Note: I began publishing my “Leaving the NAR Church” series in 2017, and even to this day I receive new entries to publish. There are nearly 80 stories so far. These stories are precious to me, and serve as a painful reminder that there is hope for the dear deceived ones caught up in this insidious movement. If you don’t know what NAR is, I hope you’ll take a moment and read What is the New Apostolic Reformation Movement.
The following is a letter from a woman I will call Nora, about her personal experience an NAR church with modern-day Apostles and Prophets. What she experienced will make readers angry. But please pray for those still trapped in this movement. Also, read our research into “Deliverance Ministries” here.
Thankfully, God opened Chloe’s eyes to the truth. Here is her story:
<hr />
“I have delayed writing out my experience for over a year. I think I needed time to heal and to process. I will do my best not to have this be lengthy and also have it to be concise, accurate and most of all HOPEFUL!
I was raised regularly attending a Baptist Church and I am grateful for that. I am also grateful that even amidst a broken family due to divorce I have a distinct memory of seeing my mother reading her Bible in the middle of the night or at the breakfast table. I knew that was a very special book she was reading. Years later as a Christian I found myself going into that same book for comfort, though my circumstances were radically different than my mother’s.
I began a path of addictions in high school and it quickly escalated in college. I lived in chaos for 10 solid years. I ended up gaining a bit of steadiness in a worldly recovery program. One Sunday in the early 2000s God yanked me to church with my mother where I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
I was definitely feeling convicted of sin but I would not say I was walking in sanctification yet. I ended up attending an evangelical church for a few years.
That was a good experience but then through a series of events I went to a hyper charismatic church and I thought I had arrived!
I was very broken and still struggling with addictions and mental health issues, depression and anxiety.
I had never experienced anything like this church in my life and I was completely drawn to the high emotions, the music, the lengthy services, and the Love! And there was much love. I can see now that God placed me exactly where I needed to be and I will always be grateful for this church.
I attended for many years. I believe now that I was blinded as a way of protection from many things that I could not navigate theologically because I was not reading my Bible.
I will fast forward to a time many years later when I became sober and was off of most of my psych meds.
I had always wanted to read the Word of God but I was very muddled. Yet something miraculous happened and I started diving into the Bible every single day. I was starving for it and I was devouring it.
Reading 1 Corinthians 14 over and over proved to be very revealing about the disorder that was happening. And then I started it seeing major issues at this church:
- Hyper emotional music that was very “me” focused. I will borrow a term I heard on a podcast: the music was the “gateway drug.”
- Once properly primed you were very susceptible to false teaching.
- Praying in tongues with no interpretation. (I will share that very early in my experience I met Patricia King and she was trying to force me to pray in tongues and eventually I started making it up.)
- Sermons with Scripture taken very out of context.
- Many words of man and little Word of God.
- There was almost no talk of repentance or sin or hell.
- Many people were being slain in the spirit. Including me. (I did experience being physically pushed by something many times but now I highly doubt it was Holy Spirit)
Then I started noticing NAR flags: There was a leader who had been named an “Apostle” by Che Ahn of Harvest International Ministries. Che was often referred to as the “spiritual papa” of this church. The leader made vague references to having influence in the political sphere. This made me incredibly uncomfortable as I was waking up to the poor doctrine theology in this church.
At some point a lead “Prophetess” came on the scene. I had no idea who she was or where she came from. Her prophetic messages were nonsense.
Strange prayers started happening, seeking God’s kingdom to come and his dominion to be established on earth.
There were regular appearances by what I now consider to be false teachers engaged in deliverance ministries. Ken Fish Is, I believe, one of the more clever charlatans in this circle.
Prophets were brought where there would be a push for “seed money” to get your blessing. These prophets knew a disturbing amount of information about people and I have never resolved that. Whether it was straight from the pit of hell or from manipulation it doesn’t matter. I was deeply disturbed that people like dumb sheep were lined up with checks in hand. I was much more disturbed that leadership was not protecting the flock. I question how much kickback they were getting.
Many people were attending a university I had never heard of with the title being one man’s name which I found very odd: C Peter Wagner University. I was becoming concerned that possibly this was not solid theological training and when I looked into it I discovered it was not even accredited.
The lead “Apostle” always talking about his doctorate and the book he was supposed to be writing. There never was a book and I don’t think a doctorate of theology from a non-accredited institution established by the leader of the New Apostolic Reformation holds much weight.
I could say so much more but just let me share that the big game changer for me was that I was starting to read my Bible every day, prayerfully, with an open heart and an open mind. My mind started being renewed and my discernment started sharpening. I was becoming extremely uncomfortable in this church environment.
I did something at the end which I have had to take to God because I question whether it was honest… but I have repented of it.
I tested this church in a very particular way, something that would confirm the spirit of leadership.
I did not end up voicing my concerns to anyone within the church as they all seemed duped. And beyond feeling connected to each other in a particular way I also think there was an attraction to a lot of of power and self grandiosity.
Voicing concerns
I did evntually meet with the church leader. Many of my concerns had not been processed in a way I could speak out yet, but there was enough to have this meeting. I know other people from the church had spoken to him also and since it was an independent church those people said to me that they felt like their concerns were heard but then swept under the carpet.
The first thing I had to do as a responsible Christian was to ask his forgiveness as I had been engaged in a degree of slandering amongst other church members. Which was wrong. And then we had a long talk and it went very well and he gave me credit for my maturity. I did respectfully call him out on his Scriptural arguments which of course were misplaced and out of context.
I think the most disturbing part was as I was leaving. I said, ” I don’t know what’s going on at this church but there is something very wrong. I don’t know if it’s spiritual or if it’s demonic but something is amiss.”
His response: “Oh yeah, I know. That’s just the way it is at a lot of churches.”
I left that meeting and I thought – welp, that never truly happened as nobody was ever going to know about it. Still, thought I was going to stay out of faithfulness because they had been so faithful to me.
At that point the test I mentioned had been set in motion. It was a few days after that that the results came in and leadership had flunked.
And that afternoon when I got in my car and the door shut and I knew God had closed the door on that church. And do you know what I did? I breathed! So deeply and so freely I realized I had been suffocating. And my gratitude and my relief was inexpressible.
In conclusion
Just a small amount of research at the beginning of my questioning led me into many YouTube videos and articles. This was very helpful.
I discovered Berean Research. I read many articles and testimonies on this site of people who have come out of this movement and I saw that I could share my story.
I knew this was something I should do because so many of these stories helped me.
I want to end on a very hopeful note! God is faithful and He is compassionate and He is steadfast and He does not leave us in the middle of trials, He brings us through them to the other side.
I was never angry at God. I never turned from God. I ran right into His Word every day and he started sharpening my mind and showing me His truth. Which is beautiful and life-changing.
It took me two years to leave that church and I knew I might be facing a lot of loneliness. I asked God to make it very clear whether I should stay or go and He was gracious enough to slam the door shut one day.
And what I thought would happen did happen. I have been in a period of solitude and loneliness but I am healing.
And I love my God, my Jesus, my Lord and Savior, my friend and the most wonderful counselor and advocate ever…Holy Spirit.
I asked someone I respect who was aware of this church environment a question, “Why do people, even supposedly mature Christians, stay at a place like this?” And she said “well, I think sometimes people can be blinded by faithfulness to a community”
Ultimately I had to answer the question I was constantly hearing from God…
“Who do you serve?”
And I bet you can guess the answer!
I think God is cleaning up His Church…His Bride…
And now I have such a profound understanding that He truly does work all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
(Romans 8:28)
“Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
Psalm 103:1–2
Hallelujah!
Every day I will praise You.
