Dr. Brown is trying once again to pretend that no one has heard of the New Apostolic Reformation...sigh

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Resourcefulmanager.com had an article recently detailing 10 absolute giveaways that someone is lying to you. The number two sign was details, detail, details:

"Liars are extremely generous when it comes to giving you details.They're trying to con you into believing them by overloading you with details." -- Resourcefulmanager.com


There is no one over the past few months that has provided more details about the New Apostolic Reformation than Dr. Michael Brown, which is odd because he does not believe it exists. He almost seems unhinged in his crusade to disprove the NAR and relegate it to the minds of tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy nuts. His campaign against the critique of the NAR seemed to start around the time that I wrote a devotional calling him out as a gatekeeper for the NAR. Before we get into debunking his latest four page article (details, details, details) it is time to take the narrative back on the issue of the NAR. Discernment ministries have been lax in using the term NAR as a catchall to describe a certain set of core teachings that is infesting the body of Christ. What this has enabled Brown to do is attack the veracity by referring to the NAR as some kind of a shadow group that meets in secret and won't reveal it members. He is able to deflect by simply stating that no one admits to actually being a part of the NAR. This is not so far off the truth. The NAR was always more conceptual than official, even when C. Peter Wagner coined the term 30 years ago. So it is not so much that Bethel Church is an NAR church but that they embrace NAR theology. Maybe not every tenet but one is enough. I see the core NAR beliefs as follows:

* Dominionism, including seven mountains theology or not

* Experiential Christianity over the Bible, including false signs and lying wonders or not

* False authority paradigm, including a reliance on new apostles & prophets instead of the Bible

* Focus on the temporal life instead of eternal, including prosperity gospels or not


Now some may think they have more but I am trying to streamline the list. So one might say the NAR is involved in the carnal political landscape and they would be correct but I place that in the seven mountains bucket, for example. Fake healings go in the false signs bucket. What we will see over and over again from Brown is the exaggeration of these points, the accepting of denials as proof, and his constant barrage of details being thrown against the wall in an attempt to see what sticks. Beloved, let us reason together with our common sense first. No one is running out to brag that they are an NAR church. No one is championing the cause of dominionism but they will hide behind wanting to influence culture with their faith. That's the same thing. If asked about whether they value the temporal or eternal, no pastor is going to admit to worshipping this life but we do not look to their words but rather their teachings. So with this as our backdrop let us once again peer into the mind of someone who defends the greatest figures who adhere to NAR teaching while pretending there is no such thing as the NAR.

"The warnings are dire indeed. "The world's fastest growing sect of Christianity is not Christian at all. And chances are very high that your child and church are getting infected." Yes, this ministry website tells us, "The New Apostolic Reformation movement and the Jesus Culture worship band boasts of 369 million adherents." What, exactly is this New Apostolic Reformation (abbreviated NAR)? According to the website, "The New Apostolic Reformation worships God drunk in the spirit and they teach scant amounts of truth. Christians do not need to be aware of each and every false teacher on the planet. But the New Apostolic Reformation is the most influential aberrant movement the church has ever seen." And so, the website urges, buy this one-hour DVD and you will find out how terrible this "influential aberrant" movement is. Seriously? This alleged "sect" boasts 369 million adherents? Where did this figure come from? And why is it that most of these 369 million adherents (who think they are Christian but are not) have likely never heard of NAR?" -- Dr. Michael Brown (DMB)

This is the complete dishonesty of Michael Brown on full display. The link is to wretched radio but not to their beliefs or a podcast about the NAR. It is to a product page for a DVD about being drunk in the spirit. Why not use the search function on the site for NAR and deal with the first video that comes up which is Paul Washer explaining that the NAR is not a church. Because that does not fit Brown's agenda of painting the critics of NAR teachings as loony tunes. The fact that he implies something nefarious because the producer of the DVD is charging money for it is beyond the hypocritical pale for Brown. On his website he also has a store where he hocks his wares. For just under $100 you can get an eight-book starter set. He has various other offers as well as DVD teachings for similar prices. Keep in mind that Wretched has never gone on the Benny Hinn show for a week to sell their products like Brown has.

