Paul Luckraft reviews ‘The October Testament’, edited by Ruth Magnusson Davis (Baruch House Publishing, 2018)

Frances Rabbitts reviews two different critiques of the New Apostolic Reformation

Strategy and structure (Part 2)

Leadership in the New Covenant community

A teaching series drawing modern lessons from the early ‘ekklesia’

The most important book you’ve never heard of…

The Didache (pronounced did-ah-kay) has been described as the most important book you’ve never heard of. So what exactly is it and does it deserve this accolade?

Its full title, ‘The Teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles through the Twelve Apostles’, explains its purpose and content. It is an early Church manual: the teaching of the early Jewish followers of Jesus to the new Gentile believers.

The Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 agreed that God had indeed “opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). But after the Council’s ruling of four initial prohibitions (Acts 15:29), what else was required of Gentiles if they were to progress in the faith? If they were not expected to keep Torah as fully as their Jewish brethren, what did they need in order to walk in the same Way?

Here in the Didache we find compiled the necessary instruction to prepare them for immersion and membership in the Body of Christ. As such, this special document fulfilled a key role in the Great Commission to make disciples (not just converts) of all nations.

Walking in the Way

The Didache can be seen as a kind of apostolic Mishnah for new Gentile believers. Certainly there is a Jewish quality inherent in the text. The opening is particularly Jewish, and the language and prayers in later chapters have direct parallels and counterparts in the Judaism of the time. All the early believers in Messiah were still within the fold of Judaism, so this is hardly surprising.

Another similarity with the Mishnah is that the Didache is likely to have been passed on orally before being written down, as evidenced by certain mnemonic devices within the text. Most scholars believe its style places it in the mid-1^st Century, though some dispute this. If it is this early then it falls within the oral tradition of the time. The long title, quoted above, would have been added later when it was written down (incidentally, shorter versions of the title do exist, namely ‘The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles’, and just ‘The Teaching’, or ‘Didache’).

The Didache is an early Church instruction manual setting out teaching for helping new Gentile converts to become disciples.

The Didache is an anonymous document. Although the 12 apostles are mentioned in the title, they are not referred to in the text. Some see similarities with the Epistle of Barnabas and so suggest a link with him and hence with Paul. However, we cannot be sure if any of the apostles were directly involved in its production or transmission, although there is no doubt that the essential thrust of the Didache follows the same path and breathes the same spirit.

The Didache has been described as having an archaic simplicity (which fits its early dating). Its expressions are primitive. It contains no detailed creed, no exalted titles of Jesus, no lofty theology or doctrine. Rather it is a simple work of everyday living, reflecting the Jewish concept of ‘halakhah’, or walking with God. Its aim is to pass on the Way of Life as taught by Jesus (rather than provide a description of him and his works), directing Gentile converts in the step-by-step transformation necessary for full participation in their new faith.

Before the ‘Parting of the Ways’

The Didache clearly represents a time before Christianity became separated from Judaism. Nothing in it indicates the later ‘parting of the ways’. It has been described as one of the last voices of authentic apostolic faith: the final flowering of Judeo-Christianity before Greek influence and theology took charge. This alone makes it a fascinating and worthwhile document to study.

The Didache was popular among early believers and enjoyed wide circulation. Numerous early Church writers mentioned it and quoted from it frequently, for instance Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Eusebius and Athanasius. It is mentioned as being read in churches, but was not considered canonical or to be used to confirm doctrine. However, it could be seen as being “appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness.”¹

This is recorded as continuing until the 4^th Century, but by the 5^th Century the Didache fell out of popularity and was referenced much less. It does get an occasional mention in later times, but for centuries it was assumed that copies no longer existed. Then came a surprise discovery in 1873.

The Didache has been described as one of the last voices of authentic apostolic faith.

An Astonishing Find

A Greek Orthodox Archbishop, Philotheos Bryennios, was browsing in the library of the Greek Convent of the Holy Sepulchre in Constantinople and found a text lodged between two longer works in a single bound volume of Christian manuscripts. Somehow it had escaped the notice of previous cataloguers. Was this find too good to be true? Might it be a modern forgery? After a few years it was judged authentic and dated as a copy from 1056. It was finally published in 1883. When the first English translation was released in 1884, it sold 5,000 copies on the first day.

Although older fragments have been found since, this remains the only complete manuscript. Known as Codex Hierosolymitanus 54, it now resides in the library of the Greek Orthodox patriarchate in Jerusalem. In 1922 two Greek fragments were found in Egypt which were textually very close to that found in Istanbul, thus verifying its accuracy. In addition, a Coptic fragment from Cairo, dating back to the 5^th Century, was published in 1924, and another nearly complete Gregorian version was found in Constantinople in 1923, though never published. The 1873 manuscript remains the most reliable and complete.

Inevitably, a find such as this created a lot of controversy - especially where its contents didn’t agree with then-current Church traditions! The Catholic Church appreciated some bits of the Didache but was dismayed that some of its liturgy wasn’t there. Similarly, Protestants, pleased to see these omissions, did not like the emphasis on what they saw as ‘works of righteousness’, such as fasting twice a week. Both sides inevitably attempted various interpretations to place it more comfortably within their own traditions.

Intended for Study

The Didache is a short work, approximately one third of the length of Mark’s Gospel. It is composed of 16 short chapters (some very short), containing just 2,190 words in total. The vocabulary and grammar reflect the popular koine Greek of the 1^st Century. Its style is simple and terse. It uses only 552 different words, of which 504 are found in the New Testament. All this again points to an early date.

