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Paula White Cain, the thrice-married minister and former mistress of Benny Hinn, has pronounced herself to be an Apostle of Christ and installed her son as the new pastor of her church. While her son is the new lead pastor, White will serve as an “oversight pastor.”
Women, according to the Bible, shouldn’t be pastors at all. But while female pastors are not altogether rare in Pentecostal churches, having “Apostles” is a rather new phenomenon, associated with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Some charismatic apologists, like Michael Brown, deny that NAR exists, in spite of high-profile figures like White declaring themselves Apostles.
NAR, although it also goes by other names, is a recent teaching in charismatic circles that the office of the Apostolate has been revived in latter times and Apostles walk the earth now just like in the days of the 1st Century church. It is closely associated with the prosperity gospel and Dominionism, the belief that God requires Christians to take over the “seven mountains of culture” to hasten Jesus’ return to Earth.
White told her congregation on Sunday:
“So today, I am officially installing Pastor Brad and Pastor Rachel as the senior pastors of over City of Destiny. Everybody stand up on your feet, because this is God’s plan. I am moving to what I call oversight pastor, but let me explain that. That is apostolic, but I just haven’t embraced the title, though. … But as apostolic overseer of City of Destiny, today officially, it’s all been done legally, officially, we are City of Destiny. Welcome to your new beginning.”
White renamed her church, probably to keep a legal right to past residual revenue of the church body, as many charismatic churches operate as businesses owned by the pastors. The church’s name, while under the ownership of White, was New Destiny Christian Center.
Like the Apostles of the 1st Century, NAR Apostles also claim to hear directly from God and their edicts can’t be challenged.
White was at the Unleashed Conference over the weekend and told the crowd after Jentzen Franklin got done speaking, “I’m just messed up, it’s so powerful and profound. I told my son (Brad Knight) will be the pastor as of this Sunday (May 5), because God spoke to me, so y’all don’t wanna miss Sunday because City of Destiny is being launched, come on. And God is moving. I’m the oversight pastor.”
Biblically, a pastor is also known as an ἐπίσκοπος (commonly translated “overseer”). Therefore, White is making herself an “oversight overseer,” which seems redundant. White reportedly plans to help, in her role as an Apostle, to plant three thousand churches.
Varnel Watson
Biblically, a pastor is also known as an ἐπίσκοπος (commonly translated “overseer”). Therefore, White is herself an “oversight overseer,”
Nora Neel-Toney
I do not listen to her.
Kelly Crites
She says many things…??
Link Hudson
Repeating the mistress allegation? Is that appropriate? There was a picture of him holding her hand. Inappropriate. He made a video announcement saying there was no ‘immorality.’ Is there further evidence?
I don’t know if the author is intentionally outright lying or nt by saying the MIchael Brown denies the NAR exists. He wrote it should be used for Wagner’s organization by the same name.
She is very skilled as a public speaking, and some things she said were pretty good. Probably the last time I heard a clip of hers, though, she was trying to preach a first fruits offering into her ministry coffers.
It appears that Paula White actually said she wasn’t taking the title of apostle– if I understand it right, though this quote seems like double-talk to me.
“That is apostolic, but I just haven’t embraced the title, though. … But as apostolic overseer of City of Destiny, today officially, i”
This is a short article to contain so many problems with it.
Varnel Watson
he did deny it at one time – we have discussed it before and proof was posted on the website You should look it up Then he issued a milder version saying what existed was not exactly NAR Then he said he was not part of NAR Then he said he was
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfmkX1pdLq8
https://pulpitandpen.org/2016/10/28/michael-brown-continues-to-deny-the-nar-defends-montanism/
https://biblethumpingwingnut.com/2018/04/25/dr-michael-brown-nar/
Varnel Watson
Philip Williams Peter Vandever does any of you recall Brown’s exact wording on NAR?
Link Hudson
If the article is new, it is probably not up to date on Brown’s view. Who wrote it? It comes off as quite snarky and probably cessationist.
Link Hudson
Troy Day He calls it ‘nar’. I always read it as N. A. R. What about the rest of you?
Varnel Watson
the rest of me feels Brown is as NAR as it gets – a small part of me feels at one point he was not back in day
Link Hudson
Troy Day I think he said something almost word for word I put on his website once. I pointed out the ‘decently and in order’ of I Corinthians 14 was about church meetings where ‘every one of you hath a psalm, hath a tongue hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation.” It could be coincidental, or from just drinking from the same well of scripture and Spirit. If he reads comments, maybe we can comment a bit on apostolic ministry.
I agree with Brown here. He believes in an apostolic role, but doesn’t believe in Wagner’s NAR organization’s view of apostleship.
Varnel Watson
no no there was a video of him I watched where he was saying something like There is no such thing as NAR – people call it that but there was never a NAR We posted video here in the group Should be on the website to revisit
Link Hudson
At 11:23 Brown says, “The reason I denied the other part is because the other part is simply non exists” (sic). He stumbles over his words here. (Smart guy. I probably do the same thing.) It’s a big vague as to which part is ‘the other part.’)
His problem seems to be with lumping everyone who believes in ‘apostle’ as a contemporary ministry with the whole NAR network, doctrine, dominion theology, etc. It’s a fair point. NAR is a lousy term for it. Calling IHOP NAR, Brown NAR, Wagner’s post-mill or kingdom now followers ‘NAR’– it’s not all the same philosophy, strategy, or beliefs about apostles.