"I was doing my radio show last year when, during a break, my producer and I heard an ad playing for this DVD. We were absolutely shocked. What in the world were they talking about? What is this massive, dangerous "NAR"? During the 2016 presidential campaign, I had seen articles on radical-left websites accusing political leaders like Ted Cruz of being part of "NAR." By this the critics meant an alleged Christian dominionist movement that wanted to take over America. But that, apparently, was quite different than this new description of NAR, since most of its supposed followers are not dominionist." -- (DMB)


Another hallmark of debating Brown is his feigned ignorance regarding subjects one would expect such a figure to know about. When I explained the false teachings and prophecies from Hinn for example, he claimed he had not heard. He also is quite adept at finding the outlier stories to use as representations of the mainstream thought. I operate a discernment ministry and I never saw any article claiming Ted Cruz was NAR. However, if we start speaking about the NAR correctly, one could easily see Cruz as part of the government model of the seven mountains mandate. The NAR is not a church as much as it is an idea that is directing churches.

"So I continued to wonder, "What is this so-called NAR?" I was familiar with the term New Apostolic Reformation, coined by Peter Wagner (more on this below), but it hardly resembled this ominous new "NAR." To make matters more interesting, last year, some colleagues began sending me links to articles and videos attacking me as one of the leaders of NAR. Worse still, the websites claimed, I denied being part of it. How nefarious and dishonest of me! (To this moment, when I tell the truth about "NAR," I'm called a liar. It would be very funny it wasn't very sad.) I began to ask other colleagues about NAR (or, in full, the New Apostolic Reformation). Almost to a person, they responded, "What is NAR?" Yet they, too, were alleged leaders in this so-called world movement! How is it they never heard of it either? (According to the critics, all of us are lying about our involvement in NAR because we're embarrassed by it. Honestly, these critics could make better use of their time writing a novel about the Illuminati.) So where is all the confusion and misinformation coming from? Why are these critics making such outlandish charges?" -- DMB

These are the defenses Brown always offers up. He does not know what the NAR is and neither does anyone he knows except the late C. Peter Wagner. Brown is right that Wagner coined the term and founded the movement so why not turn to Wagner's own words from 2011:

"It will surprise some to know that the NAR embraces the largest non-Catholic segment of world Christianity. It is also the fastest growing segment, the only segment of Christianity currently growing faster than the world population and faster than Islam. Christianity is booming now in the Global South which includes sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and large parts of Asia. Most of the new churches in the Global South, even including many which belong to denominations, would comfortably fit the NAR template. The NAR represents the most radical change in the way of doing church since the Protestant Reformation. This is not a doctrinal change. We adhere to the major tenets of the Reformation: the authority of Scripture, justification by faith, and the priesthood of all believers. But the quality of church life, the governance of the church, the worship, the theology of prayer, the missional goals, the optimistic vision for the future, and other features, constitute quite a change from traditional Protestantism. The NAR is not an organization. No one can join or carry a card. It has no leader." -- C. Peter Wagner -- 2011 on Charisma News

This seems like a lot of detail and hype for something that doesn't exist! This article appeared on the same website that runs Dr. Brown's material. Odd that he doubts the existence of the fastest growing segment of Christianity? Note the way Wagner describes the NAR not as a church but a model that a church can comfortably fit into. He openly admits that it is not an organization, no one can join, and there are no business or identification cards. Sounds an awful lot like the way I described it at the start. Let's see if Wagner can shed more light on the claims that Dr. Brown makes regarding no one believes in dominionism:

