The following is part four of Jan Markell’s Chapter “Religionist Deceivers Rampant,” an exclusive preview of Terry James’ book “Deceivers: Exposing Evil Seducers & Their Last Days Deception.”
Are Today’s “Prophets” Only about “Profit”?
Many scoff at this topic and suggest that today’s prophets are strictly about profit. I think many are, but I hate throwing a Dave Wilkerson under the bus. I am not a cessationist, because I have been healed, but when the abuses of those into “signs and wonders” only worsen by the day, many legitimately question those who are leading the movement that boasts of prophets and apostles. They are doing enormous destruction.
This movement gained steam thanks to C. Peter Wagner out of Fuller Seminary some 40 years ago. He introduced what is now called the “New Apostolic Reformation,” or NAR for short. Thousands of churches and millions of Christians adhere to unsound teachings presented by Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner, Cindy Jacobs, the late Kim Clement, and many more.
The NAR, as noted on their website, teaches “that God’s intended form of church governance is apostles and prophets holding leadership over evangelists, pastors, and teachers.” However, this has not been the case for much of church history. But according to the New Apostolic Reformation, God began to restore prophets and apostles over the last three or four decades. “Only now, as the church is properly guided by the appropriate spiritual leaders, can it fulfill its commission.”
The NAR states that prophets are extremely important and just as important as apostles. These people have been empowered to receive “new” revelations from God that will aid the church in establishing dominion. According to the New Apostolic Reformation, only prophets and occasionally apostles can obtain new revelations.
I cannot count the number of letters and emails this ministry has received from people who have been duped by two dozen prominent people in this stream of thought and theology.
Just because one embraces a more Charismatic theology does not mean he or she gets into some of the activities promoted by these false teachers. I have been a member of an Assembly of God church that would have nothing to do with such strange happenings. They denounced Todd Bentley, who performed like the charlatan he was in Pensacola, Florida, kicking people with his biker boot and suggesting that was “healing” them. Yet Bentley was honored by many leaders in the New Apostolic Reformation. When he fell from grace due to adultery going on all during his healing rallies, he was “restored” in good faith by NAR leaders Rick Joyner and C. Peter Wagner.
This group is also more experience-oriented and not likely to be wild about expositional teaching.
Many in this stream also embrace Dominion Theology. That is, that the Church truly CAN make the world perfect and that will allow Jesus Christ to return—but to a perfected earth. Such delusion.
Click Here to Read More — Part One, Two, Three, Five, Six, Seven, Eight
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