Christine Pack : What Is The New Apostolic Reformation? (And Why Should We Be Concerned About It?)

[billiefan2000]

What Is The New Apostolic Reformation? (And Why Should We Be Concerned About It?)
Posted by Christine Pack



A Personal Note:


Please-please-please send this article to your loved ones so that they can be on the look-out for this dangerous movement sweeping through Christianity.


I consider this to be one of the most important articles I have ever written, and I regret not having written it sooner.


And please understand that I have only scratched the surface in this article.


Unfortunately, the NAR is such a massive movement, with so many tentacles, and so many people involved, that it was almost impossible to talk about it concisely.


It is almost unfathomable to me how many people have been affected by this dangerous movement.


Hardly a day goes by that I don't hear from at least one person who has personally had to flee a once solid church because this teaching has suddenly swept in, or someone who has watched a loved one be seduced by it, or someone who has even been unwittingly swept up in this movement themselves.



We all know about pandemics, right? The World Health Organization will often track a virus that is in pigs or birds or some other known animal carrier.


The virus being tracked could stay within its animal group for years, not causing problems for humans, but sometimes, for unknown reasons, the virus will unexpectedly "jump" from its animal group......to humans.




That's what the scientists are always concerned about, and when that happens, they sit up and take notice, and start churning out public service warnings,

because they know this previously harmless virus could potentially turn into a very dangerous, and deadly, pandemic.



In somewhat the same way, a new movement - with some pretty strange beliefs - inside of Christian evangelicalism called the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) has gathered lethal momentum very unexpectedly.


This movement had up until recently only been taught and believed inside the hyper-charismatic movement (think IHOP, Kansas City Prophets, Mike Bickle, etc.).


But now, having somehow "jumped" from its normal carrier, rather than being "contained" as a strange belief system that would only impact a limited number of people,



it suddenly began to go viral when big names on the political right began to align themselves with the big names from the charismatic Christian side.



Why exactly has the NAR, which makes alarming use of militant "warfare" language and talks of "taking dominion" over the world "one mountain at a time," gotten so big, so fast, and with so many big political names attached? In my view, it's because there are many on the political right, who, despite their moralistic stance, have a tendency to be more invested in political strategy, power and numbers than in sound doctrine and biblical truth.


Thus, to the political right without discernment,


Numbers = Power. And I suspect this is what happened: they looked out over the landscape of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement

(which is an extremely large segment of professing Christians), decided this was representative of "Christianity," did the math, and then jumped on board.




The 7 Mountain Mandate
But let me back up here and give a little background information about the NAR. The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), as I noted, is a movement that has its roots in the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements (Latter Day Rain, Kansas City Prophets, International House of Prayer-IHOP, Joel's Army).


This movement is loaded with self-appointed "apostles" and "prophets" (who take Ephesians 4:11-13 out of context to to defend the idea that the office of apostle and prophet are still valid today).


The leaders of this movement believe and teach that Christians have a mandate to reclaim "for Christ" Seven Mountains of influence, which they have designated as:



1 - Business
2 - Government
3 - Family
4 - Religion
5 - Media
6 - Education
7 - Entertainment


This movement and its 7 Mountains Mandate has been very enticing to Christians who hold to a Dominionist view


(the idea that the church's role is to "take back" dominion of the earth from Satan), and has also been extremely seductive to the Conservative Right,


because hey, the idea of knuckling down and working hard is what America is all about, right? So there you have it: combine the errant "doctrine" of Kingdom Now/Dominionism from the Pentecostal/Charismatic camp with the moralism of the Conservative Right, and you've got one dangerous pandemic, because both groups, in their own ways, are tremendously influential and powerful.



