I began publishing my “Leaving the NAR Church” series in 2017, and even to this day I receive new entries to publish. There are more than 60 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 man I will call Mike, about his personal experience at Bethel Church in Redding, California, one of the biggest NAR organizations of of our modern time. Please pray for Mike, whose dear wife is still trapped in this insidious movement.
Thankfully, God opened Mike’s eyes to the truth. Here is his story:
In 52 years following the Lord (got saved in the Jesus Movement), many of us have seen Shepherding, 88 Reasons, Momentous, and other bizarre, cultic groups come and go. In Asia, there are millions who blindly follow Eastern Lightning, Shouters, Falun Gong, and numerous groups. Somehow, hopefully, there are real Disciples who press into serving the Lord through a myriad of life’s challenges and hopefully they get beyond all the hype of signs and wonders and prophesying and declaring-decreeing, Name it and claim it, and actually have any real fruit that remains to glorify God.
We were in Asia. Went through challenges and reached thousands. Came to the States and there was new music, new movements. We didn’t know the dangers. Never got caught up in the “Toronto blessing” or excessive angels-everywhere, or leg-extension stuff. Recalling Jonestown & Heaven’s Gate cults among others.
My wife and I have been in Asia in Ministry. And we would come and go to the States, but were not aware of the false quivering Kundalini spirit, false TPT translation, false prophecies, false claims of Apostleship (we went to the VOA in Florida with 11,000), false teachings (specifically the KENOSIS/Gnostic heresy that Jesus was just a regular guy who got saved in hell, after He did some miracles which “we can all do”), and mania about Dominionism, 7 Mountains, grave sucking/soaking, Fire Tunnels, Sozo (spirit-guide seances), Destiny-cards, self-love mantras, and the focus on MY identity, MY feelings, MY breakthrough, MY rights, MY boundaries, MY healing, MY prosperity, but NO Cross, conviction, repentance.
For 8 years on & off, we came and went to Bethel Church in Redding, California. Even had the opportunity to show our DVD and give a message at Bethel’s Diamond (Seniors) Fellowship.
In hallways or church meetings, there were teenage prophecies, fake turret’s syndrome stuttering and false drunkenness, falling down & writhing. (Jesus just breathed on them, and said “Receive the Holy Spirit”). Anyhow, SELF has become the new Golden Calf!
Looking for gold dust or feathers or declaring or the singing with music which has a hypnotic beat or repetitious phrases which match themes from NAR beliefs. Sad to say, my wife is still drinking the kool-aid.
None of the so-called “prophets” saw Covid coming. None of them. Then Bill Johnson’s wife Beni died of cancer, after attending yoga classes. Little baby Olive died, even though countless people had written that “God or an angel told them Olive would be healed and live.”
The new “Golden Calf” became the SELF, and the whole place turned into a “goose-bump circus.” Jesus seems like Santa Claus in the “bless ME” club.
One of the biggest names connected to Bethel (will not incriminate them at this time) wrote me to say “(We) have never identified with the NAR, and I believe almost nothing that comes out of Bethel. I do not follow self-appointed Last Days end-time apostles who think they can control God and the world with their declarations and prophecies. The world is in terrible trouble, and so the first thing I teach is the fear of the Lord, deep conviction, repentance, seeking His face, waiting on Him, getting closer to Jesus, going lower still.”
I started noticing the many Conferences cost $250 to $500, not for holiness or learning more commitment to the way of the Cross, but for “a better YOU!”
As mentioned, we actually have been in Asia for decades, in fervent Missions work, and were “out of the loop” regarding the new movements, so we had no guard up regarding what to watch out for. Had not really been connected to all the mania in places, but I’ve seen enough, and I’m not one of the lemmings at the party, as they collect all the millions to build the big buildings and buy the books and follow the latest hype.
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.
Give me Jesus…
Note: You can read the entire series of NAR testimonies here.
Have a testimony you’d like to share? Contact me privately here.
See Justin Peter’s video here:
Also, read our research into “Deliverance Ministries” here.
