INSIGHT

On Religion, History & Society:

A Forum for Conservative Christian Thought

Volume 4, No. 1, February 1998

This issue is a bit different from previous issues. It embodies a personal report on the Apostolic-Prophet Movement, especially the conference I attended in the Dallas area February 12-14, 1998.

"Rather that Ye May Prophesy"

Perspectives on Prophecy, and Report on the Apostolic-Prophetic Movement Today

by Rev. Paul A. Hughes

"God is up to something," people are saying. Whether it is laughter in Toronto, or repentance and restoration in Pensacola, the consensus seems to be that there is a move of God afoot, at least in its early stages. I began to observe and to an extent participate in this move as a result of a spiritual process through which God has been leading me in my own life and ministry.

Late in 1996, I was hungry to do more for the Lord, but was limited in my present position. I felt like I was just treading water. I found within myself a willingness to go wherever the Lord chose to lead me, and to do anything. My heart's cry was, "Lord, do something with me!" The Lord soon opened for me a new door for ministry in a church on the far side of the city.

Early in 1997, the Lord began to speak to me in a prophetic way. Now, I had received "words" from the Lord before, but they were usually quite subtle. It was typically more of an impression, not by any means the clear, resounding voice of God. In 1982, I was strongly impressed that I was to go to Bible college. A couple of days later, I asked the Lord to confirm this, and was impressed to go read Matthew 9:36, which speaks of the sheep with no shepherd, the Harvest, and the need for laborers. Another time, the Lord used two scripture references to tell me not to pursue a certain relationship. (The reason it took two was because I didn't obey the first.) Similarly, the Lord has guided me at crucial times of decision over the years, but those instances were few and far between.

During a pivotal emotional time in the Spring of 1997, I began to receive increasingly clear, undeniable words. These words often came unexpectedly, in a manner which interrupted my own natural thought processes. At first, I began to wonder if I was imagining things.

About this same time, I was appointed a Prayer Emphasis Director at my church. A woman in church presented me with a copy of the book Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets, saying the Lord had told her to do so. I had never made a serious study of prayer, nor had I practiced it in a concentrated way on a regular basis. But this book, my recent experiences, and my new responsibilities peaked my interest, and helped launch me into a new direction. Sheets' book led me into reading books by C. Peter Wagner, starting with Praying with Power.

The second chapter of Praying with Power dealt with "two-way prayer," hearing from God as well as speaking to him. I was blessed to read a quotation from Jack Hayford, in which he spoke about hearing from God so clearly and specifically at times that he felt he could virtually say, "and I quote." That had lately become my experience. I went on to read The Voice of God by Cindy Jacobs, who is frequently referred to in other prayer and prophecy books. I consider this book to be the textbook for all who practice or desire prophecy and other revelatory gifts. I found myself blessed as well to read Jacobs' experience:

At times, Jacobs had spent hours or days fasting and praying for a word from the Lord. Try though she might, doing everything she knew to do, during her prayer time, nothing came. Later, while doing the dishes or some other unrelated task, her thoughts far away, a word came to her which burst into her consciousness abruptly, surprising her. That had already been my experience, as well. I was grateful for these confirmations from the Lord. Maybe I wasn't crazy, after all.

The same woman in my church who had given me the copy of Sheets' book also informed me of a prophetic conference taking place in Houston. I was unable to attend, but she eventually gave me a newsletter from prophet Chuck Pierce, a couple of cassette recordings from the conference, and information concerning an upcoming conference in the Dallas area. I have recently returned from attending this conference, and will present my observations and experiences in the course of this report.

The Apostolic-Prophetic Movement

Leaders of the Movement include Dr. C. Peter Wagner, renowned professor of Church Growth at Fuller Seminary; Chuck Pierce, a leader and director for various groups, including the World Prayer Center, the AD2000 project, and Aglow International; Cindy Jacobs, president of Generals of Intercession; and Bishop Bill Hamon, co-founder of Christian International Ministries. Other speakers included Pastor John Eckhardt of Crusaders Ministries in Chicago; Apostle John Kelly of Antioch Churches and Ministries in Southlake, Texas; Pastor Dutch Sheets of Springs Harvest Fellowship in Colorado Springs; and Barbara Wentroble, a prophet and church planter.

The Apostolic-Prophetic Movement is apparently an outgrowth of the International Prayer Movement, which began in Korea, and the Prophetic Movement. Its leaders believe that God has gradually restored to the modern-day Church the ministry offices of Pastor, Teacher, and Evangelist as delineated in Ephesians 4:11; and most recently, the office of Prophet. God is, they believe, in the process of restoring the final office required for the great move of God to come, that of Apostle.