The Didache is a short work, approximately one third of the length of Mark’s Gospel.

The material of the Didache was probably intended to be studied in pairs, in a one-to-one format, as the entire text uses the second person singular. This is similar to the rabbinic concept of chavruta, where the novice studies at times with a partner of the same level, but at other times with someone more mature in the faith acting as a mentor. Indeed ‘The Training’ is a better title than ‘The Teaching’, as the Didache represents a form of apprenticeship! Crucially, the mentor was not offering his thoughts on these matters, but passing on instructions that he had previously received and was also living out.

The Didache also seems to be for both male and female disciples. Specifically female issues are addressed, and the novice is addressed as ‘my child’, not ‘my son’.

Flow of Topics

Some believe the Didache was composed in stages, with the first section, called ‘The Two Ways’, existing in some form before being incorporated into the Didache. Nevertheless, as a whole it displays a unity across its structure, with a flow of topics which may indicate a comprehensive step-by-step programme for Gentile converts to become full disciples. The layout allows the recipient to progress slowly from introductory material to more complex rituals of daily living and community.

Though there are no separate headings, the content clearly divides into sections or tractates. Phrases or topic sentences are repeated to signal the beginning of new portions and summary statements are used to bring blocks of material to a close. These linguistic clues suggest the following four sections (though some split the third into two parts, making five in total):

Section 1 refers to two ‘ways’: the Way of Life and the Way of Death. These two paths would have already been well-known from Scripture (e.g. Psalm 1) and the teaching of Jesus. The Way of Life concerns one’s relationship with God as well as one’s relationships with other people.

Much of this reflects the Torah and the Decalogue, but the Didache contains a noticeable emphasis on how Gentile believers needed to live within the Roman world. In particular, it contains new prohibitions pertaining to what they would encounter in Roman society. Overall, the Didache represents an interesting adaptation of the Torah to take into account the circumstances that these converts would face.

The Didache represents an interesting adaptation of the Torah to take into account the circumstances that new Gentile converts would face in the Roman world.

Section 2 provides regulations for eating, baptising, fasting and praying. The chapter on food is very short and simple, and covers meat offered to idols. The next chapter, on baptism, shows a preference for baptising in flowing water, although exceptions are allowed if this is not available. Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and was to mark a clear turning-point in life, including the breaking of previous social bonds (even those within a family if necessary), as through baptism the convert was now joining a new family.

Fasting was to be undertaken before baptism and the next chapter indicates that in general a fast should be made twice a week, as within the Jewish tradition, though on different days from the Jews! This chapter also contains short injunctions on prayer, including use of the Lord’s Prayer.

The next two chapters contain the blessings to be made before and after a meal, especially the eucharist which was a full meal within the context of a family. Again, Jewish traditions are preserved here.

Warnings and Hope

Section three contains regulations for hospitality and for testing various kinds of visitors, especially itinerant prophets. They are to be welcomed and even honoured, but their time spent in any one community must be limited. Warnings are given against those who seek money or extended hospitality, and of course their words had to be tested and match their conduct, which must have already made a favourable impression upon the community before their words are heard.

The Didache contains a lot of cautionary advice regarding prophets - something still needed today. It seems the new Christian communities had much to fear from abusive and wayward prophets. However, ample provision is also made for welcoming true prophets, who could even be rewarded – provided they didn’t ask (interestingly, there is no mention of the communities creating and sending out their own prophets to other places. However, they were to appoint their own local overseer, or episkopos, which at that time was an entirely secular word meaning someone charged with oversight. These men were not themselves teachers or prophets, but also had to be of good conduct and then similarly honoured)!

The Didache contains a lot of cautionary advice regarding prophets - something still needed today.

The final section is on the end times! What a refreshing change from the complexities and confusion we find today. Here is a short synopsis of apocalyptic warnings and a message of hope. The emphasis is upon the ‘not yet’ aspect of the Kingdom, the need for holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return, and warnings of false prophets and deceivers.

Finally, three signs of truth are mentioned that will appear at the end: the unfurling or opening of the sky, the sound of the trumpet and the resurrection of the just. Then the world will see the Lord coming upon the clouds. Perhaps this is all we need to know in advance!

Now you’ve heard of this important book, click here to read our reviews of three editions currently available to purchase.

Paul Luckraft reviews three different translations of the ancient text.

If you wish to purchase a copy of the Didache for yourself then here are three very different options that I have come across and can recommend.

I have used all three in my article on the Didache, and readily acknowledge their help in compiling it. Which you would prefer will depend upon the level of analysis and commentary you require, and how much you want to spend!

Owles’ Translation

The simplest option is a translation by R Joseph Owles (2014, 33 pages). Be warned: all you get is an English translation. There is no Greek text to go alongside it or commentary to explain it, though there is a single page of notes at the end.

However, it is well-formatted in a way that makes it easy to read and understand. If that is all you require, then this will suffice and may be the cheapest version you can find.

Owles’s translation is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle forms.

Milavec’s Translation and Commentary

The next alternative is by seminary and university professor Aaron Milavec (2003, 114 pages), which starts with a very informative introduction. After this comes the Greek text with a side-by-side English translation (the Greek being on the left-hand page and the English on the right).

