The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)
Perhaps your own Christian background is not charismatic; nevertheless, the NAR, although initially seen mostly within the charismatic faction of the Church, is a dynamic, ecumenical, growing movement. It is gobbling up churches and organizations, as it relentlessly promotes the “victorious eschatology” of Dominion theology–a theology which has its roots in the 1940s Latter Rain theology. Both of these theologies generally reject futurism–with its belief in a coming apostasy, a coming human Antichrist, and a coming rapture–as being pessimistic and false.
The charismatic wing of the dominionist movement, which is still somewhat loosely organized, claims to be restoring the offices of apostle and prophet, and uniting the global church under their leadership. They even have their own favored version of Bible, The Passion Translation (see also, TPT), a work in progress. Their goal is to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, by taking over the earth–the so-called “seven mountain mandate"–and then to hand it over to Christ. The seven mountain mandate (SMM) has parallels with Marxism and its tactics.
Who is associated with the NAR?
(A larger .pdf version of this chart is available here.)
“New Apostolic Reformation” was a moniker coined for the movement by its first chief apostle, the late Professor C. Peter Wagner of Fuller Theological Seminary. Before his death, Wagner handpicked John P. Kelly as his replacement. Kelly is now the “International Convening Apostle” of the International Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (ICAL), with central offices in Fort Worth, Texas.
Other ecumenical, dominion theology antecedents of the NAR movement include both the Promise Keepers and the Toronto Blessing movements from the Vineyard churches of the late Pastor John Wimber—who was himself an associate of C. Peter Wagner at Fuller, where they team-taught a class on “signs and wonders.”
Regarding NAR membership, Wikipedia states, “[Although] few, if any, organizations publicly espouse connection to the NAR …there are several individuals often associated with this movement” ( Wikipedia). A more comprehensive list of associated teachers can be found here.
In their book, A New Apostolic Reformation?: A Biblical Response to a Worldwide Movement (2018), R. Douglas Geivett and Holly Pivec point out that,
As with any other large, multi-faceted movement, participants in NAR hold to a spectrum of beliefs, accepting some NAR teachings and being unaware of or rejecting others. Indeed, many people taking part in NAR don’t even realize it is a movement, let alone embrace all the radical teachings surrounding it.
At present, perhaps the chief apologist and equivocator of the NAR is radio host Dr. Michael L. Brown, who, depending on the audience, sometimes argues the NAR doesn’t even exist!
Suffice it to say that the movement seems to be rapidly drawing in every false teacher in evangelical Christianity, particularly from the charismatic world. Like a multi-level marketing scheme, it is big business. And “better to join up sooner than later, while seniority is still being established.” There are so many tempting goodies to be had by affiliating yourself: networking opportunities, book endorsements, speaking engagements, travel, fame, and fortune.
So, will you hitch your wagon to the rising star of Antichrist? Will you join this seductive, self-affirming, mutual admiration society of power and wealth? Or, will you go to Christ, outside the camp (Hebrews 13:13)?
Business models and professional Christianity
What conditions in the Church have fostered the development of the NAR? I would offer, among other possibilities, the acceptance of outside control of local churches by, for example, denominational boards, missionary boards, and parachurch ministries; and the use of pragmatic (but unspiritual) short-cuts–that is, the use of worldly business growth principles–to achieve higher numbers of people and resources for the Kingdom.
“Nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.” 2 Thes. 3:8
Paul, a brilliant theologian, and a divinely appointed apostle, was also a self-supporting tentmaker (Acts 18:3). In this way, he had the advantage of not being in anyone’s pocket financially or doctrinally.
The Scriptures delineate the leadership of local autonomous churches as a plurality of elders, a collective leadership, raised up from within, with no single man in complete control. But in today’s churches, there is usually a “senior pastor” and “associate pastors” (often brought in from outside) who are generally professional clergy, as well as other hired staff.