The idea of modern-day apostles is understandably controversial. Even many pentecostals believe the office died out with the first generation of believers. It is considered flaky and even dangerous for ministers to go around calling themselves apostles. But as the Apostolic-Prophetic leaders point out, the office is clearly set in the Church for the maturation of the saints in Ephesians 4:11 (which is yet to come to full fruition), and no Scripture can be adduced to prove its cessation. The leaders are quick to point out that modern-day apostles are not on the same level with those who knew Jesus, and will not write new Scripture.

The function of modern-day apostles is compared to that of generals, empowered to do high-level spiritual warfare and lead the Church. They are to be, as Peter Wagner asserts, "trans-local," connecting and networking with local pastors and organizations. They have, according to John Eckhardt, an "executing anointing." They are able to get the job done. They understand "divine strategies." They can draw people together, organize, and motivate. They are "standard bearers," able to "muster" the troops. Bill Hamon believes the 5-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11 will mature the Church into a future "Saints Movement," in which the average Christian will do greater works than even apostles do today.

Barbara Wentroble warns that the office of Apostle is not a thing to be sought, because both apostles and prophets must be "ground to powder" by the Lord to make them fit for service. John Kelly adds that apostles will be disliked by the Church and feared by other ministers. He states, "Our problem is not the Body, but insecure leaders." But he says that apostles will have a vision of God's strategy for the Church, and their major role is to take the Church to war. According to Wentroble, the emphasis for prophets and apostles together is to unite to build the house of God.

Wagner calls the Apostolic-Prophetic Movement the New Apostolic Reformation. He explains that new "wineskins," i.e., vessels or venues for revival, are required to receive the "new wine" of God's spiritual outpouring. The Protestant Reformation was one such wineskin which re-established salvation by faith and the authority of Scripture. Other wineskins were the Great Awakening, the Wesleyan Revival, the Holiness Movement, the Welsh Revival, and the Pentecostal Movement.

As a church growth specialist and missiologist, Wagner looked objectively at the characteristics of successful revivals, especially church growth in Africa, China, and Latin America. Common characteristics were:

1. A new name.
2. A new authority structure ("spiritual authority delegated to individuals").
3. New leadership training (local church as "incubator").
4. New ministry focus (on future, not past tradition).
5. A new worship style.
6. New prayer forms (e.g., "concert prayer").
7. New financing (accent on tithing).
8. New outreach (church planting, missions, and charity).
9. New power priorities (spiritual warfare).

Wagner examined the reasons for the perpetuation of the great Argentine Revival, still in progress, and found:

1. A focus on evangelism.
2. The activity of demons has been taken seriously.
3. The apostolic leadership was in place.

Apostolic leadership will, according to the Movement leaders, spawn an Apostolic Church which will be anointed to fulfill the Great Commission. Chuck Pierce defines the functions of the Apostolic Church as:

1. Fathering
2. Building
3. Governing
4. Sending
5. Warring

It strikes me, as a third-generation pentecostal, that this movement is largely a "blossoming" of the "seed" planted and nurtured by the pentecostal movement for over 85 years, maintaining many of its priorities while adding new distinctives and government. Fortunately, the new movement is experiencing a new acceptability and popularity, with accompanying unity, than the pentecostal movement has for the most part enjoyed. I pray that the blossoming of this extension of the pentecostal movement will at last bring forth fruit a hundredfold.

For perspectives on a restored apostolic office, see David Cannistraci, The Gift of Apostle (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1996).

Modern-Day Prophecy and the Use of Scripture

There is much room for skepticism on the subject of prophecy. God has warned us not to accept all prophets or prophecy, but to put them to the test. False prophets are always more numerous than the true. Paul states plainly that "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" (1 Corinthians 12:32). Therefore, even true prophets can make honest mistakes. Modern prophets note that the prophet Nathan first told David concerning the building of the Temple, "Do all that is within thine heart, for the Lord is with thee" (2 Samuel 7:3/1 Chronicles 17:2), but later was corrected by God. Paul's directive is to exercise discernment: "Let the prophets speak . . . and let the others judge" (1 Corinthians 12:29).