The remaining pages are mainly taken up with what is described as a brief commentary. Apparently, elsewhere, Milavec spent 15 years compiling a 1,000-page commentary, so he apologises that this one is neither exhaustive nor definitive! However, this briefer version (65 pages) will be more than sufficient for most readers.

The book also contains a bibliography and recommended electronic aids for further study of the Didache. Milavec provides several flowcharts showing the progression of various events, such as the key aspects of the Didache training, which might be of interest to some. The final few pages offer some considerations on the dating of the Didache and its dependence upon Matthew’s Gospel.

All in all, this is the edition that will be most suitable for those who want a bit more than just a basic translation, but don’t want to spend hours in further study.

The Milavec edition is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle forms.

Janicki’s ‘The Way of Life’ Version

If you want a book that will take you much deeper into all that the Didache offers, then The Way of Life by Toby Janicki is worth considering. Published in 2017 by the Vine of David, a publishing arm of Messianic ministry First Fruits of Zion, this is a hardback which will cost you more to obtain, especially as you may need to get it from the US.

This near 600-page volume contains a new translation (again, side-by-side with the Greek) and a very extensive commentary from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Indeed, it is described as the first commentary of this kind. Most Didache studies have been influenced by denominational church interpretations which did not value its Jewish context, so this book is a very worthwhile contribution to the whole Jewish roots movement.

One significant bonus is an appendix containing the Epistle of Barnabas which makes for a fascinating comparison with the Didache. Another appendix features the Oxyrhynchus Papyrus fragments. There is also a very full bibliography for the even-more-serious student!

Janicki’s ‘The Way of Life’ version is available in hardback form from FFOZ or from Amazon.com (both international shipping).

From hyper-grace to healing vibrations: how the NAR is leading charismatics astray.

*Longer article*

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:10)

At Prophecy Today UK, we believe that the Pentecostal movement of the early 20^th Century and the charismatic renewal movement of the 1960s and 70s were moves of God to equip his people with a greater understanding and appreciation of the Holy Spirit. We have often said that this equipping was intended for a specific purpose: to prepare the Church for effective witness in the 20^th and 21^st Centuries, during which time the global population has boomed and the religious map has changed dramatically.

However, we recognise the danger of such moves of God being hijacked and corrupted by human sin and satanic deception, and that this danger is no less today than it was in the days of the early Church. Then, the infiltration of the new-born Christian community by false teachers and false prophets led Paul and the other Apostles to speak often and passionately about the importance of guarding against deception.

It is in this context, and with regard for recent concerns surrounding David Hathaway’s January prayer day at Wembley Arena, that we feel a broader statement (perhaps the first of several) is also necessary on a particular movement infiltrating the Western charismatic Church.

We believe that this cluster of ministries, teachings, practices and attitudes, often referred to through the short-hand phrase ‘the New Apostolic Reformation’ or ‘NAR’, has the potential to steer charismatics completely off course. But what is the NAR, and how can we combat its teachings with biblical truth?

A Brief History

The NAR is today’s expression of the same teachings that birthed the Latter Rain Movement of the 1940s, the subsequent ‘Manifest Sons of God’ movement, the Kansas City Prophets, the Toronto Blessing (1994 on), events at Brownsville/Pensacola (1995-2000) and the Lakeland Florida ‘outpouring’ (2008).

During the mid-1990s, Dr Clifford Hill together with several other British church leaders joined to sound the alarm about events in Toronto, the outcome of which was the 1995 book ‘Blessing the Church?’, serialised in 2018 on Prophecy Today UK.¹ But though the alarm was sounded, the NAR movement has since only grown in reach and influence. Through the 2000s and 2010s, teachings that were once the domain of fringe itinerant revivalists filtered into the mainstream charismatic world.

The NAR today encompasses a loose collection of charismatic ministries, leaders and teachings without a central organising body or statement of beliefs, and defying traditional denominational categories. Many within it do not recognise the term ‘NAR’, though it was coined by one of the movement’s core founders, C. Peter Wagner.² It has also been termed ‘network Christianity’³ because of its nebulous, relational nature.

Today, NAR power-houses include Bill and Beni Johnson’s Bethel Church in Redding, California (formerly AOG, now independent), Hillsong Church in Australia (also formerly AOG, now independent), Catch the Fire in Toronto (formerly Toronto Airport Vineyard, now independent), Heidi Baker’s Iris Ministries and Rick Joyner’s Morningstar Ministries, amongst many others. You will find songs, teachings, books and events connected with these and other NAR ministries being promoted in most charismatic churches in Britain, at inter-denominational conferences, in Christian bookshops and on Christian TV and radio.

This ‘networking’ has been accomplished through a combination of music, literature, sympathetic publishing houses and media platforms,⁴ training programmes, social media use and platform-sharing/collaborations with well-respected ministries and leaders. The NAR now also has its own Bible ‘translation’ to boot.⁵

The global reach of this movement and the endurance of its core beliefs through time seem all the more insidious because of its lack of official organisation, prompting many to see a spiritual driving force behind it. So, what exactly do NAR proponents believe?

What are NAR Beliefs?

In many ways, the NAR borrows from biblical Christianity and most within the movement would still accept the basic tenets of the Gospel. It is evangelistic and charismatic; it believes the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. It also usually takes a conservative stance on moral issues, values prophecy, promotes social action and can encourage support for Israel. However, there are important aspects of the NAR which are inescapably unbiblical, which pollute and redirect genuinely-felt love for God.