Who are the players in the NAR movement? It's a long list that is growing longer by the day, but these are the names currently associated with the NAR:





Pentecostals/Charismatics/Christians

C. Peter Wagner
Mike Bickle
Rick Joyner
Jack Hayford
"Joel's Army"
"Manifest Sons of God"
James Dobson


Ann Graham Lotz
Bill Johnson
Jonathan Falwell
Cindy Jacobs
Mike Jacobs
Lou Engle
John Eckhardt
Ché Ahn
Todd Bentley


Dutch Sheets
George Barna
Tommy Tenney
Charles Kraft
Os Hillman
Paul Cain
Bill Hamon



Political Right




The Tea Party Movement
Texas Governor Rick Perry
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Presidential Candidate Michele Bachmann
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
Mike Huckabee
Jim Garlow

David Barton
Newt Gingrich


Gary Bauer
Frank Gaffney
Actor Chuck Norris
Radio talk show host Janet Porter



Friends, the NAR is a dangerous and rapidly growing movement that is, sadly, capturing the hearts and minds of many conservative Christians who have been enticed with the idea of "saving" America though Christian activism. In truth, Christians are not ever, anywhere in Scripture, promised easy lives, or even the "right" to live in freedom. But please note that the siren lure of political activism is nothing new.


Do we not remember that even Jesus's disciples repeatedly jockeyed for position in the earthly kingdom they wished for and desired for Jesus to institute?



"They came to Capernaum.



When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest." (Mark 9:33-34)
And even after Jesus's resurrection, the were still questioning Jesus about the earthly kingdom they hoped for:

"So when they met together, they asked him, 'Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?'" (Acts 1:6)
The NAR teaches that, through the advancement of medicine, science, technology and the gospel, this world is getting better and better. That through strategically "capturing" each of the designated "mountains," we will set up Jesus' earthly kingdom, and that once we have accomplished this, Jesus will return as the glittering jewel in the crown of his earthly kingdom. But is this true? Is this what the Bible teaches? Let us let Scripture lead us on the matter of Jesus' kingdom:

"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.'" (John 18:36, my emphasis)



The life of a born again Christian is not complicated. Become reconciled to a high and holy God through the shed blood of Jesus, share the gospel, be persecuted, and die.


But the seductive lure of an earthly life in which we (the Christians) control the earth and all that is in it,


is a dream that dies hard. And now the NAR, with its utopian vision of heaven on earth, has once again showed us that very few people are willing to do as Jesus taught us, and that is to "Count the cost" (Luke 14:25-35) and "Take up your cross and follow me"(Matthew 16:24). Flee from this movement, my fellow Christians.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." (Prov 14:12)



What Is The New Apostolic Reformation? (And Why Should We Be Concerned About It?) at Christian Research Net

[Mad Matt]

Wow! Revelation 22:18,19 immediately come to mind, as well as Jeremiah 10:21. Thanks for the info.
God bless.

[billiefan2000]

speaking of Jacobs


Cindy Jacobs: If You Care About The Environment, You're A Dominionist






I like many christians care about the environment but I'm not a Dominionist.



speaking of Domionism:


C. Peter Wagner explains how is will be good for everyone once Christians are in control of every branch of society.

[billiefan2000]

DOMINION THEOLOGY


By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Nov 21, 2011 in Current Issues, Features, New Apostolic Reformation

The following by Dr. Gary Gilley, pastor of Southern View Chapel, is republished at Apprising Ministries with permission:

There is a movement about that is casting a long shadow for its size. It is known by different handles such as reconstructionism, kingdom theology, theonomy, and dominion theology, and it is a curious blend of Reformed/Calvinist theology and Charismatic influence.


While there are relatively few who would call themselves reconstructionists, a number of the movement’s ideas have infiltrated the thinking and actions of many believers, often without them knowing it.

The movement is led by such theologians as Rousas J. Rusdoony; Gary North; Ray Sutton; Greg Bahnsen; David Chiltion, and by Charismatic leaders such as Earl Paulk.


But their ideas are often reflected by non-reconstructionists such as Pat Robertson, John Whitehead, Franky Schaeffer, and even Jerry Falwell.