There is much abuse of prophecy today, especially for personal guidance. Some, notably many in the Word of Faith Movement, believe that our words are creative. They therefore prophesy out of their own hearts, believing that their words will then create the desired result. In contrast, I believe it is clear in Scripture that the only true prophetic words originate not from our own minds and desires, but from God. The prophet is merely the mouthpiece.

There is great danger in seeking personal prophecy regularly, thus becoming dependent on it. One should seek to be a prophet, i.e., hear from God oneself, not run from one prophet to another seeking a "word for the day." Rev. Thomas Trask, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, recently wrote in a pastoral letter:

Brethren, please! First of all we believe that the Spirit can and does, on occasion, speak to men and women through prophecy. Many times it is for the confirmation to the person of what the Spirit has already been dealing with them relative to a matter. But nowhere in Scripture is there instruction that personal prophecy is to become the dominant exercise of this gift. This practice, in years gone by, has resulted in personal tragedy and divisiveness to the body of Christ, and leads to further biblical error.

Fortunately, this conference did not fulfill my worst fears, that it would become a personal prophesy free-for-all. Most of the prophecy was for the entire congregation or in a few instances for leaders who were present. For instance, one prophet had a message for Peter Wagner, in which Wagner was said to be being anointed by God with even greater power and authority for his faithfulness and humility.

My main skepticism of the Movement is in the use of Scripture in the teachings and writings of some leaders. This is no surprise, because the specious use of Scripture is rampant amongst preachers and teachers today. I think the problems stem, first, from the very limited training in Biblical languages and interpretation amongst pentecostals and charismatics as a whole; and second, from certain problems inherent to prophecy, including the often highly symbolic nature of prophecy (esp. dreams and visions), the need to correctly interpret those prophecies, and the pressure to Biblically justify or illustrate the content.

Like preachers in general, the Apostolic-Prophetic leaders are often guilty of "springboard preaching," in which a word or phrase within a text is used to generate a teaching that is not the subject of the text at all. Similarly, the leaders often practice what I call "amplified interpretation." They take a word of the original language, look it up in a word study and, as in the case of the well-known Amplified Bible, give a range of meanings that the word or its root might at various times connote. Then they generate a new teaching from the "new" meaning, as well. However, sound interpretation principles dictate that the word be interpreted by its context (the sentence, paragraph, topic, etc.), not separated from it. For that, teachers must know the Biblical language and grammatical principles involved, or at least consult scholars who do.

On pitfalls of faulty Bible interpretation, see Exegetical Fallacies (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984) by D. A. Carson, especially Chapter 1, "Word-Study Fallacies."

The Apostolic-Prophetic group places great emphasis on generational curses and the repentance of nations. While it is true that God "visit[s] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation]" (Exodus 20:5, 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9), He also declares that the guilt of the father is not placed on the son (Deuteronomy 24:16; 2 Chronicles 25:4; 2 Kings 14:6; Ezekiel 18:4, 19, 20). I see the "curse" as being one of effect, as in the case of the alcoholic parent who scars his/her family for generations. The effects of sin, therefore, are what must be counteracted. The phenomenon is real, but I would prescribe a different solution. The situation calls for healing rather than personal repentance for the sins of others.

Similarly, the leaders see the need for restitution amongst people groups such as races and nations for past grievances. An example is the repentance of white Americans for historically breaking treaties with Native Americans. I question the inference that whites living today bear the guilt for the sins of their forefathers. However, it stands to reason that the offended party would still hold the offending group responsible. They demand restitution prior to normalization of relationship. This gives Satan a spiritual foothold in the hearts of the offended, and grounds for accusation by Satan of the offenders for unrepented sin. It seems to me that the effective action is not the repentance of the offenders' descendents, but the act of forgiveness by the offended party. This breaks down emotional and spiritual barriers to the gospel. Again, the prescription is different, but the desired effect the same.

Apostolic-Prophetic leaders make heavy use of allegorical types of interpretation. "Allegory" generally means seeking a deeper, hidden, or spiritualized meaning to a text of Scripture, and is the opposite of literal interpretation. This is understandable, since Scripture itself demonstrates the highly symbolic nature of dreams, visions, and other revelation. Wentroble admits that the use of "types" and "shadows" (which require interpretation) is "imperfect." All non-literal interpretation and application of Scripture is a risk, because it depends on the word of the interpreter for its authority and reliability (if not "judged"). Prophets can become trusted because of a proven track record, but their prophecies are still not beyond scrutiny. Prophecies are still to be judged by their content, as well, in the light of Scripture and consensus of the Body.