Indeed, while we are not disputing the sincerity of ordinary believers caught up in the NAR movement, we believe that, followed thoroughly and consistently, it promotes ‘a different Jesus, a different spirit and a different Gospel’ (2 Cor 11:4).

The US General Council of the Assemblies of God wrote in their official denunciation of the Latter Rain Movement in 1949 that its theology “claims prerogatives to human agency which belong only to Christ”.⁶ This remains a good summary of the NAR movement today which, though now evolved beyond these roots, still bears similar hallmarks.

In short, the NAR movement encourages believers to claim for themselves things that belong only to our sovereign God and remain His to bestow as He wills: things such as power and authority, control and dominion, supernatural ability, blessing and success, health and prosperity. It is a Christianity that doesn’t know when or where to stop: an over-zealous movement of theological and spiritual excess characterised by a lack of biblical checks and balances.

With the caveat that the NAR is a loose movement that encompasses a lot of internal variation, and to which proponents may only subscribe partially or inconsistently, core NAR beliefs include:

1. The leadership of modern-day ‘apostles’ and ‘prophets’
   
2. Dominionism: the teaching that ahead of Jesus’ return, the Church will become all-powerful on earth and make it ready for the Lord⁷
   
3. The belief that unlimited divine power and blessing is available to believers to equip them for this task
   
4. An over-emphasis on the supernatural and extra-biblical revelation
   
5. An over-emphasis on power and human agency
   

In the remainder of this article, I will take these five NAR creeds and discuss briefly why each is attractive, deceptive and contrary to Scripture.

1. The leadership of modern-day ‘apostles’ and ‘prophets’

The NAR movement distorts Ephesians 2:20 to claim that God is raising up end times ‘super-apostles’ and prophets – equal to or greater than the original Apostles commissioned by Christ - who will lead the Church to this-worldly victory. The appeal of strong, charismatic leadership in an increasingly uncertain world, particularly to young people, should not be underestimated.

While Christians disagree about whether the biblical offices of Apostle and Prophet are still current today, what is certain is that an elitist movement of self-appointed, celebrity leaders claiming divine authority is thoroughly dangerous, as well as antithetical to Scripture.⁸ The cult-like focus on personality in the NAR has led some believers to travel the world in order to sit under the teaching of specific people, desperate to receive some personal blessing and accepting their words unquestioningly.

The highly concentrated power of this relatively small group of men and women – now commanding global influence and millions of dollars every year, while being treated as infallible superstars - can easily be (and has been) abused, as with the well-documented examples of Paul Cain and, more recently, Todd Bentley. Both of these men fell from grace spectacularly but were quickly ‘restored’ with a conspicuous absence of deep grieving and true repentance.

All this is a world away from the New Testament ekklesia, the community of faith built on one name alone: that of Jesus Christ. The original Apostles were team-playing ambassadors of the Gospel who placed high premiums on humility and servant leadership, not self-promotion and gaining a following (e.g. 1 Cor 3:4; 15:9). Their teaching emphasised the importance of weighing and testing all things (e.g. 1 Thess 5:21) and watching keenly for false teachers and prophets, as Jesus commanded (Matt 7:15-20). Those in positions of leadership knew they would be held to a higher standard because of their greater influence (James 3:1).

“I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power. Though I am less than the least of all the saints…” Apostle Paul, Ephesians 3:7-8

“He must become greater; I must become less…the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.” John the Baptist, John 3:30-31

2. Dominionism: the teaching that ahead of Jesus’ return, the Church will become all-powerful on earth and make it ready for the Lord

Popular within the NAR movement are teachings like the Seven Mountain Mandate (the idea that Christians are supposed to take over the ‘seven mountains’ of culture in order to transform the world) and the concept of ‘bringing heaven to earth’, reclaiming society and Creation for the Kingdom.⁹

The biblical hope that believers will become bearers of light and blessing to their communities and nations through the transformative power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit, and the understandable desire for revival, are extrapolated to such a degree that the responsibility for establishing a physical Kingdom of God on earth is transferred from Christ onto the shoulders of the Church.

The goal of re-establishing Christendom has obvious appeal to Christians in the West, who have hitherto watched their nations despise God and spin into terminal decline. But dig a little deeper and NAR Dominionism usurps Christ’s Lordship, wresting from him the mandate to redeem, restore and judge.

Indeed, the ‘Kingdom Now’ culture promises the victory of Christ’s return and the blessings of Heaven to believers in this life, creating false expectations that ‘things can only get better’ and that the next big revival is just around the corner. This stops people from truly seeking the Lord and understanding his purposes. It also blinds them to vast swathes of Scripture which speak of dreadful days of deception and persecution ahead of the Lord’s return.

When difficult times do come, or when wild predictions of revival don’t come true, expectations are disappointed and believers can be driven either into denial, or away from faith altogether.

“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” Jesus, Matthew 24:12-13

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” Apostle Paul, Philippians 3:20

3. The belief that unlimited divine power and blessing is available to believers to equip them for this task

Taking its cue from the Manifest Sons of God movement, NAR teachers emphasise that as God’s children destined to do great things in the world, believers can claim in faith lives of abundant blessing, health, supernatural power and infinite grace from God.¹⁰ Some, notoriously, have even argued that believers are ‘little gods’ who can attain to divinity and physical immortality.¹¹

The fleshly appeal of such promises of abundance is obvious (cf. Genesis 3:5). Deceptively, they take truths about the love, goodness, grace and blessing of God and blow them out of all proportion, well beyond scriptural boundaries. The life of faith is reworked around pursuing and ‘claiming’ this promised abundance, more than around growing in maturity and holiness. As such, NAR teaching de-emphasises concepts like discipline, judgment, sin and human weakness. It blurs the fundamental differences between God and humanity, exalting believers far above their given place.