The positions of “elder” and “deacon,” as effectuated in most churches today, are not in line with Scripture. They are born out of Protestant tradition, which is only slightly removed from that of Roman Catholicism, with the pastor as priest. In church meetings, the pastor is usually “running the show”; whereas in the Bible, we read things like,
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Cor. 12:7
“Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop." 1 Cor. 14:29-30
Today’s larger churches often rely on worldly management techniques, marketing ploys, and business growth models, with the pastor often seen as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
This pragmatic business mind-set for church leadership and church growth has done inestimable harm, adulterating the spiritual with the secular. To name some names,
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Certainly the influence of business management guru Peter Drucker is prominent in this church leadership business mindset. In fact Rick Warren, Bob Buford and Bill Hybels have been referred to as “the Druckerite ‘trinity’."
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We see that this church-as-business thinking was promoted by the late Bob Buford, who was founder of the Leadership Network and mentor to senior pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church, as well as to Emergent Church leaders like well-spoken mystic and social justice warrior, Brian McLaren. (And certainly, McLaren and Warren are no fans of the study of end-times prophecies.)
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We see this commercial mind-set popularized in the annual “Global Leadership Summit” (GLS) events of the Global Leadership Network, developed by disgraced former senior pastor Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church, which are still sponsored by that church. (Do you remember Jesus saying he would pick the most gifted public speakers and business minds to build his Church? Me neither! Paul neither. 1 Cor. 2:4-5!)
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Regarding toxic church growth philosophies, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, and John Wimber were all influenced by the late Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral. Further, C. Peter Wagner identified Warren and Hybels as New Apostolic pastors in his 1999 book, Churchquake: how the new apostolic reformation is shaking up the church as we know it.
Will true peace come to the earth before Jesus returns? Like other dominionists, Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California believes that the Church will establish the Kingdom of God here on earth, before Christ’s return. His P.E.A.C.E. plan is part of that initiative.
The eschatology of the NAR
In their eschatology, advocates of the New Apostolic Reformation generally reject futurism in favor of either,
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Preterism - the position that biblical prophecies concerning the “last days” were mainly fulfilled by 70 AD, when an angry Jesus, utilizing the Roman army, returned to kill the Christ-rejecting Jews in Jerusalem. (That’s right: the same, apparently bipolar, Jesus who had earlier said so tenderly, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem,…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing”, Mt. 23:37, Lk. 13:34). And so in this viewpoint, there is no coming Antichrist, Rapture, or Tribulation on the horizon. Instead, in the words of singer Johnny Nash, “Look straight ahead, nothin’ but blue skies.”
Or, more acceptable to nonviolent-types within the movement,
- “Open Theism” - the belief that God does not actually know the future (is not truly omniscient), and so He is “open” to working with us, in order to rewrite the violent end-times scenario He has forewarned about in prophecy—making it into something more victorious and glorious, by editing out all the negativity, with our help. And so, here again, there is no coming Antichrist, Rapture, or Tribulation on the horizon. (It should be noted here that in a similar fashion, New Age leader Barbara Marx Hubbard says that the New Age “Christ” has a plan, and he is promising that if everyone will just collaborate and co-create with the New Age Christ, world peace is possible, and Armageddon is avoidable.)
Nevertheless, there is a third category of NAR dominionists who do not reject futurism, and hold a distinctive version of the Post-Tribulation position—with their own violent spin:
- Post-Tribulationism - Mike Bickle, a dominionist from IHOP, teaches that the Church causes the Great Tribulation, and will kill people during it. Then, Christ will return after his Church has Christianized society. (Remember: Adolf Hitler was initially derided by some as an inconsequential buffoon. With that in mind, watch this video clip of Bickle shortly after the 4:30 minute mark, as he says, “I’m talking about the prayer of faith that heals; and I’m talking about the prayer of faith that kills!”
The NAR teaches that all Christians, by placing themselves under the direction of their “divinely” appointed apostles and prophets, must join together in unity to successfully incarnate Christ (“WE ARE Christ”), in order to take over the world in the name of Christ. These cooperative Christians, as specially appointed overcomers, are known variously as “Joel’s Army,” “Manifest Sons,” or “New Breed” Christians, and will supposedly usher in a beautiful theocracy.
Many in this movement believe the return of Christ is spiritual and invisible, not physical (–kind of like the Jehovah’s Witnesses believing that Jesus came back invisibly in 1914), and, as we recall from one of its antecedent streams, Promise Keepers, “Christ cannot incarnate in a divided body”; so, it’s necessary that the Church be united under dominionist leadership, and–as the New Age movement similarly suggests–come under an “overshadowing.”
