So who do you think of when I say “Apostle of God”?

I’ve been reading and sorting through multiple books, using Jack Hayford’s The Charismatic Century as a jumping off point from which to fill in some historic blanks of the 70’s and 80’s.  Jack was definitely a large part of the Charismatic world at that time and personally knew almost every single mover and shaker (ha!) in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles from that era.

The book is from 2006 and basically covers the Renewal (a broad term for all the Pentecostal, Charismatic and Continuationist streams) up to roughly 2005.  In 2005, the New Apostolic Reformation was just starting to gain steam, and Hayford wrote a bit on the (then) new movement. In explaining it, he commented on the architect of the movement (C. Peter Wagner) and talked about how the main difference was one of ecclesiastical organization.  Essentialy, the N.A.R. is people organizing under free-flowing authority relationship to “apostles” that they choose out of preference, rather than denominations that are picked according to doctrine…yeah I know. That’s a recipe for crazy if I’ve ever seen it.

Once Hayford talks about the movement he gives an example of a guy who embodies the N.A.R.  This is the guy held up by many as a modern “apostle” even though he might not use the name of himself (probably being humble and all, right?).

Who do you think Hayford mentions?

Mike Bickle?

Lou Engle?

Bill Johnson?

John Arnott?

Nope.  None of the above.

Here’s a quote; make sure you’re not drinking anything.

An example of such a leader is ORU graduate Ted Haggard, pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His church, planted in 1985, has grown to over eleven thousand members. The independent congregation does not call itself a Pentecostal church but in all ways typifies a church moving in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Around Haggard has grown a worldwide association of pastors and churches. Haggard does not call himself an apostle- though use of the title is becoming more common – but in Wagner’s view is an example of one nonetheless. Haggard is widely respected and presently serves as president of the National Association of Evangelicals, further illustrating the reach of Pentecostalism after a century.

Wagner left his teaching post at Fuller Seminary and moved to the Colorado Springs area to establish a nontraditional ministry training school called the Wagner Leadership Institute. He continues to strongly affirm the present day expression of both apostles and prophets and started the International Coalition of Apostles to foster relationship and dialogue among apostolic leaders. Wagner is a part of Ted Haggards’ congregation.

Oops.

Missed that one by a tad.

I actually didn’t know that Haggard was one of the big kahunas in the early stages of N.A.R. until today.  No wonder they don’t mention him in any of their documentation from the last decade: only months after the book came out, Ted Haggard was fired (like a cannonball) from New Life Church for some rather unbelievable sexual impropriety over a period of years, among other slight “hiccups”.

So much for C. Peter Wagner being a “prophet”…

Until Next Time,

Lyndon “Giving the Gleanings” Unger