Believers are told that illness and suffering are always consequences either of a lack of faith or of spiritual attack (rather than for any other reasons) while concepts such as repentance and denying one’s flesh are side-lined, as are scriptural injunctions to admonish, discern and warn.

The result is an entitled, spoilt Church culture – congruent with the consumeristic West at large. The NAR is known for its insatiable cry of ‘more!’

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Jesus, Matthew 16:24

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

4. Strong emphasis on the supernatural and extra-biblical revelation

The NAR movement puts a premium emphasis on an experiential relationship with God, including miraculous healings, the imparting of spiritual gifts/anointing through the laying on of hands, tangible experiences of God’s glory, words of knowledge, angelic visitations, supernatural manifestations and miscellaneous signs and wonders (notorious examples of the latter include the appearance of gold dust, gold teeth and feathers).

Biblical accounts of Jesus and the Apostles speak of miracles which are rarely seen in today’s unbelieving, hyper-materialist West. Ordinary Christians are understandably hungry for the supernatural – not only for proof of God’s existence but in order to ‘walk as Jesus walked’. However, this biblical desire for authentic New Testament Christianity is taken too far by the NAR, with cries of ‘relationship not religion’ quickly becoming a reaction against all forms of biblical authority, order and structure (save for the authority of the ‘anointed’ apostles and prophets!) and a privileging instead of the spontaneous, the ‘reckless’, even the ‘out of control’.

Such a postmodern theology of experience fits right in with millennials, but comes with a low regard for Scripture and the basic tenets of the Gospel, as somehow insufficient. Instead, a gnostic pursuit of the spiritual and of ‘new’ knowledge opens believers up to spiritual influences and grand prophetic claims that are simply not of God. In the name of faith, discernment is abandoned and thinking is suspended.

Unsurprisingly, the NAR movement has been marked from the start by strange manifestations, esoteric experiences and an abundance of provably false ‘prophetic’ words – all encouraged by a church culture predisposed to unquestioning acceptance, with criticism shut down as ‘judgmentalism’.

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Apostle John, 1 John 4:1

“…there has emerged a famine of the Word of God…[which] has left large numbers of Christians without the capacity to judge for themselves from Scripture whether a thing is from God or not. They are defenceless from error, both in the form of doctrine and practice…” Peter Fenwick¹²

5. Therefore, given the above, the NAR places a strong emphasis on power and human agency

NAR-influenced church culture today emphasises the spiritual ‘authority’ of believers and NAR teaching often purports to help people ‘trigger’, ‘activate’ or ‘awaken’ blessing, revival and supernatural experience. NAR language is suffused with authoritative terminology such as ‘releasing’, ‘imparting’, ‘anointing’, ‘activating’, ‘breaking’, ‘declaring’ and ‘pronouncing’.

Being clear on the nature and limits of our authority in Christ is vital if we are to avoid usurping his role and claiming power for ourselves that is not ours to claim. In the NAR, this desire to wield spiritual power sometimes fosters a militant emphasis on spiritual warfare, particularly the practice of ‘taking’ territories for the Kingdom in prayer by engaging with territorial demonic spirits.¹³ Faithful proclamation of the Gospel is superseded by a dangerous desire to engage with spiritual principalities, while a concern to deal with sin is replaced by a pre-occupation with enemy activity.

Without discernment, these kinds of attitudes can worsen the ‘name it and claim it’ culture described previously and lead to all sorts of self-interested, unwise actions. Bethel Church in California provides plentiful examples of such behaviour: e.g. pacing around Temple Mount declaring ‘victory’ over the enemy, praying for a friend who fell down a cliff instead of calling the emergency services, and trying to stop the California fires by prophesying rain and commanding the wind.

We are not in any way denying the possibility of Holy Spirit-inspired declarations, or divinely-prompted acts of faith, or the power of intercessory prayer. However, NAR teaching wrests these things away from God and puts them solely in the hands of humans, as if the Holy Spirit is a force that man can learn to wield and bend to his will. This unhealthy attitude towards control, combined with the aforementioned preoccupation with the supernatural, opens a door for the New Age.

New Age terminology like ‘shifts’, ‘alignment’ and ‘destiny’ are common within the NAR, as are hypnotic music and mystical practices borrowed from the occult. One well-known example is The Physics of Heaven, a 2012 book by authors including Kansas City Prophets Bob Jones and Larry Randolph, with contributions from widely-followed NAR personalities Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton.

The book purports to ‘reclaim’ practices from the New Age like vibrations, healing energies, ‘dolphin therapy’ and ‘quantum mysticism’ to reveal secrets about how to achieve ‘personal transcendence’.¹⁴

“Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone.” Acts 19:18-19

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 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!’” Jesus, Matthew 7:21-23

Conclusions

The above overview is not comprehensive, as anyone who has looked into these matters will know. However, it is intended to clarify Prophecy Today’s position on this movement. Our assessment is that it ducks and weaves through biblical Christianity, blending truth with dangerous distortions and downright falsities.

