THE NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION
In 1996 Dr. C. Peter Wagner and Fuller Theological Seminary hosted a "National Symposium
on the Postdenominational Church".
This name, Postdenominational Church has now been changed to New Apostolic reformation. (NAR)
Dr. C. Peter Wagner, in his book, Churchquake, states "In virtually every region of the
world, these new apostolic churches constitute the fastest growing segment of Christianity."
Joseph
Thompson in his article, Apostolic Reformation Churches, asserts:
In Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. David Oyedepo recently completed the largest
church facility in the world, seating an approximate 53,000 people. In addition to this mega sanctuary, their campus also
consists of a Bible college, residential quarters and various other facilities that enhance their outreach to the city. Judging
by the more than 47,000 attendees in one service, they are doing an excellent job of impacting their region. This phenomenon
is not limited to Africa alone. In the United States, Churches like Bill Hybels',
Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, TD Jakes', Potters House in a Dallas suburb, Ted Haggard's, New
Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado and many others too numerous to mention, are all examples of new apostolic churches
that have an apostolic mandate to their cities and are changing the spiritual climate of whole cities. In addition to these
churches are the para-church ministries that are also affecting the spiritual atmosphere of their cities and impacting people
on a global scale. James Dobson's Focus on the Family and Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship are just two of such outstanding
ministries restoring hope to the family and restoration and love for the incarcerated. In the United Kingdom, the fastest growing churches are the new apostolic
churches such as Matthew Ashimolowo's Kingsway International Church.
In only seven years his more than 7,000-member church has impacted the city of London in many spheres of society including the local government. Kingsway has become a significant
regional church that is doing a wonderful job of ministering to the African Diaspora in London among many other ethnic groups.
In Kiev, Ukraine, the two largest churches are new apostolic churches.
The pastor's of both these churches are Africans. This global perspective of the church with a strong emphasis on world missions
is a mainstay of the new apostolic churches. At New Life Church in Colorado Springs, it is standard practice for the youth group to do at least two international missions trips each year. This serves
to strengthen their understanding of the global church as well as the value of their tithes and offerings in fulfilling the
call to cross-cultural missions. In South and Central America
the new apostolic reformation churches are responsible in large part for what the West has come to recognize as an outpouring
of revival. Spearheading this movement are people like Ed Silvoso, Claudio Freidzon, Sergio Scattaglini, Pablo Bottari and
Carlos Annacondia among others.
One of the
pillars of this NAR is the Latter Rain Movements restoration of Apostles and Prophets for the last days into a triumphal and
overcoming church of the Endtimes. This type of teaching is also known as Dominion Theology. (For further info on the Latter
Rain see http://www.apologeticsindex.org/l39.html , for further info on Dominion Theology see http://www.apologeticsindex.org/d35.html).
The
overall goal of this movement is to ultimately take over the leadership of all churches everywhere, which will inevitably
result in the overthrow of the standards of orthodoxy and doctrine that the churches
have upheld for the past 2000 years.
For further
information on NAR see http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/newapostolic.html