I believe the Lord may appoint and send individuals as apostles who minister in ground-breaking evangelism which results in new churches being born. This would be along the lines of Watchman Nee’s idea of apostleship, and also the Assembly of God’s position paper, though I do not insist that we only speak of ‘apostolic function’ without using the word ‘apostle’ to describe such folks.
Are churches in China that were in Nee’s movement, churches in the US, whether Witness Lee’s Local Church Movement or other churches that aren’t a part of that part of the NAR? Is the Assemblies of God part of the NAR? If you are premil can you rightly be considered ‘NAR’?
Wagner’s might have considered it part of the ‘New Apostolic Reformation’. I recall reading that he had researched that some churches in China had certain ministers they considered to be apostles. I wonder if any of those an idea of apostleship strongly rooted in scripture as Watchman Nee’s was, as opposed to an apostle just being the big anointed leader who is going to lead many people into the great predicted future that is just over the horizon.
Link Hudson
Troy Day I haven’t read Wagners NAR book. Did he have one by that title? Maybe he said that disagreeing with Wagners idea about there being a ‘movement’ of this.
Slapping the title ‘apostle’ on the top layer of church leadership in a denomination or network or creating an extra layer, or inviting pastors to be ‘below’ you doesn’t make people apostles.
Jerome Herrick Weymouth
Apostles are church starters and pioneering new works in other lands…ones called like Acts13 and you are not an apostle cause you wrote a few books been on CBN, TBN, DAYSTAR, or SBN!
Philip Williams
Troy Day
Michael’s view of NAR is similar to mine: i.e. What’s the big deal? Just an idea in the late C Peter Wagner’s head.
Varnel Watson
naah there was a video where he was running interferene with NAR I will dig it up just for Link Hudson
Charles Page
The courses at Lee College in my day laid good groundwork for NAR’s current success in COG. Wagner was the focus on much of the teaching.
Varnel Watson
I can attest to similar from AG and some while Wagner was still @ Fuller (or was it even before that ?)
Nathan Ridgeway
Jerome Herrick Weymouth I founded four churches over forty-six years of ministry and pastored each one for a few years until they could stand. Does that make me an apostle?
Link Hudson
Do you have to know you are one to be one? The 12 were sent out-Acts10. Paul and Barnabas wre sent out- Acts 13.
Paul and his coworkers church planting was evangelism among the unreached. They had a measure of rule where they had introduced the gospel (I Cor. 10). Corinth was one such cgurch and it wa the seal of Paul’s apostleship in the Lord.. (I Cor. 9). But apparently the itinerant preacher Apolls was an appstle (I Cor. 4.)
Jerome Herrick Weymouth
Yes as a pioneering man of God, a missionary one who was sent to the towns you went, and your testimony sounds very much like the Bible.
Warrenj Hudson
Delusion
Varnel Watson
does any one has her 5/5/19 service video?
Link Hudson
You got on my case for not differentiating between ‘apostolic’ and ‘apostle’ for a Jonas Clark article about a preacher (was it AA Allen?) a few weeks ago. She called her ministry apostolic but said she wasn’t taking the title.
Varnel Watson
I was asking a question because I did not find the information you posted in the article itself This one is clear though
Who cares if they held hands or Brown was NAR
WHITE announced her apostleship – see her 5/5 video
Link Hudson
Troy Day Could be, but the quote was vague… a bit of double talk.. apostolic, but not using the title.
Varnel Watson
I’ve never heard Allen called apostle Melvin Harter
Melvin Harter
Troy Day and you never will.
Link Hudson
The article used the word ‘apostolic’ in a nonOneness sense.
Varnel Watson
Actually the article used the whole term
A. A. Allen was also a type of apostolic forerunner.
a type of … – claiming neither apostle nor apostolic
http://www.pentecostaltheology.com/the-miracles-of-a-a-allen/
Link Hudson
Troy Day Yeah that. White called herself ‘apostolic’ (in a way that makes me question if she understands what that ministry is Biblically, but consistent with some of the NAR teaching), then says she wasn’t claiming the title.
Varnel Watson
White called herself apostolic where?
Did you even watch the service ?
Ted Robinson
Divorce is just as high in the church as in secular Society and in the church there were Standards for those in ministry. It’s now justified that if a man is called to the ministry it is no longer a problem if they divorce and marry again and continue to pastor . This is in Pentecostal and Charismatic churches .
Link Hudson
The passages on qualifications for overseers doesn not even mention call.
Jim Brantley
Just call me Jim a servant of Christ!
Ilya Okhotnikov
Give me a break…
Varnel Watson
Davidking Manelli
Good mie
John Cox
SO WHAT? ARE YOU FEELING THREATENED? “ARE WE NOT ENTERTAINED!” NAR, NAR, NAR, NAR, NAR…HAR, HAR, HAR, HAR, HAR…I’M LAUGHING AT YOUR INSECURITY!
Charles Page
it is too late to criticize her because now she is an apostle and beyond criticism!!
You can’t spit in the wind!
Andrew T. Stube
Apostle is just another word for missionary. We are all called to be missionaries or to make some positive change. I would love to see a Prophet as well working in the White House even in all of our churches. Either that or rip 1 Corinthians 14 out of our bibles