But Christ’s return will be physical and public, not spiritual and invisible. We have been forewarned about this kind of confusion:
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“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Mt. 24:26-27.
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“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” 1 John 4:2-3. (KJV)
Note: I used the KJV on 1 John 4:2-3, because “is come” in English better captures the intent of the perfect participle active used in the Greek—meaning the condition of ‘come’ is both being stressed and has ongoing effect—which can thus encompass past, present, and future.
Jesus has chosen to permanently abide in the (now-glorified) physical body he received through Mary. We know that the lesser reality of the physical realm—purged of all death—will some day merge with, and be subsumed by, the the greater reality of the heavenly realm (Rev. 21:1-5). Jesus’ birth in a physical body was the initial intersection point in this process.
The NAR promotes a broad, triumphalist, social gospel, which rejects, as negative nonsense, any idea of a coming worldwide deception under the leadership of any made-up, bugaboo Antichrist. Ironically, to resist the NAR is to be labeled “Jezebel.”
The NAR’s message is sometimes mixed with militant and violent rhetoric by certain adherents (see, for example, the earlier video clip of Mike Bickle and the later clip of Peter Wagner). This violent rhetoric anticipates the eventual fulfillment of this warning of Christ:
“…In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.” John 16:2b.
The dominion theology of the NAR takes the literal Old Testament promises of God given to the nation of Israel and forces them to apply to the Church. (From the perspective of futurism, this “Replacement Theology” is perceived as a step toward the enemy’s anti-Semitism.)
The eschatology of the New Age movement
In an eerily similar vein to the NAR, The New Age Movement speaks about a growing “Christ consciousness” throughout the earth which will impact society for good. “New Agers” think mankind is on the verge of an esoteric evolutionary leap to the “Omega Point” of human evolution, which will result in a super race of overcomers. They, also, are ecumenical, and believe that enlightened people need to unite in purpose with New Age leaders, and fully focus on working together in order to bring “Christ” to earth.
By way of the harmonic convergence of our innate human potential—our psychic power—New Agers believe “Christ” will finally appear, and we will enter a “new age” of worldwide peace and prosperity. Adherents talk about a type of conversion experience needed in order to see and enjoy our oneness and interconnectedness, a “paradigm shift” to “Christ consciousness.” (Again, “WE ARE Christ.”)
But, regarding the idea that “We are Christ” promoted in both the NAR and the New Age, consider this dire warning from Jesus:
Matthew 24:4-5 (NKJV)
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For MANY will come in My name, saying, ‘I AM THE CHRIST’ and will deceive MANY.”
The Ecumenism of the NAR
Question: have you ever heard of national and international concerts and youth rallies led by either Australia’s “Hillsong Music,” or by “Jesus Culture Music” of Bethel Church in Redding, California? How about Lou Engle’s “Awaken” and “The Send” Events? These are actually NAR-sponsored activities, which have an agenda to draw in young adults and foster trans-local, trans-denominational unity under their “apostolic” leadership—a hierarchical pyramid structure of leadership reminiscent of the pope in Rome and his cardinals.
And, by the way, key evangelical leaders in the NAR, such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Kris Vallotton, Todd White, Mike Bickle, and Lou Engle, to name a few, are enamored with the idea of evangelicals reconciling with the Roman Catholic Church —with its salvation through sacraments. But that’s only in keeping with what the late Paul Crouch, president of TBN, had said on his “Praise the Lord” program back on October 17, 1989:
"I’m eradicating the word Protestant even out of my vocabulary…I’m not protesting anything… [it’s] time for Catholics and non-Catholics to come together as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord.”
Of course the Lord loves Catholics! Jesus died for them. But how many professing Catholics do you know who understand the born-again experience? Every Christian I know with a Catholic background, never felt led to return to the Catholic church after they got saved. Indeed, the Roman Catholic church, like the NAR, is something to be run from, not run to.