It is thus a prime example of a movement of ‘mixture’. Nobody is saying that NAR teachers don’t ever say anything true or worthwhile – that’s precisely the point. They sometimes do. It is extremely difficult to critique their material without appearing uncharitable towards the truth contained within it. More discerning Christians have therefore tended to be divided by the influence of the NAR - some see the good and are unwilling to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Others reject it completely as outright deception (2 Cor 11:4). Many are simply fearful of speaking out against a movement that may include things ‘of God’, in case they accidentally blaspheme the Holy Spirit.

As I said at the start of this article, we are not disputing the sincerity of believers caught up in the NAR movement. However, broadly speaking, when NAR teaching and culture is held up to the light of Scripture, it fails virtually every single test. The problem is that it has intermingled with and now suffuses mainstream charismatic Christianity in Britain, which is one reason why so many faithful charismatics find themselves unable to find a sound church fellowship.

The growth of the NAR must be weighed before the Lord, especially in the light of scriptures forecasting deception during the times of the end. I do not believe, however, that ‘retreat’ is the only option left for faithful believers. A systematic critique is desperately needed and we must search the scriptures carefully to find out the truth, and be ready to defend it, contending earnestly for the faith (Jude 3). If the NAR really is as deceptive as it appears, the future of the Western Church and its witness may just hang in the balance.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy is particularly pertinent for us today:

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

Our thanks to the many readers who have raised this issue with us.

References

1 Click here to read our serialised version, which provides a useful history of the whole movement.

2 Wagner, CP, 1998. The New Apostolic Churches. Regal, CA, p18.

3 See Christerson, B and Flory, R, 2017. The Rise of Network Christianity: How Independent Leaders Are Changing the Religious Landscape. OUP USA.

4 E.g. Destiny Image, Charisma Media, God TV and TBN.

5 The ‘Passion Translation’, though it is really a paraphrase. Read critiques here and here and note its NAR connections here.

6 See chapter by David Forbes in Blessing the Church?

7 There are other streams of Dominionist theology that transcend charismatic circles. Not all have the same perspective on the end times.

8 Some, like Bill Johnson, do not claim these things overtly. But neither does he stop people from claiming them for him.

9 This end goal of subduing the whole earth can precipitate some strange alliances, at great doctrinal cost.

10 This overlaps considerably with the ‘Word of Faith’ movement/the idea of ‘positive confession’ and has synergy with the prosperity gospel, also secular psychology.

11 This is a misappropriation of Psalm 82:6/John 10:34 and stems especially from Manifest Sons of God teaching. It can shade into New Age assertions about ‘the divine within’ and be coupled with a down-playing of Christ as the first of many sons, or as a human endowed with divine power, rather than THE only begotten Son of God, fully human but also fully divine.

12 Blessing the Church? p50.

13 We are not saying that prayer is not important or spiritually significant, nor that believers cannot be led by God to pray strategically – but this must be led by God and not assumed.

14 Bethel Church in California recently hit the news for supporting the use of Christianised tarot cards as a form of outreach, and are known for the practice of ‘grave-soaking’: visiting the graves of Christian heroes and physically trying to ‘soak up’ some of the ‘anointing’.

Simon Pease reviews ‘A New Apostolic Reformation?’ by RD Geivett and H Pivec (Weaver Book Company, 2014).

Geivett’s and Pivec’s book, investigating the teachings of the so-called ‘New Apostolic Reformation’ (NAR), has already garnered widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers asserting that this work provides a much-needed service to the Church. This reviewer concurs.

The ‘NAR’ is a short-hand term for a loose, unofficial collection of ministries, individuals and teachings, largely emanating from the USA, which have combined over the last 30 years to become a highly pervasive influence in the worldwide Church. However, as the authors point out, many Christians who are influenced by the NAR are not even aware of its existence.

In this helpful and balanced book, Geivett and Pivec draw together the various strands of this movement and systematically review its core beliefs, which owe significantly to the 1930s Latter Rain Movement and associated ‘revivals’ such as the Toronto ‘Blessing’.

Hyper-Dominionism

The authors acknowledge that they faced a challenging task researching the NAR as a whole. In contrast to a denomination, it is harder to pin down a formal set of beliefs within this nebulous-yet-influential movement.
In essence, NAR teaching asserts that God is raising up an end times generation of apostles and prophets, to whom the Holy Spirit is revealing ‘new truth’. These apostles and prophets will lead a massive revival, demonstrate extraordinary miraculous powers, and assume worldly positions of power in spheres such as Government, education, the media, arts, etc in order to bring the Kingdom of God on earth.¹

Geivett’s and Pivec’s book, investigating the teachings of the so-called ‘New Apostolic Reformation’, provides a much-needed service to the Church.

In traversing NAR beliefs, which can be summed up as hyper-dominionism (though Geivett and Pivec do not use this term), the authors reference and quote a variety of sources, most frequently C Peter Wagner. The most extreme example provided is of Bill Hamon, who teaches that end times apostles and prophets will attain immortality and perfect health before Jesus returns. Although some within the NAR reject these ideas, they nevertheless align with the overall direction of the movement.

Systematic Comparison with Scripture

Geivett and Pivec have written a clear and accessible work. Their respective backgrounds as university professor and investigative journalist are clearly visible in the book’s neatly arranged structure and evidence-based approach.

The impetus for writing the book arose from an enquiry by an ordinary Christian directed to Holly Pivec when she was a university magazine editor. The book itself is simply dedicated ‘To the Church, the Bride of Christ’, though it is probably geared more towards church leaders, being quite an academic work. Seemingly recognising this, the authors have written a complementary book entitled ‘God’s Super-Apostles’, together with a study guide, which provide a brief introduction to the NAR, with personal stories and recommendations for responding to the movement’s teachings – evidently aimed at a broader readership than the one currently reviewed.

