The conversations usually go something like this. I call into question the theological foundations of the New Apostolic Reformation, a movement that I believe has left Theological Christian Orthodoxy. The person that I am talking with then defends the movement, leaders, Teachers, Prophets, or Apostles who have precarious or clearly theologically inaccurate teachings. I return numerous examples of these precarious and inaccurate teachings, “from the horses mouth” so to speak. The person usually tries for a while to say that the teacher did not mean what we all understand him to mean, or that I have not understood him properly, or that the Bible actually does teach what the teacher said. There are a few back and forth interactions where I try to show the person how Christian Orthodoxy does not agree. Using the Bible, the Christian Creeds, and even logic to connect the dots is usually not enough for the person to say wait a minute maybe this does fall outside Theological Christian Orthodoxy. The discussion usually breaks down to “Well, I have had a good experience with these teachers, leaders, or at these churches."
Here are a few examples of responses that I have received over the last few months. Again, these responses have been changed for anonymity of the people and places, but these are all the types of responses that I have received from people after “proving” that this movement’s theology, teaching, and practice are not Christian.
"My family, and I have been blessed by the ministry of ___________ . I can only share my experience as a believer."
"I just have a another point of view and understanding than you. My personal testimony is different than yours."
"In my eyes, this doesn't lead anywhere, where fruit can develop. It's not encouraging, but only produces anger and separation. I think the devil rejoices more about us using good and sound doctrine than Jesus does."
"I can't argue theologically, I’m not a theologian. I just count on my experience.”
“I only look into my heart and see what God is showing me there. My experiences are as valid as yours, so what can we do about this difference?”
“I don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. ______________ Church does lots of good stuff too."
"I come to different conclusions. I understand their teaching differently than you do and I can tolerate some mistakes. For me those mistakes are very minor."
“It's not for me to judge. Even when ____________ Church gets it all wrong and all their motives and teaching are absolutely false.”
"Even when they are a little off, what I see is acceptable and encourages my walk with God.”
"When you call a whole movement unchristian you are creating disunity, and disunity is the ultimate wrong.”
“Your questioning of ____________ is very Pharisaical and not how the kingdom of God operates"
These are just a few of the ways people respond when the theological foundations of the New Apostolic Reformation are brought into question. A telltale sign of a cult like atmosphere is an inappropriate loyalty to its leaders. I have definitely seen this in the last several months since the release of my book, which calls into question the biblical authenticity of the teaching of the leaders of the New Apostolic Reformation. I have heard in the last months an unquestioning loyalty to leaders in this movement. I have also seen in these conversations that dissent and discussion of a “negative” or questioning nature are highly discouraged. These are all signs of a cult-like behavior. Another sign of cult-like culture is and overemphasis on great religious experiences.
One thing that comes up again and again with those affected by ___________ Church is “experience.” Experience is a key aspect of our faith, but it is not the key driver. Something is not confirmed as authentic or true because we had a great experience with it. The Bible is pretty clear that false prophets will be able to do miracles that create an environment where people will feel like they are experiencing God. But they will be experiencing a faux, or pseudo-christianity. Jesus clearly describes that these false or pseudo-teachers are not known by Jesus. Jesus even called them "wolves in sheeps clothing.” (Matthew 7:15-23) Let us think about that for a moment. What would wolves dressed up as sheep do. They would stealthily come in among a flock unbeknownst to the flock for the purpose of destroying, devouring, and ravaging the flock. What do wolves do in relation to sheep? They kill and eat them. Sheep are helpless to defend themselves against wolves. They rely on the shepherd, and His warnings, and guidance to keep such dangers away. Thus Jesus, The Good Shepherd, warns against such ravenous wolves.