A DEFINITION

Dominion theology (the belief-system behind the reconstructionist movement) teaches that through the coming of Christ the believer has dominion over every area of life. We are now in the Kingdom of God (note the similar view of the Kingdom that the Vineyard movement takes, as well as the plethora of Christian songs being written implying that we are in the Kingdom at the present time)

and as a result we should be reigning with Christ over the earth as Rev 5:10 says. The question is when will we reign. If the Kingdom is on earth now then we should have dominion now! Right? Don’t many of us proclaim this thought when we sing the popular Charismatic song “Majesty” which invites us to,


“Come glorify Christ Jesus, the King,” after all, “Kingdom authority flows from His throne unto His own.” With this authority from the King we are to reclaim the earth for Christ, not just spiritually, but socially, economically (it is no accident that one of the reconstructionist’s organizations is called, The Institute for Christian Economics) and politically.


The dominion of the earth is accomplished not only through prayer and evangelism, but through the political process, and social reformation. Christ will not return to earth until the church has accomplished this task.






THE DOCTRINES

More specifically, what does Dominion Theology teach? Here are the highlights:

The OT Law is our rule of life for today. Although DT teaches that keeping of the Law is not a condition for salvation, it is a condition for sanctification.




In addition, the OT Law is to govern over society as well. Since we are called to subdue the earth (Gen 1:28), God’s Law should rule (or dominate) all aspects of society.


This view is known as theonomy (or God’s law), and is described by Greg Bahnsen as, “The Christian is obligated to keep the whole law of God as a pattern for sanctification and that this law is to be enforced by the civil magistrate” (Theonomy p34). This would mean that Christians would be obligated to keep the whole OT Law except in a case in which the NT explicitly cancels a command, such as the sacrificial system.


A central piece of DT is its belief in covenant theology. As a result it makes no distinction between the church and Israel.


However DT goes beyond traditional covenant theology and teaches that the church is to be governed by the same laws, is subject to the same curses, and is promised the same blessings as Israel.



DT teaches a high level of social and political activism. If the Kingdom of God is to gradually take dominion over the earth, it only makes sense that Christians should be attempting to change society through the changing of laws and through social action.



Followers of DT, like many Charismatics, especially the Latter Rain movement, looks for a great end time revival in which the masses will turn to Christ.


As a result DT does not believe in the rapture.


The world should be, and is becoming, a better place through the efforts of Christians.



As with many others who follow the teachings of George Ladd, DT believes that we are in the Kingdom age, but the Kingdom in another sense is yet to come. We are in the Kingdom, and have Kingdom authority, but on the other hand, we are ushering in the Kingdom through our efforts. “The Kingdom is now, but not yet,” is a popular slogan.



DT is postmillennial.

It is believed that as a result of the reconstruction of society by Biblical principles that the final aspect of the Kingdom of God will be established on earth.


Christ cannot return until a certain amount of dominion is achieved by the church. It is believed that the curse will slowly be removed as the world is won over. Even disease and death will be all but eliminated before Christ returns to the earth.
DT is preterist in its interpretation of prophecy.





This means that they teach that virtually all prophecies which most Christians believe are still future, have in fact been fulfilled already, mainly between the years A.D. 30 and 70.


In David Chilton’s book, Days of Vengeance he says that the book of Revelation , “Is not about the Second Coming of Christ. It is about the destruction of Israel and Christ’s victory over His enemies” (during the first century) (p43).



DT uses an allegorical hermeneutic, especially in reference to prophecy. So we find that the Great Tribulation took place at the fall of Israel in A.D. 70; the Antichrist refers to the apostasy of the Church prior to the fall of Jerusalem; the Beast of Revelation was Nero and the Roman Empire, etc.




AN EVALUATION

Space does not permit a detailed critique of DT (see Dominion Theology: Blessing or Curse? by Thomas Ice and H. Wayne House if deeper study is desired). However, we would like to comment on the most important distinctive of DT — its belief in theonomy. DT teaches that Christians are under the Law as a way of life, and are obligated to ultimately bring the world under that Law. This concept is based on several passages. First, Gen 1:28 commands Adam to subdue the earth.