The first three chapters of ‘A New Apostolic Reformation?’ are devoted to explaining what the NAR is, its extraordinary influence (both within the worldwide Church and as a political force in the USA) and the highly organised strategies it has adopted to become so powerful within mainstream Christianity.

The book then systematically examines key NAR teachings, following each with a summary of biblical teaching and a comparison between the two. Invariably NAR teaching is revealed to fail the crucial litmus test of Scripture.

The book systematically examines key NAR teachings, which invariably are revealed to fail the crucial litmus test of Scripture.

The authors also counteract NAR teachings by referring to other commentators within mainstream Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement – presumably because their belief in modern-day gifts of the Spirit makes them the closest Church streams to the NAR and their views might therefore carry greater weight with the reader.

In so doing, Geivett and Pivec ensure that the book’s powerful critique is not damaged by getting side-tracked into debates such as cessationism. They also work to ensure that believers caught up in the NAR movement will not be alienated by the book, stating clearly that they consider NAR leaders to be genuinely committed believers, though never beyond reproach.

Opportunities Missed

Despite its excellence, the book does miss a couple of good opportunities. For example, the authors point out that the NAR now has its own Bible, the ‘Passion Translation’, written deliberately to promote their theology. So brazen is this ‘translation’ in its re-writing of Scripture that at least an appendix with some choice quotations would have been valuable.

In the same way, there is the occasional passing comment regarding the similarity of NAR practices to the New Age movement - but this theme is never developed. To their credit, however, an appendix is devoted to Todd Bentley’s commissioning by ‘apostolic decree’ and his rapid demise, highlighting spectacularly why NAR leaders’ claim to speak authoritatively for God is flawed.

Unlike other books on this topic, which tend to focus on the bizarre spiritual practices and unorthodox teachings of one particular ministry or leader (e.g. Bill Johnson and Bethel Church), here is a comprehensive overview of the entire movement that is highly recommended to help counteract NAR teachings within the Church.

‘A New Apostolic Reformation? A Biblical Response to a Worldwide Movement’ (272pp, paperback) is available from ICM Books for £12.99. Also on Amazon Kindle.

Notes

1 The clearest theological expression of this teaching is found in the ‘Seven Mountain Mandate’, in which mountains represent these spheres of cultural influence.

The laying on of hands (Part 2)

Editorial Comment: Campbell McAlpine was a good Bible teacher from solid Brethren stock. He wrote the little booklet First Principles, which we are serialising today, back in the 1960s. At that time of its publication by PWM Ministries (1992), none of the charismatic phenomena that we saw later in the 1990s had yet been experienced. Today we have a very different view on the laying on of hands. We have therefore carefully revised Campbell’s teaching in line with current biblical scholarship, so that the teaching given below represents that of Prophecy Today UK and Issachar Ministries.

***

We have already seen that the laying on of hands is a practice with significance running right through the whole of Scripture. It was not only used to set people apart for certain ministries, but often as human authority was given to them to fulfil their calling or role within an institution. In this second study, we turn to how the laying on of hands can be important (or misused) in blessing, healing, and receiving the Holy Spirit.

Laying on Hands to Bless

It is important to understand that the act of laying on hands is not a magical formula or ritual to obtain automatic blessing – indeed, it can have rather undesirable results, as we will see. It is, however, a public statement: an act of faith to which God responds when done in line with his word. It is God alone who can bless, heal and fill with the Holy Spirit – and yet, in his grace and mercy, he chooses to allow us, his children, to take part in the process of blessing others with our personal faith.

In the Old Testament we read of fathers laying hands on their sons and blessing them. In ancient times, the practice of fathers blessing sons was part of the procedure through which inheritance was formally transferred. This does not mean that they imparted God’s blessing to them – no-one can give God’s blessing to someone! It is only God who can give his blessing.

Isaac blessed his son Jacob, and he was blessed, but this was Isaac’s own personal blessing upon his son, which God then honoured. Jacob in turn blessed each of his sons, and they were blessed, but again, it was not God’s blessing: it was the personal-yet-prophetic blessing of a father to his sons, which the Lord accepted.

What we learn from these examples is that laying on hands to bless is a practice that must be done with God-given authority and in line with God’s will – but that any resultant blessing comes from God. In the same way, the Apostle Paul talks about spiritual gifts and ministries in his letters but makes it clear that it is God who gives these, not people (see Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28).

Laying on hands to bless is a practice that must be done with God-given authority and in line with God’s will - and any resultant blessing comes from God.

A Word of Caution

But passing on evil spirits is another matter. Although we cannot pass on pure things like the Holy Spirit to others by laying on hands, we can pass on evil spirits. The Prophet Haggai spoke to the Temple priests about passing on things from one body to another by touch. He stated emphatically that we cannot pass on holiness to someone else but we can certainly infect them with defilement (Hag 2:10-14).

This is why we should always be careful about who we allow to lay their hands on us – and this is the sad story of the charismatic movement of the 1990s, which was marked by all sorts of spirits being passed on from one to another, with people barking, laughing uncontrollably and falling around like drunkards. This was wrongly attributed to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ Ministry of Blessing

When we read in Matthew 19 of Jesus taking little children and laying his hands on them and blessing them, we are dealing with a different dimension. One thing is sure, these children would have been truly blessed – not least because of Jesus’ direct relationship with the Father.

