The NEW but Quite OLD Apostamation and Refopostasy

So Todd Bentley managed to single handedly show the world what a revival should not look like.  Bla bla bla.  It all still comes down to the look and feel of the performance.  Exciting or somber?  Crusades or well digging?  Titles or no titles? Megachurch or little community church?  Sanity or insanity…

This leads me to this newsletter sent out by Andrew Strom from www.revivalschool.com:  Read it and weep if you can.  Andrew Strom, you are truly trying very hard to persuade the world you are one of the ‘good guys’.  But many do see through you.

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WARNING TO THE “APOSTLES” 

by Andrew Strom – 25 February 2010

An Open Letter to Peter Wagner, Dutch Sheets & Other “Apostles”.

I recently received a report of a new “Apostolic Network” headed
up by Dutch Sheets which held a gathering in Florida last week to
“carve up” territories for it’s ‘apostles’, etc. I need to put in writing
what I believe the Lord would say to these men.

But first I need to remind us all of something. On June 23rd, 2008,
a group of “apostles and prophets” under Peter Wagner’s headship
stood on a stage in Lakeland at the Todd Bentley revival – to lay
on hands and commission him, etc. But it was far more than that.
Peter Wagner called it an “apostolic alignment.” He made the
following statement before all the TV cameras and all the people:

“I take the apostolic authority that God has given me and I decree
to Todd Bentley:
-Your power will increase.
-Your authority will increase.
-Your favor will increase.
-Your influence will increase.
-Your revelation will increase.
I also decree that:
-A new supernatural strength will flow through this ministry.
-A new life force will penetrate this move of God…”

Onlookers might have thought that Wagner was ‘prophesying’ the
above statements. But actually what he felt he was doing was
“decreeing” these things over Todd – since he was the ‘head
apostle’.  In a letter the following day, Wagner called this a
“groundbreaking event” and stated that, “We are now in a place
in what I see as the Second Apostolic Age…” (In other words,
a “new era” of real apostles).

So how did that work out for you, Peter? Well, literally within
weeks we found out that many of the “miracles” at Lakeland had
no foundation, and then Todd Bentley’s wife separated from him
apparently over an affair he was having – and the entire ‘revival’ fell
to pieces in the worst way possible. That’s how it worked out.

All the big Charismatic leaders that had stood on that stage hardly
knew what to do with themselves – they were so embarrassed.
And none more so than Peter Wagner – after making an “Apostolic
decree” like that. -Probably the most colossal disaster of his life.

So who pulled the rug out from under your “apostolic alignment”,
Peter? I need to tell you that there are two responsible parties.
One is ‘yourself’ – clearly. And the second is GOD – because He
is now pitted against you and your so-called “apostles”. He is the
one who did this to you.

You and your friends have presumed to an office and a place over
the Body that is simply not yours, and God is in the process of
taking you ‘apostles’ down – and all your “networks” with you.

Dutch Sheets – can I ask you please, what gives you the right to
carve up the Body of Christ in North America and parcel it out like
McDonalds franchises to all your buddies so they can be ‘apostles’
over their own “territory”? Do you have any idea what you are
playing with? Don’t you know that if your buddies are not real New
Testament Apostles then all they are doing is painting huge
targets on themselves and begging for the judgment of God?
How dare you treat the Body of Christ like a piece of Real Estate
that you can carve up for your own aggrandizement?   [Emphasis added]

[DTW  note:  What exactly is a REAL New Testament Apostle?  I have never heard of anything like this before.  The Apostles commissioned by Jesus Christ the Son of God Himself to go out and preach the gospel and write down God's Word were the LAST Apostles.  During the time of the REAL Apostles,  Paul actually spoke about the super apostles who had crept up out of the woodwork who presumed to be greater than the REAL Apostles of the Bible.

So unless there is a new set of Christ commissioned Apostles roaming the earth writing a new bible, I would have say this is a NEW revelation.  Because this is not in scripture.]

