The NAR: Light on the Madness

The NAR: Light on the Madness

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV)

What is the NAR?

The New Apostolic Reformation is a movement that claims God is restoring modern-day "apostles" and "prophets" who hold governing authority over the church. They issue new revelation, decrees and "impartations." The late C. Peter Wagner gave the movement its name. Its hallmarks include signs-and-wonders "revivals," "prophetic acts," transferable anointings, and an emphasis on money and influence.

Lakeland, 2008

In April 2008 Todd Bentley began what were scheduled as five nights of meetings at Ignited Church in Lakeland, Florida. The "Florida Outpouring" ran for months under a tent and in a local stadium, and GOD TV broadcast it worldwide. Bentley claimed mass healings and dozens of resurrections. On June 23, 2008, NAR leaders led by C. Peter Wagner formally commissioned Bentley on live TV. Within weeks Lakeland collapsed: Bentley left the revival, separated from his wife and later remarried. He was then "restored" at Rick Joyner's MorningStar Ministries.

The video, segment by segment

Part 1: The madness (in their own words)

1. C. Peter Wagner commissions Todd Bentley (GOD TV, June 23, 2008): "Your authority will increase. Your favor will increase. Your influence will increase. Your revelation will increase." This is NAR "apostolic authority" in action, conferred on a man whose ministry fell apart weeks later.
2. A prophetic word at the same commissioning (speaker not identified): "A kingly anointing which will bring in money, money, money."
3. GOD TV broadcast from Lakeland (host not identified): "Send us an email at [email protected]." Viewers were asked to email in their resurrection testimonies. A documentary card notes that after 61 days Bentley claimed he could raise the dead.
4. Todd Bentley, in his own words (preaching from a pulpit): "He said, kick her in the face with your biker boot… I inched closer and I went like this. BAM! And just as my boot made contact with her nose, she fell into the power of God." And: "He said these words to me: leg drop the pastor." He attributes violence to the Holy Spirit.
5. Lakeland stage footage: a man smashing furniture on the platform.
6. Rob Radosti (Secret Place Church, Charlotte, NC; not Todd Bentley): "If you're too drunk to give right now, give later." "Drunk in the Spirit" meets the offering plate.
7. A "prophetic act" at the Transformation Now conference (speaker not identified), holding a Gandalf-style staff: "But he shall not pass."
8. MorningStar (Fort Mill, SC) and the Lakeland campground: bodies on the floor and "holy laughter."
9. Todd Bentley, 2009 interview: "I'm not really hearing anything from heaven right now and we got a few hours to fill up here on the TV cameras." He admits to performing for the cameras.

Part 2: The light (the rebuttals)

1. Reformation Charlotte stood up in Radosti's service to rebuke him and preach the gospel. Radosti's answer: "Hey, we got hecklers! The Holy Ghost is moving!" and "Don't get distracted by all that garbage, just worship Jesus tonight." He called the gospel rebuke "garbage."
2. Ante Pavkovic (Operation Save America), outside MorningStar: "We're confronting a liar and an adulterer who will not repent."
3. Justin Peters, evangelist, on following up the healing claims: "I talked to seven people… with three of them there was no change. Three of them were significantly worse, and one of them was dead."
4. Justin Peters: "Todd Bentley is a liar. He's a false prophet. He meets every biblical criterion as to how to discern a false prophet, a false teacher. If Todd Bentley is not a false teacher, then the term has no meaning."

Closing verse card

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 (NKJV)

Scripture (NKJV)

• "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Ephesians 5:11
• "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
• "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:15-16
• "By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber." 2 Peter 2:3

The takeaway

Signs, feelings, impartations and "fresh fire" are no substitute for Scripture. Test every spirit and every "apostle" by the Word of God, and look at the fruit.

Music

Ominous Industrial Trap

Sources (all footage used)

1. "Todd Bentley: The Faith Healer's Fall | Extraordinary Documentary" (Extraordinary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOoAkh3zU60
2. "Lakeland: The Movie (Documentary film on Todd Bentley & the Florida Outpouring)" (BubbleUp TV production, uploaded by Royzoner): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDEsXVUQeLo
3. "The Charismatic Day of Infamy: The Condensed Version" (The Messed Up Church; GOD TV broadcast of June 23, 2008): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d4UHoZiDDo
4. "Todd Bentley 20th Dead Raised" (I Will Pour Out My Spirit on All Flesh): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJt71ebwh-w
5. "Todd Bentley Exposed! NAR Prophet kicks woman in the face with his biker boot!" (Doctrinal Watchdog): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGC79pjgt8s
6. "Crashing Todd Bentley's Church" (The Dissenter; Reformation Charlotte footage): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUiGRArh3RY
7. "Gandalf Staff Prophetic Word with Bill Johnson" (Megan Verdugo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8b3yumhMNU

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