspects of life.As a result, the New Apostolic Reformation openly promotes Christian influence in politics, culture, and business. While it is common for individuals to vote and advocate based on their beliefs, the New Apostolic Reformation is frequently criticized for advocating for a complete theocracy.

According to the New Apostolic Reformation, spiritual warfare is intended to address worldly issues. For instance, economic challenges or health issues in a specific city are viewed as being influenced by demonic spirits. Prayer, identification of the specific demon, and other spiritual practices are then utilized to confront this influence. This is crucial not only for the well-being of the area but also because the church cannot establish “dominion” over that region until the demonic influence is removed.

From a biblical perspective, there are significant concerns with the New Apostolic Reformation. While asserting that Christians possess certain spiritual gifts is one matter, their unique interpretation of the roles of apostles and prophets deviates from biblical teachings. Specifically, the role of an apostle necessitates qualifications that are unattainable today. For instance, genuine apostles must have personally witnessed the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 9:1;1 Corinthians 15:7-8), been directly appointed as apostles by Jesus (Galatians 1:1;Acts 1:2;Luke 6:13), and confirmed through miraculous signs (Matthew 10:1;2 Corinthians 12:2;Acts 5:12).

The concept of receiving new revelations from God, particularly those that are vague and subject to reinterpretation, contradicts the notion of a faith that was delivered “once for all” to humanity «Beloved, when I

Gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. », (Jude 1:3). The fact that New Apostolic Reformation prophecies frequently turn out to be false suggests a false spirit behind those predictions «When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.», (Deuteronomy 18:22). The tendency of the New Apostolic Reformation to treat spiritual warfare as a type of Christianized voodoo is not only unbiblical but dangerous.

Likewise, the emphasis on an earthly kingdom contradicts Jesus’ own declaration that the Kingdom of God was spiritual, not political «Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. », (John 18:36). It places an unhealthy emphasis on political and worldly approval, rather than Christlike influence.

Though it uses the word new, the New Apostolic Reformation is actually a reworking of a very common, very old approach. Since the beginning of Christianity, various groups have claimed to have a “new revelation” from God to correct all of the errors of the present world. These movements contend that “real” spirituality or maturity or truth is found only by those who listen to their leadership. Some of these sects, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormonism, endure and become religions in their own right. Others fade away.

Much of what the New Apostolic R

Reformation teaching has some basis in Scripture, although it is taken much further than the Bible intends. Nevertheless, these doctrines are still considered unbiblical, and Christians should firmly reject the teachings of the New Apostolic Reformation and those who align themselves with it.