The false teachers of the Word-Faith movement
Speaking of Hinn and Copeland, false teachers of the Word-Faith movement are a big stream of the NAR. The enemy mixes his lies with just enough truth to still make things appealing to many Christians. So although these money-loving wolves with lavish lifestyles preach a self-centered health and wealth gospel, still and all, God’s will is for people to be healthy (Mt. 8:16-17, 1 Peter 2:24) and to prosper (Lk. 15:31, 16:9; 2 Cor. 8:9, 9:11):
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2.
Indeed, you can’t very well give others a hand up if you are flat on your back, sick, or with empty pockets.
Further, regarding “the power of the tongue,” an idea so misused and abused in Word-Faith that it is, for them, part of some self-hypnotic, psychic, Mind Science, Proverbs does indeed say, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Prov. 18:21).
James asserts that “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect,” and yet also says, that “no human being can tame the tongue” (Js. 3:8)! So, we must humbly give our tongue over to the Holy Spirit, and learn to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions” (Eph. 6:18; cf. 1 Cor. 14:14-15). In this way we can facilitate our deliverance from evil, and begin to more consistently obey the injunction, “Bless and do not curse” (Rom. 12:14), as we should.
And regarding our spiritual authority, we are not just to petition God in prayer, but also to take action ourselves when we know the will of God. Jesus told the disciples to proclaim the kingdom, and commanded them, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give” (Mt. 10:8).
We too are his disciples. Let’s not throw out the baby with the bathwater, because of a bunch of greedy, manipulative “Word of Faith” psychics with weird hair.
(Note: we must first learn to successfully “freely receive” directly from God, in order to then have something blessed to “freely give” to our neighbor. First things first.)
Mysticism and false miracles
With respect to any alleged miracle, while I certainly believe in divine miracles, even nowadays (Jn. 14:12), I also believe in satanic miracles, even nowadays. For example, we recall the great power on display from Pharaoh’s magicians (Ex. 7-8), and from Simon the Sorcerer in Samaria (Acts 8). Further, we are specifically warned about the proliferation of demonic signs and wonders performed by false prophets, in association with the rise of the Antichrist (Mt. 24:24, Mk. 13:22, 2 Thes. 2:9).
Some people are looking for an ecstatic experience, more than for truth. Sensuality is a characteristic of both the NAR and Jezebel–the new Babylon. NAR-affiliated churches boast manifestations of gold dust, holy laughter, angelic encounters, and even the supposed manifest presence of God in glory clouds, brought down to earth through anointed (read “formulaic, agenda-driven, hypnotic”) worship. But “all that glitters is not gold,” and Paul warns, “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:13-14).
For all of their talk about the importance of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in the NAR, ironically the gift of discerning of spirits (1 Cor. 12:10) is obviously lacking!
Alarmingly, the “primal energy” unleashed by Kundalini yoga practitioners inside the New Age movement (“In India, It’s Just Hinduism”), and the “anointing” activation released inside the NAR, bear a striking resemblance. Please be sure to watch this eye-opening thirty minute documentary to see the similarities for yourself. (You will need to forgive the bad opening music of the documentary, but it will be worth it!)
And unfortunately, adherents to both the NAR and the New Age Movement are very much into mysticism, and show wide-eyed acceptance of virtually all supernatural or psychic phenomena, and see them as desirable. Yet we have been forewarned by Jesus:
Matthew 7:22-23
MANY will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, DID WE NOT prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and IN YOUR NAME PERFORM MANY MIRACLES?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
It would seem that these rejected people in Matthew 7:22-23 (above) had embraced a counterfeit gospel of works, instead of the genuine gospel of grace.
Some of the people who “pray a prayer to invite Christ into their lives” do so without an attitude of unconditional surrender: I am not sure Christ always accepts that kind of invitation. For Jesus, that might be like a drunk person driving up to him in their car, and saying to him, “Hop in, Jesus, you’re welcome to ride with me!” But instead, they should be saying, “Jesus, I’m yours. This car is yours. You drive! I’ll ride in back, if you prefer.”
Legalism and the NAR
Speaking of misrepresentations of the gospel, there is a false gospel of salvation by works: but God is not legalistic, Satan is. And speaking of the bondage of legalism, who can forget an NAR forerunner called “Promise Keepers,” in the face of Christ’s explicit command,
“But I say to you, make no oath at all,…But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is from the evil one.” Mt. 5:34, 37.
