A Study on the New Apostolic Reformation
Movement
Lee, Sung Hee
Master of Theology in Systemic Theology
Graduate School of Theology
Seoul Theological University
Recently a new paradigm, named “New Apostolic Reformation
Movement (NARM)”, has been suggested as an alternative to overcome
the reality of...
A Study on the New Apostolic Reformation
Movement
Lee, Sung Hee
Master of Theology in Systemic Theology
Graduate School of Theology
Seoul Theological University
Recently a new paradigm, named “New Apostolic Reformation
Movement (NARM)”, has been suggested as an alternative to overcome
the reality of getting more difficult about missionary work and evangelism
and, in consequence, of stagnancy of church growth. And it has been
reported that many revivals have been made in every corner of the world
by churches, which got affected and joined the NARM directly, or which
are in solidarity with NARM or adopt and preach this movement
indirectly.
The NARM has been suggested by Peter Wagner in 1990’s,
mainly adding spiritual aspect which is based on his miraculous experience
in 1980’s to his existing study about theory of church growth and
technical aspect. Therefore, it would be regarded as a stream of Spiritual
Movement. The NARM proposes some theological theories that could be
the foundation of this movement, which is based on the big premise of
‘not limiting the work of the Holy Spirit’, some of their theological theories
are controversial because of the conflict with existing tradition of the Protestant church and its theological stance.
However, there are some issues, which should be corrected and
complemented, for the NARM to be positioned as a positive alternative for
the church growth of church Korea. The controversial issues in this
movement are raised regarding matter of existence of the apostleship and
prophethood, matter of direct revelation and gift of prophecy, and matter of
spiritual mapping based on deism.
Bible does not offer any declaration of termination of the
apostleship and prophethood or an exact point about this. The most
supported argument is that the apostleship and prophethood was naturally
terminated after the establishment of early church, which had been the
reason of existence of these duties. However, it is also a theological
inference. On the other hand, it would be considered that these two duties
are necessary for the existence and development of the church, and
corresponding duty to these is to subsist. When it is considered in other
perspective regarding the matter of special revelation, the matter of
existence would be dependant on how to define the special revelation:
because the one who delivers the special revelation is the apostle or the
prophet. In this part the matter of existence of the duty could be
meaningless, when two aspects are considered: the limitation of the special
revelation and the plebeianness originated the fact that every christian may
receive it after Jesus Christ, should be fulfilled. After all the character of
the duty would be focused on rather than the duty itself. By the way
advocates of NARM regard the apostleship and the prophethood intactly
existing based on the fact that duties on Ephesus 4:11 are still existing,
but it is regarded that they interpreted the Bible arbitrarily to support
their theory.
When the special revelation is discussed, the authority of the Bible
should be the most important factor. If the special revelation still exists,
writing of the Bible should be continued; then the possibility of change of
what have been believed as the truth would be opened. However, in
reality, the fact that God says to us through the Holy Spirit could not be
denied. Then limitation of the special revelation should be set to the question of how to acknowledge the history of ongoing work of the Holy
Spirit without violating the authority of the Bible. If it is proved as a
revelation which does not violate Jesus Christ, who is the highest
revelation, and at the same time which does not err the authority of the
Bible, which is the ultimate revelation, weak points regarding the issue of
the special revelation would be complemented.
Regarding the prophecy and the gift, there is no reason that the
prophecy should be terminated. The prophecy means speaking for the will
of God, that is different from the normal meaning, which has meaning of
foreknowing coming things or guessing. The prophecy with this regard
has no reason to be terminated, must not stopped, and should be
recommended to be continued. And there is the argument that the
prophecy has been terminated, because the sermon replaced it.
However, there is no reason to be terminated because of emerging of
sermon, because it is the matter related to the character of the duty. Same
is the gift. It could be said that there is no gift, which is given as present
to those who received the Holy Spirit, means no one received the Holy
Spirit; it is definitely illogical. It seems that the argument that some of
gift have been terminated and some have been remained as their
theological line is a way of compromise to keep theirs in the circumstance
of undeniable reality that the real gift is being given. It should not be
overlooked the fact that the ministry for the Christ could be more
abundant through putting the foundation at the biblical basis and sound
using of a lot of gifts when treating this issue. However, some problems,
that the charismatic movement including the prophecy ministry prophesies
prophecy not of the Bible but of the shaman faith in order to prove the
validity of their pursuing movement because of preoccupancy of Korea
church and participants of NARM for church growth, or that tendency of
seeking gift mystically without discerning or biblical approach and of
offering the course of study for presuming that the gift of prophecy could
be obtained by education, must be corrected.
