Post by Daniel on May 11, 2018 16:23:10 GMT -5
Michael Brown's NAR Straw Man: Is the New Apostolic Reformation Just a Conspiracy Theory or Something More?
By Voices Contributors Holly Pivec and Doug Geivett | Thu 10 May 2018
Michael Brown recently wrote an op-ed article for Charisma and the Christian Post titled "Dispelling the Myths about NAR (the New Apostolic Reformation." Brown's article confronts "misinformation" circulating in Christian circles about an alleged "conspiratorial, worldwide, demonic movement" known as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). He likens critics' concerns about NAR to wild-eyed concerns about the Illuminati. And he explains how he's spent much time, in recent months, debunking what he calls the "myth of NAR." But in his attempt to set the record straight, Brown got it wrong. His article contains a good deal of its own misinformation, including a careless assessment of key sources. In his misrepresentation of those sources, he creates a straw man interpretation of critics' real concerns about NAR – a straw man that's easier for him to knock down, but is not based on the legitimate concerns many people have about this movement.
One source Brown attempts to debunk is a book co-authored by myself and Doug Geivett, a professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology. Our book is titled "A New Apostolic Reformation?: A Biblical Response to a Worldwide Movement." It's been endorsed and highly praised by respected Christian scholars and leaders. These include Pentecostals and charismatics. They've noted that our evaluation is fair, balanced and carefully documented. And they've described our tone as respectful toward those with whom we disagree. But that's probably not the picture people will have of our work if they read only Brown's description of it.
What's more—contrary to Brown's claim—our book provides a very clear and precise description of NAR teachings. That description can also be found in the two-hour public dialogue we had with Brown and in articles published throughout my blog. Yet Brown says he still isn't certain how we identify NAR leaders or churches. It's puzzling how he could have missed this. Perhaps I should restate our description of NAR here: The core NAR teaching is that the church must be governed by present-day apostles and prophets. The key word in that definition is governed. By governed, NAR leaders mean that apostles and prophets must hold formal authoritative offices in church government. This definition has two important corollaries: (1) These apostles and prophets claim extraordinary authority, and (2) they claim to bring new revelation the church needs to advance God's kingdom.
These teachings may sound radical and shocking to Christians who aren't familiar with NAR. But they're entering the mainstream. And they differ from classical Pentecostalism and from the historic teachings of charismatics. So it's important for all Christians to get up to speed on this movement.
Let's look at some specific things Brown got wrong in his article.
Lumping people together
Contrary to what Brown suggests, we haven't "put widely disparate groups under the same heading." And we haven't lumped Pentecostal and charismatic beliefs together under a NAR umbrella. As you can see above, we identify NAR leaders and NAR churches as those who fit that specific definition above and who promote those specific teachings. For example, we don't include the Assemblies of God – the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. The Assemblies of God is concerned about NAR and has even published two position papers challenging NAR teachings that apostles and prophets must govern. You'll find these documents here and here. While some individual Assemblies of God churches have allowed NAR teachings into their churches, the denominational leadership is opposed.
In short, we've focused our arguments on NAR teachings about governing apostles with their essential new revelations. We certainly have not argued for cessationism. We make that point very clear in our book and in our interviews. Our concern is not about miraculous gifts, but with the claim that apostles and prophets must govern. Gifts vs. governing. Those are very different things. This explains why many Pentecostals and charismatics – who believe the miraculous gifts are for today – are concerned about this movement.
24/7 prayer
Contrary to what Brown has repeatedly claimed, we have never said that hosting 24/7 prayer makes a church a part of the NAR movement – in and of itself. Brown took a statement I have made about 24/7 prayer rooms out of context. This gives his audience the grossly false impression that I'm anti-prayer. But that statement was part of a larger post I wrote identifying several signs of possible NAR influence in a church. In that article, I repeat twice that the core NAR beliefs are governing apostles and prophets who bring new revelation.
One source Brown attempts to debunk is a book co-authored by myself and Doug Geivett, a professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology. Our book is titled "A New Apostolic Reformation?: A Biblical Response to a Worldwide Movement." It's been endorsed and highly praised by respected Christian scholars and leaders. These include Pentecostals and charismatics. They've noted that our evaluation is fair, balanced and carefully documented. And they've described our tone as respectful toward those with whom we disagree. But that's probably not the picture people will have of our work if they read only Brown's description of it.