"Dominionism.This refers to the desire that some of my friends and I have to follow Jesus and do what He wants. One of the things He does want He taught us to pray for in the Lord's Prayer: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This means that we do our best to see that what we know is characteristic of heaven work its way into the warp and woof of our society here on earth. But where does dominion come in? On the first page of the Bible, God told Adam and Eve to "fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, etc." (Genesis 1:28). Adam, Eve, and the whole human race were to take dominion over the rest of creation, but Satan entered the picture, succeeded in usurping Adam's dominion for himself and became what Jesus calls "the ruler of this world" (John 14:30). When Jesus came, He brought the kingdom of God and He expects His kingdom-minded people to take whatever action is needed to push back the long-standing kingdom of Satan and bring the peace and prosperity of His kingdom here on earth. This is what we mean by dominionism." -- C. Peter Wagner

At least Wagner was honest about his false beliefs. God giving Adam dominion over the fish does not mean God gives us dominion over other human beings who do not share our beliefs. This is only seven years ago and the dominionist teachings continue to grow and fester within the body. You either have to be blind or willfully ignorant to not see it. The notion that God needs us for anything, let alone to bring peace to the world in advance of His coming is patently absurd. Remember though; the NAR adherents worship this world not the eternal life. For Michael Brown to continue to claim disbelief that the NAR exists reveals more about him than anything else. Here are some other musings from Wagner, from the same article:

"The way to achieve dominion is not to become "America's Taliban," but rather to have kingdom-minded people in every one of the Seven Mountains: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Business so that they can use their influence to create an environment in which the blessings and prosperity of the Kingdom of God can permeate all areas of society. -- C. Peter Wagner

Some object to the notion that God communicates directly with us, supposing that everything that God wanted to reveal He revealed in the Bible. This cannot be true, however, because there is nothing in the Bible that says it has 66 books. It actually took God a couple of hundred years to reveal to the church which writings should be included in the Bible and which should not. That is extra-biblical revelation. Even so, Catholics and Protestants still disagree on the number. Beyond that, I believe that prayer is two way, we speak to God and expect Him to speak with us. We can hear God's voice. He also reveals new things to prophets as we have seen. The one major rule governing any new revelation from God is that it cannot contradict what has already been written in the Bible. It may supplement it, however. -- C. Peter Wagner

Extra-biblical revelation.Some object to the notion that God communicates directly with us, supposing that everything that God wanted to reveal He revealed in the Bible. This cannot be true, however, because there is nothing in the Bible that says it has 66 books. It actually took God a couple of hundred years to reveal to the church which writings should be included in the Bible and which should not. That is extra-biblical revelation. Even so, Catholics and Protestants still disagree on the number. Beyond that, I believe that prayer is two way, we speak to God and expect Him to speak with us. We can hear God's voice. He also reveals new things to prophets as we have seen. The one major rule governing any new revelation from God is that it cannot contradict what has already been written in the Bible. It may supplement it, however. -- C. Peter Wagner

Supernatural signs and wonders.I have a hard time understanding why some include this in their list of "heresies." Whenever Jesus sent out His disciples He told them to heal the sick and cast out demons. Why we should expect that He has anything else in mind for us today is puzzling. True, this still pulls some traditionalists out of their comfort zones, but that just goes with the territory. One critic claimed that the NAR has excessive fixation on Satan and demonic spirits. This is purely a judgment call, and it may only mean that we cast out more demons than they do. So what?" -- C. Peter Wagner

There we have the seven mountains mandate, gnostic revelation for the new apostles and prophets, extra biblical revelation, and false signs and lying wonders. All summed up neatly by the man who founded the NAR, which Dr. Brown says doesn't exist. At this point Brown goes back into the history of where Wagner said he got the notion for the NAR and then returns to mock anyone who would disagree with him. He continues to erect old strawman arguments of not having a membership card and no one he knows knowing anything about the NAR other than it was C. Perter Wagner's group. He then politely disparages the work of Holly Pivec and Professor Doug Geivett, whom he recently debated about this subject. The entire debate was Brown again pretending no such thing exists as the NAR and that we should accept this because he knows the people involved. This is the same defense he gave me when I spoke to him about Bill Johnson being a heretic. The "I know his heart" defense does not trump "I know his teaching." Sorry it just doesn't. For the sake of time and because he threw so much at the wall this time, let me conclude with responding to some final points he tried to make:

"Does it matter that Mike Bickle's IHOP KC put out a categorical statement differing with some of the alleged tenets of NAR? Not at all. That just proves their duplicity." - DMB


"Recently, Dr. Joseph Mattera, who leads the organization once led by Peter Wagner, wrote two articles in which he strongly rejected some of the tenets of Wagner's NAR. But this doesn't matter to the critics. They simply heap scorn on him for being part of NAR and denying it. Do these critics really care about the facts?" - DMB

I put these two quotes together because they are of the same problem. IHOP or Mattera may indeed disagree with a teaching here or there but overall they still support the fundamental beliefs of the NAR. Bickle was friends with Wagner and Mattera runs what used to be his organization!

"If you enjoy Hillsong worship songs, you're part of NAR, and you are apostate. (Surprise!) If you believe God confirms His Word with signs, wonders and miracles, you're part of NAR, and you have fallen away. (Yes, surprise again!) If you believe the church should make a positive impact on the culture through the gospel, you're part of NAR, even if you repudiate dominionism. (Sorry, but that's what the critics say!) And if your church hosts 24-7 prayer, you're NAR. (Holly's website lists this as a tell-tale sign.)" - DMB

Hillsong is one of the most polluted false churches on the planet Michael. They do not preach the Gospel. They preach prosperity so much that the lead pastor wrote a book called You Need More Money. Now, if you listen to a song by Hillsong, and some of them are ok theologically, that doesn't mean anything -- and you know that. As for signs and wonders Michael we are only talking about fake signs and lying wonders. Like the type your buddy Bill Johnson cooks up over at Bethel. Gold dust and gem stones. Angel feathers and glory clouds. Todd White pulling to old con artist scam of growing the shorter leg out is not divine healing. Your friend Benny Hinn waving his coat did not knock 100 people down with the power of the Holy Spirit. Are you getting the point yet Michael? As for culture, Brown gets cute. I agree that through the Gospel we can affect culture by God winning people out from this culture. That is not what the NAR or Dr. Brown believes. They believe in dominionism. In affecting culture through the carnal political processes to get Christians into positions to affect policy. You can "repudiate" dominionism all day long but if you do so while writing the type of political cover articles Brown is now famous for? Yeah that would be known as hypocrisy. The 24-7 prayer is a reference to IHOP and the issue there is the non-biblical prayer. The soaking prayer. The Eastern Mysticism and chanting. Just read the testimonies of anyone who has escaped from IHOP.

"In short, what the critics have basically done is take whatever trends they differ with in the worldwide Pentecostal-charismatic movement, group them all together and put them under the heading of NAR--even though this is not what NAR has ever meant. So, they have taken a term that had a specific meaning for years, put their own definition on it, and then decided who is part of it, regardless of how the facts line up." - DMB

No Michael, just no. C. Peter Wagner defined what the NAR was. All we do is see who is ascribing to and teaching those doctrines. Maybe not all of them like Bethel does but any of them at all because they lead people away from Jesus Christ.

"That's why I have raised my voice repeatedly in recent months to debunk the myth of NAR: What the critics describe simply doesn't exist." -- DMB


Really. Your own website publishes Mattera who now runs it and Wagner who founded it and defined it. That is not why you have raised your voice. I could buy that if you raised it once or twice but as Resourcefulmanager.com reminds us -- details, details, details are a true sign of a deceitful tongue. Just look at the length of the article Brown put out about this! Me thinks thou dost protest too much sir.