Because of men like you, God is about to judge the leadership
of the church. Do they call themselves an “apostle”? Well, God
is going to put them to the test. If they are not the real thing, they
make themselves His ‘enemy’ because they are blocking His
real Reformation. Every self-proclaimed “apostle and prophet” is
about to be put to the test. Oh, you call your group an “Apostolic
Council of Elders” or something similar? Expect God to come
calling, and if you are not the real thing, expect Him to take you
down. The Lord God is coming to take back His church with great
violence. And you guys are standing directly in His way.  [Emphasis added]

[DTW note:   Real Reformation?  What is that exactly?  You speak about counterfeit revivals on your website and your speak about false prophets and apostles.  Now you are saying there is a REAL Reformation taking place with REAL Apostles;  and the way to spot the difference from a fake apostle and a real apostle is how long it takes for their revival to collapse?  Hmmmm.  Ok let's give you the benefit of the doubt for 30 seconds...]

I’ve heard that one of these big “apostles” in Canada once told his
network that their “apostle-ness” would be judged by the ‘noses
and nickels’ that they represented. (In other words, their “numbers”
and their reaping of money). Hmmmm. If I didn’t know better, I
would call those the words of a hireling and a wolf.

As Lee Grady wrote about this ‘Apostle-Mania’:
“In some circles apostles demanded total allegiance from the
leaders who were “under” them. Some required a policy of “tithing
up,” creating a monstrous organizational structure similar to a
spiritual Amway. So-called apostles with huge “downlines” made
exorbitant amounts of money. One leader even offered pastors the
opportunity to become “spiritual sons” by contributing $1,000 a
month to his ministry.”

And yet here is what the TRUE apostle Paul wrote: “I think that
God has set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to
death… we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are
buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace… we are made as the
filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things…” (1 Cor 4:9-13).  [Emphasis added]

[DTW note:   Ok 30 seconds are up.  Here you apply 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 that Paul was writing to the REAL Apostles at the time who were the LAST left on the scene, appointed to death:- beaten, broken, imprisoned, tortured, murdered, with no where to live, were made the filth of the world. God used them mightily - commissioned to write the Bible for the whole world to be able to read 2000+ years later.  Here you have taken words meant for the REAL Apostles and applied it to yourself and those you now consider REAL apostles. SHOCKING!!]

Now THAT is true apostleship. Tell me, Mr. Modern Apostle, do
you match up to the New Testament apostles? If not, what on
earth do you think God is going to do to you if you claim that title falsely? [Emphasis added]

[DTW note:   Having nothing to eat, being tortured, murdered and hated, etc.,  is NOT true discipleship or what makes a 'real' apostle for that matter.  The REAL Apostles were REAL Apostles for ONE simple FACT.  God knew their hearts and they were RIGHTEOUS GENUINE MEN OF GOD and they had been commissioned by Jesus Christ HIMSELF.]

I believe that many true Apostles, when they do arise, will simply
REFUSE to carry such titles in any way. They will “minimize”
themselves, not exalt themselves. That is the heart of a true leader of God.  [Emphasis added]

[DTW note:  Yeah 'minimal' always has that effect on people. Minimal = True.  Yeah, I can see how that would make people think they are now really hearing the truth and the dude with less clothing is the 'real' apostle. Not.]

In closing, let me again warn those who have titled themselves
“apostle” or ‘prophet’ in the modern church. God is coming to
“clean house” and if you are not the real deal, expect Him to start
with you. It is as simple as that. You need to repent urgently of
your utter presumption. You have been warned.  [Emphasis added]

[DTW note:  So the only warning you are giving out is to those who have titled themselves Apostles and Prophets in the 'modern' church but are clearly false based on the 'outcomes' of their revivals.  Like poor Todd's circus tent roof falling in on him, literally.  But you, at the same time hint, that there are REAL Apostles rising...AFTER the REAL Apostles that Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 4:9-13 who were the LAST).