On the application of Scripture, see Haddon Robinson, "The Heresy of Application, Leadership Journal 18 (Fall 1997), p. 20.

Two other forms of allegorical interpretation practiced by some of the Apostolic-Prophetic leaders are the prophetic use of the Mosaic (Old Testament) feasts, and the practice of numerology. The first of these is very popular today amongst Messianic Jewish believers, in some cases being applied to the dating of the Rapture and other end-time events. While I can conceive that God might have hidden in these ordinances types, shadows, or analogies of spiritual realities both now and to come, I remain skeptical of using them to predict end-time events, especially the Rapture, just as much as I am of similar attempts to identify the Antichrist. The Apostolic-Prophetic leaders do not seem to take their predictions to these lengths, but do take special note of 1998 being the Year of Jubilee on the Jewish calendar. Their application of the Jubilee to present and future events will be dealt with in the section to follow.

The second example of allegorical interpretation is numerology, the use of numbers found in the Bible as a method of determining hidden truth. Of course, numbers to the Hebrew mind were often symbolic, and God demonstrates certain eternal principles in his use of numbers such as three (Trinity), seven (completeness), twelve (corporate Israel), and multiples of ten (multiplication). Going beyond the mere symbolism of numbers, however, some interpreters interchange numbers with letters and vice versa (since Hebrew letters were also used as numbers) to look for hidden words or names, on the one hand, and hidden dates on the other.

So far, I have encountered just one instance of numerology in a newsletter from Chuck Pierce. We now live, he says, in the year 5758 on the Jewish calendar. So Pierce interprets the number to mean, "May it be the year of rest." This coincides with other prophetic input regarding the Year of Jubilee, so perhaps testimony "out of the mouths of two or three witnesses" is sufficient. Still, looking for secrets in Biblical numbers remains highly subjective and interpretive. In general, numerology is rejected as a sound method of Bible interpretation.

Similar to numerology is the use of 2 Peter 3:8, "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day," as a mathmatical formula to try to determine "times and seasons." Since this formula is not the literal interpretation of this verse (using it out of context), it too is allegorical and subjective.

Interestingly, while predicting that we are on the cusp of a great end-time revival, the Apostolic-Prophetic leaders do not seem to be following the general trend toward anticipating the Rapture of the Church within the next few years. At one point, Chuck Pierce speaks in terms of God preparing his Church for the work of the next 28 years.

Prophetic Predictions

My first exposure to this particular group of prophetic persons came in the form of a newsletter written by Chuck Pierce. It is undated, but refers to July 1997 as a time yet to come. Entitled, "From Narrow to Transition to Enlargement: the Third Day Church Arising," it contains both prophetic explanations of God's current dealings with the Church, and suggestions of future trends. The Church had been, Pierce writes, going through "times of applied pressure" or a "narrow place" for several months, initiating a period of change and transition. This narrow place is a "place of birthing" and restoration, of "unloading the weights of the past" and "new commitment." He describes this process as:

1. New level of prophecy released.
2. Present vision adjusted.
3. New vision released and established.
4. Mantle of restoration placed on you.
5. Healed and made whole from the past.
6. New personal identity developed.
7. New strategy revealed.
8. Fullness of your inheritance in sight.
9. Strength to overthrow enemies.
10. Inheritance secured.

Pierce describes the result of this process as "enlargement," in which we walk in a new anointing and power.

In a second newsletter from Pierce issued late in 1997, he identified the month of October, 1997, as the beginning of national Israel's first year of Jubilee since the Dispersion, and the "Acceptable Year of the Lord" of Isaiah 61:2. He views the huge Promise Keepers rally that month as being no coincidence, but signifying "a new season of choice for this nation." This is also the point at which Pierce interprets the year 5758 as meaning, "May it be the year of rest." The former time of transition was a "refining process," now we will experience "a glow of God's glory and favor upon our lives." Moreover, Pierce cites the "thousand years" formula (2 Peter 3:8), referring to the two thousand years which have passed since Christ's incarnation, calling today's church the "Third Day Church." The idea of arising from the grave also seems imbedded here. This is to be a time of release, of restoration, of rest, and of reaping. Pierce speaks of "a transference of wealth into the Kingdom" and "awaken[ing] to our latter day blessings" (which sounds suspiciously close to Kingdom Now theology). The apostolic offices of Ephesians 4:11 will be restored in order to win cities to the Lord.

