The Passion Translation: The Bible of Bethel and the NAR

**Note: Since the original post of this article (in 2016), due to the scrutiny and pressure from many academic scholars, there have been dramatic revisions made to The Passion Translation. On one hand this is a good thing. On the other hand, it serves to show just how much personal interpretation/theology was woven into this […]

Bethel Church – Redding: In Their Own Words

Bill Johnson says he affirms the essential doctrine that Jesus is eternally the Son of God. But is that true? This doctrine has traditionally meant that Jesus was not created, meaning he has no beginning, nor did he ever stop being God, meaning he has no end. However, if you listen to Johnson’s messages, or read […]

The New Apostolic Reformation and Their New Version of the Bible

God’s Word is inspired. It is infallible. It is truth. If those statements are true, then any theological movement claiming new revelation or needed restoration for Scripture should cause unease. Any movement that then proceeds to create its own “translation” of the Bible, should raise an enormous red flag. Of course most Christians are familiar […]

The New Apostolic Reformation – Part Four: Is the Assemblies of God Part of the NAR?

Technically, the answer is no. The AG position papers separate themselves from the teaching found in the NAR. However, AG churches are congregational, and have a lot of autonomy from their district leadership. As such, it is up to the pastors and leaders in those individual churches as to what extent they allow NAR influence […]

The New Apostolic Reformation – Part Three: The Influence of Bethel Church in Redding, CA

About Bethel Pastor Bill Johnson, formerly of the Assemblies of God, leads Bethel Church. This leader and church are a segment of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) called the Revival Alliance (http://revivalalliance.com/). Bill Johnson regularly speaks at The Voice of the Apostles Conference, has written several books, one of which is entitled When Heaven Invades […]

The New Apostolic Reformation – Part Two: What is the NAR?

What is the NAR? This group, presided over by C. Peter Wagner, (history here: http://www.icaleaders.com/about-ical/history-of-ica/) believes that we have entered a second Apostolic age. The first age was with the original apostles and lasted into the second century.Now, according to their own pronouncements we have entered a second age where God is doing a new work in […]

The New Apostolic Reformation – Part One: Why Talk About it at All?

I have been praying for months about blogging on this topic. I have spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours researching and studying. I have read NAR materials written by their own prophets and apostles. I have also studied other theologian’s opinions on this movement. All of this has been done in an effort to […]