The spiritual mapping, insisted by the NARM, which is a theory
of the basis of satanic dominion theory, is the radical dispensational dualism. The Bible says monism. Even though some regard this as a
difference of the attitude, it needs to be pointed out that it made a mistake
from the fundamental truth that
A Study on the New Apostolic Reformation
Movement
Lee, Sung Hee
Master of Theology in Systemic Theology
Graduate School of Theology
Seoul Theological University
Recently a new paradigm, named “New Apostolic Reformation
Movement (NARM)”, has been suggested as an alternative to overcome
the reality of getting more difficult about missionary work and evangelism
and, in consequence, of stagnancy of church growth. And it has been
reported that many revivals have been made in every corner of the world
by churches, which got affected and joined the NARM directly, or which
are in solidarity with NARM or adopt and preach this movement
indirectly.
The NARM has been suggested by Peter Wagner in 1990’s,
mainly adding spiritual aspect which is based on his miraculous experience
in 1980’s to his existing study about theory of church growth and
technical aspect. Therefore, it would be regarded as a stream of Spiritual
Movement. The NARM proposes some theological theories that could be
the foundation of this movement, which is based on the big premise of
‘not limiting the work of the Holy Spirit’, some of their theological theories
are controversial because of the conflict with existing tradition of the Protestant church and its theological stance.
However, there are some issues, which should be corrected and
complemented, for the NARM to be positioned as a positive alternative for
the church growth of church Korea. The controversial issues in this
movement are raised regarding matter of existence of the apostleship and
prophethood, matter of direct revelation and gift of prophecy, and matter of
spiritual mapping based on deism.
Bible does not offer any declaration of termination of the
apostleship and prophethood or an exact point about this. The most
supported argument is that the apostleship and prophethood was naturally
terminated after the establishment of early church, which had been the
reason of existence of these duties. However, it is also a theological
inference. On the other hand, it would be considered that these two duties
are necessary for the existence and development of the church, and
corresponding duty to these is to subsist. When it is considered in other
perspective regarding the matter of special revelation, the matter of
existence would be dependant on how to define the special revelation:
because the one who delivers the special revelation is the apostle or the
prophet. In this part the matter of existence of the duty could be
meaningless, when two aspects are considered: the limitation of the special
revelation and the plebeianness originated the fact that every christian may
receive it after Jesus Christ, should be fulfilled. After all the character of
the duty would be focused on rather than the duty itself. By the way
advocates of NARM regard the apostleship and the prophethood intactly
existing based on the fact that duties on Ephesus 4:11 are still existing,
but it is regarded that they interpreted the Bible arbitrarily to support
their theory.
When the special revelation is discussed, the authority of the Bible
should be the most important factor. If the special revelation still exists,
writing of the Bible should be continued; then the possibility of change of
what have been believed as the truth would be opened. However, in
reality, the fact that God says to us through the Holy Spirit could not be
denied. Then limitation of the special revelation should be set to the question of how to acknowledge the history of ongoing work of the Holy
Spirit without violating the authority of the Bible. If it is proved as a
revelation which does not violate Jesus Christ, who is the highest
revelation, and at the same time which does not err the authority of the
Bible, which is the ultimate revelation, weak points regarding the issue of
the special revelation would be complemented.
Regarding the prophecy and the gift, there is no reason that the
prophecy should be terminated. The prophecy means speaking for the will
of God, that is different from the normal meaning, which has meaning of
foreknowing coming things or guessing. The prophecy with this regard
has no reason to be terminated, must not stopped, and should be
recommended to be continued. And there is the argument that the
prophecy has been terminated, because the sermon replaced it.
However, there is no reason to be terminated because of emerging of
sermon, because it is the matter related to the character of the duty. Same
is the gift. It could be said that there is no gift, which is given as present
to those who received the Holy Spirit, means no one received the Holy
Spirit; it is definitely illogical. It seems that the argument that some of
gift have been terminated and some have been remained as their
theological line is a way of compromise to keep theirs in the circumstance
of undeniable reality that the real gift is being given. It should not be
overlooked the fact that the ministry for the Christ could be more
abundant through putting the foundation at the biblical basis and sound
using of a lot of gifts when treating this issue. However, some problems,
that the charismatic movement including the prophecy ministry prophesies
prophecy not of the Bible but of the shaman faith in order to prove the
validity of their pursuing movement because of preoccupancy of Korea
church and participants of NARM for church growth, or that tendency of
seeking gift mystically without discerning or biblical approach and of
offering the course of study for presuming that the gift of prophecy could
be obtained by education, must be corrected.
The spiritual mapping, insisted by the NARM, which is a theory
of the basis of satanic dominion theory, is the radical dispensational dualism. The Bible says monism. Even though some regard this as a
difference of the attitude, it needs to be pointed out that it made a mistake
from the fundamental truth that
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