You preach the new age Christian gospel of Transformation.  The 'new Reformation' you are referring too is the one where Pentecostalism and Roman Catholicism finally see eye to eye or find some real common ground. In fact it's already happened, and you know it.  Just a few more people to plant around the world and Africa and the job will be complete. You still go around taking the earth for Christ - Dominionist though and through. 

The difference between the old way of doing things with lights, cameras and loads of action, and raking in tons of cash has been replaced with the new way of doing things - the less inconspicuous way.  Instead of crusades, you go in small groups, sleeves rolled up getting down in the trenches with the people.

It's changed from a one man 'Benny Hinn' crusade to a mass movement of hundreds of thousands of 'missionaries' that have been 'purpose'-fully trained and planted, to go on a mission to spread the new age Christian gospel.  And a fine job they are doing.

I've come up with the words Apostamation and Refopostasy as the new, real, words for the 'old' counterfeit revival that's been replaced by the 'new' counterfeit reformation during a time when there is NO revival or real reformation of any kind ONLY an APOSTASY]

God bless you all.

Andrew Strom.

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All righty then, so Andrew Strom

Was:  Apostolic and Prophetic Revivalist (APAR),  

Now:  Real Apostolic and Prophetic Transformation and Reformation eeerrr ‘Revivalist’?  (RAPTReeerrrR) 

Please note I only noticed my acronym kinda spelt the name of a species of dinosaur after I finished the article. 

See related posts below for “We Do Not Play ‘Sloshed in the Spirit’ Anymore”  to see the excellent discernment skills of Lee Grady who used to edit Charisma Magazine owned by Stephan Strang; an Apostle within C. Peter Wagner’s regiment.   And the article:  ”Blasphemous Prophecy at Todd Bentley’s Ritual Ceremony”.

All this missional stuff is a race against time.  Satan knows it’s the end so he has sent out his henchman by the millions.  It makes no difference what movement of Christianity you come from.  The ending all lands up at the same place – where mankind tries to usurp Jesus Christ and takes dominion of the earth for himself. 

What was the Azusa Street Revival became the Pensacola Revival and then the Toronto Blessing and then Lakeland with Todd Bentley, etc, etc, etc.  In Wales there was The Welsh Revival in 1904/5 spearheaded by Evan John Roberts (1878-1951) who then co-authored the spiritual warfare book ‘War of the Saints’ with Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927).  Here in South Africa were revivals started by Andrew Murray (1828-1917), John G Lake (1870–1935) who arrived in South Africa in 1908, and even William Branham (1909-1965) who came to South Africa and set of another revival in 1951.  Then came Angus Buchan and his Faith Like Potatoes revival and his Mighty Men Conferences (based on the Promise Keepers movement in the USA of 1990′s).  And all the while, running in parallel, was Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven way doing things which started back in 1995. 

The Purpose Driven model is nothing but Postmodernism under another name.  And the idea is NOT new and has been proposed by MANY over the last 100 years or so - it just so happens that Rick Warren got the message just right to capture the worlds imagination.  It grew rapidly and has now supposedly overtaken the show and tell revivals of yesteryear.

ALL THIS and MORE is part and parcel of the Word of Faith movement merging with the Apostolic and Prophetic  movement; both of these ‘movements’ by the way are part of the Latter Rain movement.  And this is now merging with the Ecumenical ‘New Reformation’ movement in preparation of the coming false Christ.

It’s a BIG JOKE.  One false movement replaced by another, running in parallel with another, supposedly against one another, merging with each other.  False teachers exposing false teachers.  It’s just a big boiling pot – everything is being mixed together and no one knows what genuine Christianity is anymore. 

Just imagine a big river called Rome with streams breaking off and merging elsewhere and flowing back into the same big river AND THIS INCLUDES ALL the other big major religions of the world.  And somewhere in all of this mess is a tiny little river of born again Christians, waking up to what is going on through the working of the Holy Spirit IN their lives.  They currently are jumping out of this river, running to the Word of God to escape the coming flood.