New Apostolic Reformation
9 min read
The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is a movement which teaches that God is now restoring the offices of apostles and prophets that have been absent from the church for centuries.
This movement believes that we have returned to the apostolic age and the Kingdom of God has now begun on the earth. They base this teaching on Ephesians 4:11.
A new pyramid
The New Apostolic Reformation movement teaches that God has put modern-day apostles on earth to transform the world. Self-proclaimed apostles are at the top of this new pyramid that they have created for themselves. They exercise their power and authority over believers from the top down. Being at the top of the pyramid is the goal of these apostles, since all the money flows upward to them, and no one tells them what to do.
This movement does not belong to any specific denomination, but it is most often seen infiltrating Evangelical and Pentecostal churches. This movement works hard at promoting itself via modern-day media. This movement spreads its teachings through high-profile conferences, seminars, media products, books, and of course, church services.
Chasing the supernatural
This movement wants you to believe that you can get direct messages from God through modern-day apostles and prophets. These apostles and prophets advertise themselves as special beings, able to receive messages and power from God in supernatural ways.
Titles are very important for this movement and they receive a lot of emphasis. To not use their title when referring to them is considered disrespecting God himself. These apostles and prophets are recognized not by their positive impact upon others, but by their titles.
This movement focuses a lot on supernatural manifestations. They want to sell you an exciting experience. People are not really going there to learn more about the Bible. They are going for this supposed power that the apostle or prophet has. They are going for the signs, wonders, visions, and miracles that are promised to them.
At their events, there is a lot of being slain in the spirit that goes on. It's more of a show than anything else. People fall down around the stage left and right. They believe that they are receiving a direct touch from God as the apostle or prophet presses on their foreheads enough to make them fall back.
Seven mountains
This movement teaches a seven mountains theology. People are led to believe that God will establish his theocratic government on the earth today through them. People are taught that God will use their church to infiltrate and overtake the seven mountains of society so that God's kingdom can come upon the earth today. The seven mountains of society are: business, government, media, arts and entertainment, education, family, religion.
Leaders of this movement convince church members that God will appoint them into high social positions. People are left waiting for God to use them in order to turn the world into the kingdom of God, one sector of society at a time.
Using fear to control
Part of the excitement of this movement is that you are told that you are involved in this great spiritual battle to transform the world and conquer entire sectors of society for God. If these apostles and prophets can convince you that you are in a spiritual battle, they can make you fear your spiritual enemies. Nothing facilitates control like fear.
As you begin to fear your spiritual enemies, the apostles and prophets present themselves to you as your protection. They introduce themselves to you as your spiritual covering. As long as you obey them, you will be shielded from any enemies in the spiritual realm.
Title upgrades
This movement has caused church leaders across the world to upgrade their titles from ones like Pastor and Reverend to Apostle. They see this new title as a means of providing them with more power, authority, money, and more submission from church members.
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17)
Many modern-day apostles feel entitled to a life of fame, riches, big homes, luxury cars, and private jets. They brainwash their followers to worship them as kings, using 1 Timothy 5:17 to say that they deserve “double honor”. They use the term “double honor” to manipulate their followers into giving them more of whatever they desire, whether it be money, lavish gifts, unconditional obedience, attention, or adoration.
The elders who rule well are those who do not rule at all. The Greek word for rule is proistēmi, which means "to be a protector or guardian", "to give aid", "to care for", and to "give attention to". It is not the power and control that modern-day apostles and prophets are attracted to. Elders who rule well are those who care for the flock of God. They labor in preaching and teaching what the Bible actually says rather than piggybacking on the false teachings of other false teachers.
Modern-day apostles like quoting 1 Timothy 5:17, but then they should also be quoting other verses from that same chapter too. However, they shy away from some of the other verses because they don't like them.
Verses 19 and 20 of 1 Timothy chapter 5 specify that elders should be publicly rebuked when they are found to be in sin or in error. This assumes that charges against elders have the evidence of two or three witnesses, unless the matter is already publicly known.
In verses 22 and 24 of 1 Timothy chapter 5, apostle Paul advises Timothy not to be too hasty in assigning elders to churches because some people's sins are hidden and take longer to detect.
Modern-day apostles need to stop twisting 1 Timothy 5:17 to their own advantage and start teaching the whole chapter of 1 Timothy 5 properly.
Apostles in the Bible
In the Bible, being called by God to be an apostle was not a promotion to become a CEO. It was a death sentence and it meant giving up all worldly pursuits in order to dedicate oneself to serving God and serving others.
Those who are writing "Apostle" on their business card today have not been humbled and brought to a place of servanthood. They are trusting in self-promotion to advance themselves. They have not let God fully develop them to become humble and simple like Jesus.
In Ephesians 4:11, apostle, prophet, evangelist*, pastor, and teacher are not titles, they are job descriptions. No one should be putting them before their name. That is not what they are for. These job descriptions have existed since the inception of the Church after Jesus' ascension in 33 AD.
The true apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers have always been inconspicuous individuals who preferred to go unknown than to be well-known. They are individuals who refuse to adhere to such titles. Instead, they focus on serving the church sacrificially in such roles.
Paul considered himself a servant before considering himself an apostle. Paul recognized that apostle was just part of his job description to help the church. However, Paul calls himself a servant first. His job description of apostle is born out of his servanthood.
Paul followed Jesus' footsteps. Jesus also called himself a servant.
Jesus came to serve, and Paul came to serve. However, modern-day apostles show up to be served. They have not learned anything from the teachings of Jesus.
The immaturity of titles
Jesus said that there were three things that we should not let anyone call us by. They are: Rabbi, Father, or Teacher. Modern day apostles and prophets do the exact opposite of what Jesus said. They demand that believers call them Father, Spiritual Father, Apostle, Prophet, etc. They require believers to exalt and honour them and their title even above Jesus Christ himself. Who are they really serving by doing this? Jesus or themselves?
The greatest men and women of God among us are those who have grown past the immaturity of titles and only want to be seen as servants.
In Acts 16:17, a slave girl with a spirit of divination followed Paul and Silas and called them servants, not apostles.
Notice that the slave girl did not say that they were apostles of the most High God. She called them servants because that is the only real title in the spiritual realm. Why is it that even the demonic realm can understand something that today's so-called apostles and prophets are so slow to understand?
Nowadays, there are too many self-proclaimed apostles and prophets who boast a heavy title but are unwilling to carry the weight of humility that it requires. They are ignorant of what real, humble biblical ministry is really all about. They preach Jesus but they look nothing like his humble heart or ministry.
No one really needs a title because we should be serving an audience of one, and what God thinks about us should be the most important thing in the world.
A proper structure?
A local church doesn't need apostles and prophets in order to be considered as having a "proper" structure. What it does need is Christ as the head of the church (Colossians 1:18) rather than men wielding their own authority.
A healthy local church is made up of humble individuals who will not tolerate false teachings, and who are willing to serve one another and their communities. Their desire for truth and love leaves no room for man-made hierarchies and abusive power structures.