Adam lost his ability to do so to Satan as a result of sin. The church should now be in the process of reclaiming from the devil what Adam lost. You will note a hint of the Spiritual Warfare movement here (see our paper Vol I #6-8). Secondly, the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20) commands the the followers of Christ to disciple all nations, which we are told, goes beyond personal salvation and sanctification to the reformation of society.




Finally, Matt 5:17-19 is the passage upon which the system hinges. DT claims that the word “fulfill” actually means “confirm.”


Thus Christ did not in any sense fulfill, or complete, or do away with the Law, rather he confirmed it as our rule of life today. It should be mentioned at this point that the normal and best translation of plerosai is “fulfill” not “confirm.” Besides this however, we have the weight of the NT teaching concerning the Law. The epistles clearly teach that believers are no longer under the Law of Moses (Rom 6:14; 7:6; 8:2-4; Gal 3:24,25; 5:18) having been set free from that bondage to serve under grace and the law of Christ (Gal 6:2).





And besides, if the Christian is still under Law why do we not keep the OT ceremonial laws? DT’s answer is that the Law was divided into three sections: civil, moral and ceremonial. The ceremonial law, it is claimed, has been fulfilled by Christ and is no longer incumbent upon the believer, but not so the moral and civil parts of the law. Therefore, we are to live under the moral law and seek to establish, in our society, the civil system of OT Israel. The problem with this view is that nowhere in the Bible is the Law broken into these three sections, this is something invented by men. Whenever the Law is mentioned the Scriptures are speaking of the whole Law as a unit. The Jews were as obligated to keep the sacrificial system and commandments concerning food and dress (ceremonial law) as they were the Ten Commandments (moral law). If the NT says that Christ fulfilled the Law, and that as Christians we are no longer under the Law, it means the whole Law. Church age saints are no longer obligated to any aspect of the OT Law. No one has the right to arbitrarily claim that we have been set free from some of the Law (the parts we don’t like) but that the rest of the Law is obligatory. Either the believer has been released from the whole Law (Rom 7:4,6) or none of it. As Thomas Ice reminds us, “The Law of Moses was given to a specific people (Israel), to be followed in a specific location (the land of Israel), to deal with their specific situation.


Therefore, the Law cannot simply be obeyed today by the Church, as was expected of Israel when it was given to that nation” (Biblical Perspectives Vol II #6). On the positive side Ice comments, “Paul teaches in Galatians 3 and 4 that Christ has set us free from the bondage of the Law, not so that we can be lawless as the Reconstructionists insist, instead, so that we can walk in the newness of the motivation of the Holy Spirit” (Ibid p2).





APPLICATION

What negative effects are the teachings of DT having on evangelical Christianity today. We would mention several:

Reconstructionists teach that the mission of the church goes beyond the spiritual transformation of individuals to a mandate to change society. For Christ to be pleased with Christians they must become political and social activists. We must change the laws of the land, gear up to elect Christians to office, and generally seek to take dominion over our world and bring it under the Law of Moses.



We see the influence of this thinking even in those who may know little about DT:


James Dobson, Larry Burkett, The Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson, Promise Keepers, Charles Colson and the Evangelicals and Catholics Together document, Operation Rescue, are but a few of the evidences that reconstructionist thinking is beginning to dominate the evangelical world.



Motivation for godly living, based upon the blessed hope: the return of Christ (Titus 2:16), is replaced with the task of restructuring society. This is a task that may take thousands of years, even by the DT’s own admission.


If we are in the Kingdom of God now then the Charismatics are right to teach that health and prosperity is the right of believers today. This is why “Reconstruction” Calvinists and “Kingdom Now” Charismatics have formed at least a loose unity — they both have the same world view. They are not looking for Christ to return and set up His Kingdom, they are attempting to set it up for Him.
This review appears in its original form here.



DOMINION THEOLOGY : Apprising Ministries