There seem to be increasing claims of alleged divine revelations about “courts” and “courtrooms” in heaven; and the promotion of such revelations seems to be on the rise in apostolic dominionist circles nowadays. This new idea is that when we pray, we are stepping into a judicial system. So, when we pray, we need to get “binding contracts” in place, in order for God to be able to act. So, for example, we have to find the legal reason why someone is sick, in order to pray for them effectively. Bethel Church in Redding, California offers training in these misguided prayer “techniques.”
But what about, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30)?! We are to focus on Jesus, and to freely receive by faith the benefits of his finished work; not on ourselves and what we must still supposedly do to win things from God—let alone, by way of using legalistic or mystical techniques.
Again, among evangelicals in the NAR, the trend is toward results-oriented, pragmatic, mystical, unbiblical, technique-driven prayer and worship. In an article titled “Prayer Gone Awry,” which critically examines these techniques, T.A. McMahon says,
Based upon the whole counsel of God’s Word concerning prayer, we can also make specific judgments as to whether or not a doctrine conforms to God’s way. For example, does it make prayer a technique or methodology? Does it require certain works, rituals, or game plans in order to be successful? If that’s the case, we have denied the critical personal-relationship aspect of prayer and rendered God a law-bound entity which must answer our prayers because we have followed certain rules or procedures.
Incredibly, what may be the fastest growing technique-driven prayer among evangelicals today is known as “strategic-level intercession.” According to its promoters it involves newer varieties of prayer such as “spiritual warfare,” “territorial spirits,” “prophetic acts,” “spiritual mapping,” “warfare prayer,” “tearing down strongholds,” “identificational repentance,” and “remitting the sins of nations.” Explanations of these prayer systems are found in advocate C. Peter Wagner’s book, Confronting the Powers, along with definitions of other methods, including “four ways of praying in the community”: praise marches, prayerwalks, prayer journeys, and more wide-ranging prayer expeditions. These, the author notes, “were virtually unknown to the majority of Christians before the 1990s…” Certainly, they were not known by God’s prophets and apostles!
With warfare operations names like “Operation Queen’s Palace” and “Operation Ice Castle,” deluded, wannabe Ghostbusters in the NAR think they can successfully dislodge territorial spirits through pounding anointed “prayer stakes” into the ground, and climbing to the tops of mountains to shout at the devil.
George Otis, Jr is now the go-to guy of the NAR for spiritual warfare techniques, particularly “spiritual mapping.” He is also a proponent of Moral Government Theology (MGT), which denies the doctrine of original sin, and carefully avoids any recognition of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, or the power of his blood. Further, MGT was widely taught to Loren Cunningham’s YWAM (Youth With A Mission) missionaries in years gone by; and MGT–like “Open theism,” which is the new emphasis in YWAM–promotes the idea that God does not know the future (is not omniscient).
The preferred blueprint for taking dominion over cities and nations is demonstrated in Otis’s Transformations movie series produced by his Sentinel Group.
The NAR and the New Age Movement: two sides of the same coin.
Both camps seek earthly political power. As for the NAR, there are both Christians and non-Christians who are skeptical of the NAR’s dominionist political agenda. And as to the political aspirations of New Agers, author Marianne Williamson, personal guru to Oprah Winfrey, threw her hat in the ring for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential election.
Also, Barbara Marx Hubbard, a nominee for the vice-presidency of the United States on the Democratic ticket in 1984, is still promoting the well-known New Age goal of "Planetary Pentecost,” and the idea of co-creating a better future with God (equivalent to the idea among evangelicals of Open theism) in her latest book, The Evolutionary Testament of Co-Creation: The Promise Will Be Kept (2015).
Barbara Marx Hubbard promotes a ‘victorious eschatology,’ whereby the unity of enlightened people will bring about a peaceful Second Coming of “Christ.” An editorial review of her book at Amazon states in part:
"Barbara calls this collective transformation the Planetary Pentecost, a life-affirming alternative to Armageddon. ‘The promise will be kept’ is a call to action for humanity to awaken as a Planetary Social Body. It inspires each individual to awaken to his or her divine nature and fulfill the promise of performing even greater miracles than those once performed by Jesus.”
