Meet the biggest religious movement you never heard of: the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Begun by Protestants committed to Reformation doctrines, it has faced strong criticism from mainstream Protestants, while also attracting many Catholics. NAR leaders have also been very active politically, including “apostles” Dutch Sheets and Paula White-Cain, senior adviser to the newly created White House Faith Office.
In this article, I’ll give a brief history of the NAR; later, I will detail basic NAR doctrines, along with a Catholic response.
NAR adherents believe that an age of revival began around 1900, during which essentials that the Church lost or suppressed long ago were gradually “revived” or “restored.” This began within the Pentecostal movement in the U.S., notably during the Azusa Street Revival (1906-1909) in Los Angeles, where speaking in tongues was considered evidence of the restoration of “spiritual gifts.”
Pentecostals like Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson (1890-1944) made faith healing a well-known practice. After World War II, the healing revivalists Oral Roberts and William Branham created more interest in “manifestations of the Holy Spirit” in North America. Branham inspired the Latter Rain Revival in Saskatchewan in 1947-48. There, members of the Assembly of God began a period of fasting and prayer during which one of them prophesied that the gifts of the Spirit would be restored to the Church by the laying on of hands, leading to reports of healings, “vocal prophetic utterances” and spiritual gifts being “imparted” from one person to another. In 1949, the General Council of the Assemblies of God USA condemned Latter Rain teachings and practices, but this had little effect. Latter Rain congregations simply disaffiliated from the Assemblies of God and continued to spread their doctrines of “restoration.” They taught that God was restoring healing, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the laying on of hands, prophecy, deliverance and true worship. They thought God was also restoring the “fivefold ministry” of Ephesians 4:11, believing that the Church would not be fully effective without the offices of apostles, prophet, pastor, teacher and evangelist operating today.
Restorationist Pentecostals were also influenced by “Word of Faith” teachers who taught the authority of the believer to “command” evil spirits and sickness. E.W. Kenyon, the father of the “prosperity Gospel,” wrote, “You have a right to freedom from pain or sickness. In that Name you command it to leave. You are not demanding it of the Father, because the Father has given you authority over these demoniacal forces.” Kenyon also originated “dominion theology” according to which Christians have been given authority over all creation. This would later be combined with the “mandate” to take over the “seven mountains” of family, religion, education, media, arts and entertainment, business and government.
Revival and Word of Faith came together in the “Jesus Movement” of the 1960s and 70s. John Wimber, a founder of the Vineyard movement, believed anyone could be taught to perform signs and wonders, and that the Gospel should be spread by “power evangelism.” The effective evangelist had authority to demonstrate the power of God through signs and wonders, including receiving a “word of knowledge” about another person, leading to healing and/or a faith commitment.
C. Peter Wagner, who coined the term “New Apostolic Reformation,” defined three “waves” of Pentecostalism. The First Wave was marked by speaking in tongues as evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Second Wave came when Pentecostal practices spread among Catholics and mainstream Protestants in the 1960s; it was characterized by “Word of Faith” concepts. What distinguished the Third Wave was the emphasis on “signs and wonders” or “power evangelism.”
The Third Wave really took off in 1994 with the “Toronto Blessing,” a six-days-a-week revival featuring former Baptist minister Randy Clark speaking at the Toronto Airport Vineyard church. After pushback from Vineyard leadership, backers of the revival felt the need for a “new wineskin” that would allow them to incorporate Latter Rain, Word of Faith and Revivalist practices without hindrance from denominational authorities. They believed God was restoring true authority to the Church. From now on, authority would reside in modern-day apostles and prophets, whose power came directly from God, not from a bishop, council of elders, church board, a university degree, or denominational headquarters. Self-designated “apostles” began to form networks of apostles based on voluntary relationships. In 1996, C. Peter Wagner gave the movement the name “New Apostolic Reformation.”
Today, NAR groups spread their ideas through music ministries like Bethel Music, Hillsong, Elevation and Jesus Culture. They run schools to teach people how to prophecy, heal and “hear God’s voice.” These include Christ for the Nations Institute, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, Global Awakening and International House of Prayer University. In addition to publishing many books, NAR leaders are adept at using digital media. Important NAR figures today include Che Ahn, Heidi Baker, Todd Bentley, Shawn Bolz, Randy Clark, Lou Engle, Bill Hamon, Leif Hetland, Benny Hinn. Cindy Jacobs Jennifer LeClaire, Bill Johnson, Rick Joyner, Rod Parsley, Chuck Pierce, Dutch Sheets, Brian Simmons, Kris Valloton and Lance Wallnau.