Jesus said “anyone who has seen me has seen the Father”, but he also acknowledged that he could do nothing on his own initiative: he could only do what he saw the Father doing and what he heard from the Father (John 5:19, 8:28) and he always obeyed the Father’s commands (John 15:10). So a blessing from Jesus was a direct blessing from God the Father.

There is also the wonderful story in Revelation 1 where John, on the island of Patmos, had a sight of the glorified Lord Jesus. So overwhelming was that sight, that he “fell at His feet, as though dead.” Then Jesus laid his right hand on him and said, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Rev 1:17-18). Immediately John was strengthened and enabled to be Jesus’ messenger to the churches in Asia.

A blessing from Jesus was a direct blessing from God the Father.

Healing and the Laying on of Hands

The scriptures give several accounts of people being healed when hands were laid on them. This was evidenced in the ministry of Jesus:

• In Nazareth: “He laid His hands on a few sick people, and healed them” (Mark 6:5).
  
• A blind man: “Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly” (Mark 8:25).
  
• A disabled woman: “When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity’. Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God” (Luke 13:12-13).
  
• A paralytic man: Jesus said “Friend, your sins are forgiven”. In dealing with this man’s sins before his healing, Jesus demonstrated that he was not just a faith healer. His mission set him apart from the rest of humanity. He was “the word made flesh…who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
  
• After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples and commissioned them to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”, giving them this promise, “These signs will accompany those who believe. In my name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” (Mark 16:17-18).
  
• When the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, he laid hands on the father of the chief citizen of the island who was ill with a fever, and he was healed (Acts 28:8).

The question we have to ask is whether ordinary human beings were given the power to heal by laying on their hands. There is no evidence of this in the New Testament. There are instances of the apostles laying hands upon the sick and praying for them and they were healed. But there is no evidence of healing being transmitted from the well person to the sick person through the laying on of hands. The healing was received in answer to prayer.

So again, we have the laying on of hands being an act of faith, done by those with God-given authority and in line with his word; an act to which God responds with power.

The scriptures give several accounts of people being healed when hands were laid on them.

The Holy Spirit and the Laying on of Hands

When Peter and John went down to Samaria, after hearing of the many who were being saved through the ministry of Philip, they ministered to the new converts and, “they placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:17). When Paul was in Ephesus, it is recorded that after baptising some believers, he “placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:6).

These verses are often misunderstood as meaning that the Holy Spirit was somehow imparted or transferred to the believers through the laying on of hands. But the Greek does not say that. It simply records that ‘this happened, then that happened’ – without any causative interpretation.

In the teaching of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the gift of the Father. Jesus said “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth” (John 14:15). It is essential to understand that we cannot impart or pass on the Holy Spirit to anyone. He is entirely in God’s hands to give or to withhold as he chooses. In the Old Testament, Elisha had to learn this. He asked the dying Elijah for a double portion of his spirit - but Elijah made it clear that it was not his to give (2 Kings 2).

A particular passage that needs careful interpretation is Paul’s advice to Timothy: “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you” (1 Tim 4:14). It is evident that one day while Timothy and the elders were waiting on the Lord, someone prophesied indicating the ministry the Lord desired Timothy to have. In response to this, the elders laid hands on him.

We can be certain that the elders prayed for him; but what is even more significant in the context of Paul’s words was that the elders recognised the ministry Timothy was to exercise in the ‘ekklesia’ – the scattered congregations around the Empire that made up the Church at that time. The laying on of hands was a sign of this recognition. It was not giving the Holy Spirit or any ministry gifts – Timothy had already received these. The laying on of hands was a sign of their blessing - giving Timothy the authority to go and exercise his ministry gifts amongst the various congregations.

This is what happens today in a service of ordination: the elders (or bishops) of the church lay hands on the ordinands and pray for them. Through this act they are not imparting any spiritual blessing upon him or her, but from their position of authority, they recognise the ministry to which the ordinand has been called by God. This recognition gives authority to the ordinand to exercise ministry within the organisation of the church in accordance with its rules. It does not confer blessing or spiritual gifts – it confers institutional authority.

The laying on of hands is an act of faith, to which God responds with power.

Impartation

The whole subject of ‘impartation’ has caused much division and confusion in churches in recent history. In the 1990s there were men who went around laying hands on people and causing them to behave strangely. One man even called himself a ‘Holy Spirit Bartender’ because when he touched people they behaved like drunkards. Clearly, the spirit he was passing on to others was not the Holy Spirit!

We believe that a true interpretation of biblical teaching on this subject is that we human beings can pass on evil spirits, but we cannot pass on the Holy Spirit or any of the spiritual gifts of God by laying hands on people. These gifts are entirely God’s to give.

This does not mean, however, that we shouldn’t lay on hands! It is undoubtedly a practice that God has ordained and to which he responds, when done in accordance with his word and will. As we have seen, laying on hands is an outward act of faith which can be used in certain circumstances to give a personal blessing, or as part of praying for healing or petitioning the Lord to pour out his Holy Spirit.

It is a lack of sound biblical teaching and interpretation of Scripture that has caused so much confusion about this issue in recent years. Further teaching can be found in the book ‘Blessing the Church?’ which we serialised on Prophecy Today earlier this year. The book, written in 1995, is currently out of print but may be digitalised by Issachar Ministries in the near future.