And clearly corresponding to the “Planetary Pentecost” promoted by the New Age, is the “Second Pentecost” promoted by those in the NAR, like pastor Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in Redding!
Syncretism
New Age mystical beliefs from the NAR continue to enter the charismatic world, and of course, New Age Hinduism has mainstreamed into the non-charismatic world as well. (Ever heard of Transcendental Meditation, or Yoga?)
A book entitled “The Physics of Heaven: exploring God’s mysteries of sound, light, energy, vibrations, and quantum physics” by Judy Franklin & Ellyn Davis (2012) is strongly promoted by Bethel Church in Redding, CA. In his contributed chapter, Dr. Jonathan Welton of the New Hope Community Church in North Chili, NY, reassures his Christian readers not to be afraid to reclaim purported tools from God, which were supposedly hijacked by the New Age movement:
“I have found throughout Scripture at least 75 examples of things that the New Age has counterfeited, such as having a spirit guide, trances, meditation, auras, power objects, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and more . These actually belong to the church, but they have been stolen and cleverly repackaged.” [Emphasis added, The Physics of Heaven, p. 49.]
The NAR and violence
The NAR is an iron fist inside a velvet glove, and one day that glove will come off. The recognition of God’s nonviolent nature, in contradistinction to Satan’s violent nature, is of paramount importance to be able to distinguish and resist the violent, anti-Semitic, totalitarian spirit of Antichrist in all of its initial subtleties and flatteries.
You cannot “play footsies” with this spirit and think to escape from it later without serious repentance. The spirit of Antichrist is like a giant magnet, and the lies of false religious doctrines everywhere are like iron: and they are now being called in. If someone is holding a piece of that iron, he will be pulled to the Antichrist, unless he chooses to let go, through repentance. Unfortunately, we may say of the well-meaning Christians being seduced into the NAR: ‘They are not holding fast to the head’ (Col. 2:18-19). They are being drawn into “Christian Imperialism.”
The late C. Peter Wagner, founder and “head apostle” of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), propagated a false equivalence between spiritual warfare and physical warfare, plainly illustrated in the following video clip:
Here, Wagner is teaching that physical warfare is appropriate and necessary to the dominionist agenda of world domination. He refers to physical warfare and killing, such as happened in Iraq and Vietnam, as being equivalent to spiritual warfare—apparently as one aspect of “Ground Level Spiritual Warfare,” in the same category with church deliverance ministries!
BUT regarding the use of killing to advance the kingdom of heaven: although we may have the highest regard for the police and the armed forces, we discerning Christians must affirm that, in our own case, WE are to ‘LOVE our enemies’ (Mt. 5:44); that "OUR struggle is NOT against flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12); that “The weapons of OUR warfare are NOT carnal” (2 Cor. 10:4); and that “Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. IF IT WERE, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.’” John 18:36.
Another leader in the NAR movement who promotes militant rhetoric is Rick Joyner, of Morningstar Ministries in North Carolina. He has warned of a coming Civil War in the Church, which will be comparable to the American Civil War from 1861-1865 in which over 600,000 people died. But he says this new civil war will be between the Christians being led by “the Spirit” —who hence choose to submit to God’s anointed apostles and prophets (the Blues, akin to the “Yankees” of the Northern Union), and the rebellious, carnally minded Christians—who resist ‘getting with the program’ (the Grays, akin to the “Rebels” of the Southern Confederacy):
Like the American Civil War, the coming spiritual civil war will also be between the Blue and the Gray. In dreams and visions blue often represents heavenly mindedness- the sky is blue- and gray speaks of those who live by the power of their minds- the brain is often called gray matter- this will be a conflict between those who may be genuine Christians, but who live mostly according to their own natural minds and human wisdom, and those who follow the Holy Spirit. (“Civil War in the Church,” The Morning Star Prophetic Bulletin, May 1996, 2.)
In conclusion, the New Apostolic Reformation is being guided by the spirit of Antichrist, and must be exposed and confronted for the sake of the Christians who are being taken captive to it.
(This essay is also available as a pdf document: “The NAR, by Hermano, 18 Nov 2019.pdf”)