What's more—contrary to Brown's claim—our book provides a very clear and precise description of NAR teachings. That description can also be found in the two-hour public dialogue we had with Brown and in articles published throughout my blog. Yet Brown says he still isn't certain how we identify NAR leaders or churches. It's puzzling how he could have missed this. Perhaps I should restate our description of NAR here: The core NAR teaching is that the church must be governed by present-day apostles and prophets. The key word in that definition is governed. By governed, NAR leaders mean that apostles and prophets must hold formal authoritative offices in church government. This definition has two important corollaries: (1) These apostles and prophets claim extraordinary authority, and (2) they claim to bring new revelation the church needs to advance God's kingdom.
These teachings may sound radical and shocking to Christians who aren't familiar with NAR. But they're entering the mainstream. And they differ from classical Pentecostalism and from the historic teachings of charismatics. So it's important for all Christians to get up to speed on this movement.
Let's look at some specific things Brown got wrong in his article.
Lumping people together
Contrary to what Brown suggests, we haven't "put widely disparate groups under the same heading." And we haven't lumped Pentecostal and charismatic beliefs together under a NAR umbrella. As you can see above, we identify NAR leaders and NAR churches as those who fit that specific definition above and who promote those specific teachings. For example, we don't include the Assemblies of God – the world's largest Pentecostal denomination. The Assemblies of God is concerned about NAR and has even published two position papers challenging NAR teachings that apostles and prophets must govern. You'll find these documents here and here. While some individual Assemblies of God churches have allowed NAR teachings into their churches, the denominational leadership is opposed.
In short, we've focused our arguments on NAR teachings about governing apostles with their essential new revelations. We certainly have not argued for cessationism. We make that point very clear in our book and in our interviews. Our concern is not about miraculous gifts, but with the claim that apostles and prophets must govern. Gifts vs. governing. Those are very different things. This explains why many Pentecostals and charismatics – who believe the miraculous gifts are for today – are concerned about this movement.
24/7 prayer
Contrary to what Brown has repeatedly claimed, we have never said that hosting 24/7 prayer makes a church a part of the NAR movement – in and of itself. Brown took a statement I have made about 24/7 prayer rooms out of context. This gives his audience the grossly false impression that I'm anti-prayer. But that statement was part of a larger post I wrote identifying several signs of possible NAR influence in a church. In that article, I repeat twice that the core NAR beliefs are governing apostles and prophets who bring new revelation.
That being said, in our book we show how many of the 24/7 prayer rooms popping up in churches around the world today are directly related to NAR. They're modeled after the 24/7 prayer room run by the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri (IHOPKC). Mike Bickle, the founder of IHOPKC, claims he received revelation from the "prophet" Bob Jones to start a 24/7 prayer room. And Bickle's teachings indicate that the establishment of other 24/7 prayer rooms throughout the world is an essential new practice for the church. He claims that they'll play a crucial role in the unfolding of God's end-time plans for the earth. Shockingly, he teaches that, through the practice of 24/7 prayer, the last generation of Christians will actually cause the tribulation, described in the book of Revelation. In prayer rooms throughout the world, people will "release," in unison, judgments of God that will kill millions of people and wipe out entire cities. See those teachings here and here and here.
The teaching that the church, through the practice of 24/7 prayer, will cause the tribulation is a completely new understanding of the book of Revelation. And it's very troublesome. IHOPKC released a statement to make Bickle's teachings about the end time appear more mainstream by associating them with the respected pastor John Piper. But they're far from mainstream. And as far as we know, Piper does not endorse them. IHOPKC will need to release more than that brief statement to put concerns to rest. Bickle's end-time views are even more concerning since IHOPKC recently launched a Center for Biblical End-Time Studies. This center will likely popularize these novel teachings.
These are the reasons why we have identified 24/7 prayer as one possible indicator of a NAR church. The way Bob Jones and Mike Bickle have brokered this new teaching is a clear example of how "essential" new teachings have been introduced and implemented through an authoritative prophetic word.
The teaching that the church, through the practice of 24/7 prayer, will cause the tribulation is a completely new understanding of the book of Revelation. And it's very troublesome. IHOPKC released a statement to make Bickle's teachings about the end time appear more mainstream by associating them with the respected pastor John Piper. But they're far from mainstream. And as far as we know, Piper does not endorse them. IHOPKC will need to release more than that brief statement to put concerns to rest. Bickle's end-time views are even more concerning since IHOPKC recently launched a Center for Biblical End-Time Studies. This center will likely popularize these novel teachings.
These are the reasons why we have identified 24/7 prayer as one possible indicator of a NAR church. The way Bob Jones and Mike Bickle have brokered this new teaching is a clear example of how "essential" new teachings have been introduced and implemented through an authoritative prophetic word.
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