Matthew Henry commenting on this passage of scripture says, "take heed of those who pretend to revelation, And admit them not without sufficient proof, Lest that one absurdity being admitted, a thousand follow.” So the wolf that is admitted with one Theological absurdity will be admitted with a thousand more absurdities to follow. Matthew Henry also comments further about the Wolves, "We have need to be very cautious, because their pretenses are very fair and plausible, and such as will deceive us, if we be not upon our guard. They come in sheep's clothing, In the habits of prophets...They pretend to be sheep, and outwardly appear so innocent, harmless, meek, useful, And all that is good, as to be excelled by none; they feign themselves to be just men, and for the sake of their clothing are admitted among the sheep, which gives them an opportunity of doing them a mischief ere they are aware. They and their errors are gilded with the specious pretenses of sanctity and devotion. Satan (also) turns himself into an angel of light,"
Because of my book and my critique of the New Apostolic Reformation, I have in the past years or so, been labeled and even personally called unloving, legalistic, unwise, unspiritual, a negative person, unbiblical, and even Pharisaical. I was recently told that I am not operating in how the kingdom of God operates by calling out falsehood. I responded by asking the person about the Apostles correcting errors? What about the Church fathers? I asked if Paul was not operating in kingdom values when he rebuked, Peter to his face, or the Judaizers, or Philetus and Hymenaus? What about the condemnation of the heretics of history for example, Gnosticism, Arianism, Pelagianism, or any other early heresies? Were those Apostles, and Church Fathers not operating or acting with Kingdom values? I would posit that correct or Orthodox theology is one of the most integral parts of Kingdom operation. The Apostles, and the early church fathers work in correcting errors has been one of the most integral aspects of Kingdom work in Church History!
As a result of this almost two year process of uncovering the theological fallacies of the New Apostolic Reformation and subsequent pushback, I have witnessed what I might call a “Theology of Experience” which is actually the “fallacy of relativism.” The fallacy of relativism is, alone that people have been blessed by something isn’t proof, or even evidence of its authenticity. I know of hundreds of people who have been “destroyed” by this movement. Who’s experience counts? Those who have been blessed, or those who’s faith has been destroyed? The argument of authenticity because of blessing doesn’t even hold up to its own logic. If a movement’s authenticity were based on positive experiences, than everyone who walked through the doors must be blessed. There must be a blessing for everyone who comes into contact with this movement. But that’s not the case.
We ought to be very careful to not make experience your ultimate authority. I will give an example, Mormons will give a free Book of Mormon to anyone who visits the Mormon temple. I wanted to get a copy, so I went to the Mormon temple in Oakland, CA. It is a beautiful structure in the Oakland hills. I had a great experience there. The people I interacted with there were lovely, kind, caring, compassionate, helpful, and very passionate for their truth. But they are not Christian. And their theology does not line up with Scripture! Scripture is a Christian’s authority not our experience. I am currently reading a book called “Why the Reformation Still Matters” which addresses the topic of experience.
“During the Reformation the main alternative to revelation was tradition. Today we perhaps suffer from a deficiency of tradition rather than a surfeit of it! What has replaced tradition as the rival to revelation is experience.”
(Kindle location 830)
The writers go on further to describe how experience is the new “god of the age,”
“We have seen a dramatic loss of authority in the modern world. Now preference and experience are everything. Ethical issues are decided on the basis of the personal stories that elicit most sympathy. Individual dilemmas are determined on the basis of a person’s feelings. Any sense that right and wrong may be rooted in metaphysics (the way things are) or in divine revelation has been replaced by subjectivity...So the Bible always trumps experience. That does not mean we must ignore experience. Experience will often give rise to questions we bring to Scripture. But Christ still reigns through his Word, read and preached. So we need to work hard to ensure that our lives and our life together are ruled not by tradition or experience, but by Christ through his Word.”
(Kindle location 835-840)
Some of the questions that arose for me out of these discussions with people were, what would it take to denounce something as false teaching? Or Wolf in Sheep’s clothing? The answers I received were nothing short of appalling for me. Because of the answers I got I have deepened my recent calling to theology and to make it one of my ministry’s main aspects. This is why we study and should know theology, because we love and want a relationship with the “Theos” that we study. Theology is all about knowing and explaining the eternal God in a correct manner, any other goals in theology are secondary to this.
In my many "experience" discussions lately the argument often then turns to relationships, and how relationships are not so cut and dry, not so black and white. I have also been accused of being too black and white in this two year journey. I would pushback a little on the view that when faith becomes relational there will be no more black and white. Of course there is still right and wrong black and white in relationships. I love my wife, and am in relationship with her. if I was unfaithful to her that would be a breech of our relationship and very clearly wrong. Relationships are definitely messy, but that doesn’t mean there is not black and white right or wrongs anymore in those relationships, and especially not in our relationship with the Lord. The relationship that we have with the Lord is that we repent and believe in him by faith, and he makes us children of God. Those are things that must take place. Those are black and white things. There are a few things that must happen for us to have a relationship with God. Jesus can’t just be your homeboy, it doesn’t work like that.
