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challenging
informative
medium-paced
I first learned of the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) movement through Alisa Childers (who has become one of my most trusted guides in all matters of theology and apologetics, see above review!). Having been active in church my whole life, it’s rare to learn about some entirely new church movement or “alternative view”, yet I knew nothing about NAR despite a familiarity with Bethel and other NAR-influenced worship groups. But when Alissa and her podcast guests sounded he alarm on this movement, my ears perked up and I rushed to read the book to learn more.
NAR is a movement—largely based out of Bethel Church in Redding, California—made up of professing Christians whose ministry emphasizes healing, miracles, and prophesy, and who rely on new revelations granted to modern-day apostles and prophets who are given authority within the church. On its surface this movement seems legitimate, but digging deeper, it is apparent that NAR is rooted in false teaching that distorts the Gospel and leads followers into cult-like practices and unBiblical beliefs. And the movement is much more widespread than it would first appear, largely through popular worship songs but also in various ministries, Christian literature, and churches across the world.
This book was a wake-up call I needed; it helped me to identify some heresies I’d accepted, and it offered clear guidance on how to identify non-scriptural teachings and practices in the future. Much of what I learned seemed too bizarre to be believed (I had no idea churches were involved in things such as necromancy, instruction on how to prophesy, and prophetic prayer practices); the NAR influence on worship songs and especially their involvement in The Passion Translation of the Bible were less shocking but more alarming, as my own faith life has been deeply influenced by these extensions of NAR. I will certainly be more wary of putting my trust in these sources in the future!
As appreciative as I am for this book and its information, it did feel overly alarmist, exaggerating the harmfulness of this movement’s heretical teachings and influence. While much of what is described is indeed concerning, not all of what is coming from this movement is bad or wrong, and many of the accusations here are painted with a rather broad brush. I’m also not convinced that NAR teachings are as pervasive as described; nearly all of the examples come from a handful of individuals and churches/ministries. So, while I believe that Christians need to call out heresies as we see them, I don’t want to jump right in on a heresy witch-hunt either. I trust the intentions of these authors but don’t know if I can agree with every one of their conclusions or warnings.
My biggest takeaway from the book, as with many books of this variety, is that I must always remain discerning—even when it comes to trusting Christian pastors and movements. And the only way to determine whether or not a teacher or teaching is true is to KNOW MY BIBLE! This will be a theme for me as I pursue faithfulness in 2023. I’ll also be seeking out more information on the NAR movement as I attempt to get a better understanding of it and other popular Christian movements that may ore may not be as they seem.
My Rating: 3.5 (Rounded up to 4 Stars on Goodreads) // Book Format: Audiobook
NAR is a movement—largely based out of Bethel Church in Redding, California—made up of professing Christians whose ministry emphasizes healing, miracles, and prophesy, and who rely on new revelations granted to modern-day apostles and prophets who are given authority within the church. On its surface this movement seems legitimate, but digging deeper, it is apparent that NAR is rooted in false teaching that distorts the Gospel and leads followers into cult-like practices and unBiblical beliefs. And the movement is much more widespread than it would first appear, largely through popular worship songs but also in various ministries, Christian literature, and churches across the world.
This book was a wake-up call I needed; it helped me to identify some heresies I’d accepted, and it offered clear guidance on how to identify non-scriptural teachings and practices in the future. Much of what I learned seemed too bizarre to be believed (I had no idea churches were involved in things such as necromancy, instruction on how to prophesy, and prophetic prayer practices); the NAR influence on worship songs and especially their involvement in The Passion Translation of the Bible were less shocking but more alarming, as my own faith life has been deeply influenced by these extensions of NAR. I will certainly be more wary of putting my trust in these sources in the future!
As appreciative as I am for this book and its information, it did feel overly alarmist, exaggerating the harmfulness of this movement’s heretical teachings and influence. While much of what is described is indeed concerning, not all of what is coming from this movement is bad or wrong, and many of the accusations here are painted with a rather broad brush. I’m also not convinced that NAR teachings are as pervasive as described; nearly all of the examples come from a handful of individuals and churches/ministries. So, while I believe that Christians need to call out heresies as we see them, I don’t want to jump right in on a heresy witch-hunt either. I trust the intentions of these authors but don’t know if I can agree with every one of their conclusions or warnings.
My biggest takeaway from the book, as with many books of this variety, is that I must always remain discerning—even when it comes to trusting Christian pastors and movements. And the only way to determine whether or not a teacher or teaching is true is to KNOW MY BIBLE! This will be a theme for me as I pursue faithfulness in 2023. I’ll also be seeking out more information on the NAR movement as I attempt to get a better understanding of it and other popular Christian movements that may ore may not be as they seem.
My Rating: 3.5 (Rounded up to 4 Stars on Goodreads) // Book Format: Audiobook