"The truth be told, the reason I and others have taken time to clarify issues is out of love for the body of Christ as a whole. The critics are not my concern. Their attacks fuel my fire and encourage me all the more to stand for what is right. I simply feel bad for them personally and grieve over any confusion they cause in the Church." - DMB

How ironic that Resourcefulmanager.com also discusses how using qualifying language such as "truth be told" was also a sign for sure that the person is lying to you. The truly ironic and sad thing here though is that you believe in the woman who prophelied that she saw a "sneaky squid spirit" sitting on her friends head and then started stalking her but I am the one sowing confusion in the body. Gothcya.


'As for those who think I want to look the other way and ignore abuses, may I remind you that my most recent book, Playing with Holy Fire, is devoted entirely to addressing abuses in our house--meaning, in the Pentecostal-charismatic Church? If you've read the book, you can attest that I pull no punches. You'll also know that I critique some aspects of contemporary "apostolic ministry."' - DMB


Yes but therein lies the disingenuousness. For example, in 2008 the leaders in Wagner's NAR movement, such as Che Ahn John Arnott, and Rick Joyner traveled to Lakeland Florida to anoint Todd Bentley as an apostle. The man who presided over this and prayed over him was Bill Johnson. You know, the same Bill Johnson that you claim has never heard of the NAR. What is hypocritical is you correctly denounce Todd Bentley and the spectacle that occurred that night in Lakeland but you stand by Bill Johnson, who then oversaw Bentley's fake restoration, and insist that Bill Johnson has nothing to do with the NAR. The man who openly preaches dominionism. Who runs a school for teaching the false signs and wonders. C'mon Mike. As for your expose of the Charismatic church it is useless because you refuse to name any names of the wolves who teach the heresies you speak against. That is why you are a gate keeper Dr. Brown.

"My suggestion, then, for those who want to be constructive is this. First, get rid of the extreme rhetoric ("not Christian"; "aberrant movement" and so on). You're slandering your brothers and sisters." -- DMB


Who is my mother and brother except he who does the will of my Father? Wolves are not my brothers and sisters in Christ. Bill Johnson is not. Mike Bickle is not. They are not Christian. Their teachings are aberrant. The truth is neither extreme nor bland. It just is. You keep acting like the wolves are the ones we are called to lead but it is actually the sheep Dr. Brown.

"Second, drop the general term NAR. It's ambiguous at best and misleading at worst and should only be used with reference to the organization once led by Peter Wagner." -- DMB


Which is now run by your pal Joseph Mattera. I do agree that we need to change how we use it so you stop muddying the waters. The issue should be someone who ascribes to NAR theology as opposed to that is an NAR church.

"Third, don't put widely disparate groups under the same heading. That only leads to confusion." -- DMB

Yeah, no one is doing that.


"Fourth, identify the beliefs or practices you question, be sure you rightly understand them from an insider perspective, then respond to them based on Scripture and fruit." - DMB


No sir. You do not get to pull your fatherly corrective dance when you have been debunked and dismissed. Seek the face of God Michael and repent. Stop providing shelter for the fiercest wolves among by calling it unity.

"Fifth, recognize the wonderful things the Spirit is doing around the world today."- DMB


Strawman argument. My response would be to properly discern which are from the Holy Spirit and which are from the devil.


"This way, rather than scaring people with false accusations of a conspiratorial, worldwide, demonic movement, you can engage in constructive, fruitful interaction. That way, you can build up more than tear down. Isn't that the goal we all share?" -- DMB

We build the body of Christ be tearing down those that sow disunity through false doctrine -- you know as the Bible says to in Romans. We protect the sheep by driving the wolves out. It has taken some time but I think I have pinpointed the malady that Dr. Brown suffers from -- cognitive dissonance. This is mental or spiritual discomfort one suffers from when they are trying to hold two contradictory beliefs. This article from Brown shows a clear suffering is going on as does his insistence on continuing to beat this horse to death and beyond. It must be tough when you spend half your ministry as the primary gatekeeper of all NAR theology while simultaneously trying to convince yourself that it doesn't even exist. There is a way out Dr. Brown but as always, the devil is in those details, details, details.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- May, 3, 2018

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.