The Bible says , “as you have received Jesus as Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6) this means the same way we walk with God is the same way we received him, namely by faith. We received him by faith, and we walk with him also by faith (Hebrews 11). Even though we can have a deep and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we don’t set the terms of that relationship, and neither does our experience, He does, and thankfully He has made a way to access Him through Jesus Christ. Our experience of God is not on our terms, we can and only are able to experience God on the terms he has set for us in His word through faith and reliance on Jesus Christ.
In one of these conversations someone asked me, "What if I only had my Christian experience and did not have the Bible?" My response was, "we would not have a Christian experience without the Bible, so aren’t we glad God made sure that we do! Because if we did not have the scriptures then we could not know who Jesus is." Or at least we could not be sure who he is. And we would not have a pure and loving relationship with Jesus Christ unless we had the scripture. We could not know him. This was seen clearly in one of the battles that the Reformers fought during the Reformation namely “Sola Scriptura.” Which means that in the scriptures alone can we find a relationship and peace with God.
The Apostles received special revelation during their time to record the scriptures, and we are not privileged to that type of revelation or experience of God speaking anymore. The closing of the canon of scripture is the final and authoritative revelation of God. This is also a very difficult angle for me that the New Apostolic Reformation takes, and it is a step too far. Everywhere you turn in this movement every other leader has some “new revelation.” Does God speak today? YES and he does it through the word of God and the leading of The Holy Spirit, not through new revelation from Apostles. People today want to hear God speak to them, sure! Read the Bible. And if you want God to speak audibly, then read it out loud. You could even have God speak to more than one person at a time when you read it corporately as 1 Timothy 4:13 says, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture."
I have heard also in this last couple years a differentiation between Jesus the Word and God’s Word (The Bible). However, they are one and the same. When we want to know Jesus we should know his word and when we get to know his word we get to know Jesus. Jesus and His Word the Scriptures are inseparable . “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Furthermore, Jesus said not one iota or dot from the law (written word) will pass away until all is fulfilled in Him (Matthew 5:17-20). He is himself the Word of God, thus He is the fulfillment and actual manifestation of God. And the word is Him in written form. We don’t worship the Bible for sure, but the Word is Christ and Christ is the word, when you read it you read of and about Him. If you want to "Know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in His suffering, becoming like Him in His death, and so somehow to attain from the resurrection from the dead," (Philippians 3:10-11) then find Him in God's Word the Bible. The Bible is the one stalwart Christian "experience" throughout the ages.
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| Wesleyan Quadrilateral |
Another great tool that has helped me understand and balance my Christian experience in a helpful and healthy way is the Weslyian Quadrilateral. As seen in the graphic below the single foundation of our faith is the scripture in which, as said before, we know who Jesus is and how we can respond to him by faith. A stepping stone to the scripture is Christian tradition. We can look to the creeds and councils of antiquity for help on understanding the challenging theological concepts such as the Trinity and the Hypostatic Union of Christ. The liturgies of history also are faith strengthening as we delve into them to draw us to Christ. Hymns, songs and spiritual songs are also faith strengthening in our habits of worship. Tradition can be helpful if we do not make it more of a crutch than it was meant to be. Reason is something that we should not ignore, but also not put too much stock in as our own reason and logic can let us down. But it can be helpful especially in seeking to understand the deeper mysteries of faith. Finally, Wesley puts experience as the last and final building block of his quadrilateral. It is not the most important, but also not unimportant. We do however not build on it as a foundation, but rather allow it to supplement, and complement our faith. If something that we have heard, seen, experienced or otherwise witnessed in regards to faith, and how we are made right with God, stands in direct opposition to scripture, it is to be summarily rejected. We can also take the councils of the church fathers for instance if anything teaches subtly or outright against the trinity or Hypostatic Union of Christ, then we can reject it because we stand on the tradition and accepted teachings of Christendom. The error that is becoming tendential is to turn the Quadrilateral upside down and make our experience the foundation of our faith. I have witnessed in the current Christian landscape that people tend to let their experience confirm or validate the scripture. When in reality we should let the scripture be our foundation and validation of everything else. My experience is not authoritative. My experience doesn’t validate the scripture; the scripture validates my experience. I want to be faithful to embrace the ways that God has revealed in His word how He does work. In so doing, I embrace the certainty and the mystery of His ways.
Let us with fresh faith and vigilance commit ourselves with great zeal to the word of God, and let our Christian experience support the words written there not the other way around.
I always like to add stuff, at the end of my blogs as a response in worship either music, art, or some other thing that encourages your walk with Christ. I was listening to this while I was writing this blog. Put it on blast and read along as these guys rap more about how Supreme Jesus is!