At a conference held in Houston in December 1997, prophets trumpeted a warning for the nation's fourth largest city. Chuck Pierce stated that he had been praying for revival upon Houston for 20 years. Previous moves of God, beginning before Azusa Street, had been rebuffed. Now God would bring a "visitation" upon the city. That visitation would require obedience and cooperation, or would bring judgment. One prophet said she had an impression or vision of "faulty valves," suggesting a petrochemical accident in the making.

However, Pierce declared that the time for the labor of the intercessors was ending, that they would be able to rest for a while. The time was coming when God would put the "priesthood," i.e. church leadership, "on their faces," seeking God, preparing for revival. The process would include a willingness to change and new forms of worship. I attended a Houston-area ministers' meeting early in January, and was awestruck to hear ministers speak movingly of wanting to adapt to reach the lost, and enter into more meaningful times of worship. At the end, the pastors were asked to kneel, but almost to a man got down immediately upon their faces before the Lord, suits and all!

The Dallas conference focused on a predicted revival of the Apostolic Office in the Church in order to do spiritual warfare and win cities and nations to Christ. Not only are apostles to be raised up again, but the Church as a whole is to become more apostolic, empowered from the top down to do the works seen in the First Century. Cindy Jacobs spoke in terms of a "cluster anointing," in which Christians of all age groups would be empowered to do their part in the work.

Jacobs prophesied that in 1998, God will bring upon the United States a "two-edged sword," which will be both "the Acceptable Year of the Lord" and "the Year of the Vengeance of our God," as in Isaiah 61:2. God will manifest himself as the Lawgiver, judging the ungodly while showing favor to his Church. John Eckhardt said that apostles will be given a "hawk" anointing, taking the Church to war. The apostles will be the "standard-bearers" of God's army, "mustering" the troops to battle. In a session following John Eckhardt's message, it was reported that attendees had watched a hawk circling and screeching out in front of the church, which some took to be a sign of God's "hawk" anointing breaking forth.

In the last session before the final anointing service, Chuck Pierce outlined God's revealed strategy for the Church. In about 1985, God began to speak to Pierce concerning what He was going to do in the Church. In 12 years, the Lord said, He would begin to redo the authority structure in the Church, preparing it for change. Pierce saw a vision of two church buildings. The two were interconnected, but one was being dismantled while the other was being built. Only when the "old" building had been completely dismantled was the connection broken, leaving only the "new" church. God revealed, Pierce says, that the old church was rigid and brittle, and could be broken by change. However, the new church was flexible, and could receive the change that the Lord is bringing.

In 1997, God began to establish his new church order, according to Pierce. This has been a time of transition. Transition, he said, has three phases: First, an end. Transition requires the death of the old. Second, it brings confusion, at which time we become vulnerable to Satan's attacks. We must exercise patience and appropriate faith to survive. Finally, transition brings the new. This year, according to Pierce, a sense of God's timing and our repositioning to move into his anointing are important factors for bringing the release of God's favor. He said that our response and cooperation were crucial to fulfilling God's plan for the next 28 years. Citing 2 Corinthians 13:9, Pierce said that when we have been made "complete" (KJV "perfect") by the apostolic anointing, we will begin to harvest. He declared this to be a time for building for the future -- which seems to confirm my own church's recent compulsion to grow by acquiring new property, erecting a new multi-purpose building (to be completed in May), and plan for a future megachurch sanctuary.

Pierce predicted that the period of March 22 till the end of September, 1998, would be a crucial, vulnerable time, but that this was a time to do warfare for the salvation of family members and to "war for our future."

Finally, in the anointing and communion service, Barbara Wentroble emphasized the need to overcome and allow God to heal the wounds from the past which hinder us from achieving wholeness and unity in the Body. Chuck Pierce delivered a prophetic word conveying God's purpose to unite the apostolic and prophetic offices in order to set in place the leadership for the new church order. Then Peter Wagner stood and declared prophetically that this apostolic generation being raised up would be pioneers of the final move of God before the completion of Christ's work on the earth, and would be "on station" when Christ returns.

Personal Effects and Reflections

There were only a few instances of what I considered extremes. On two occasions on the same evening, the worship became boisterous to the extent that the music and song leader were almost completely drowned out. People were dancing and jumping in all the aisles, the altar area, and all over the stage in such pandemonium, and for such an extended period, that I personally felt that the meaning of the worship was being lost in activity and emotionalism. But finally, order was restored, and those in charge had no problem regaining control in order for the service to proceed.

At the end of one of Bill Hamon's sessions, he had everybody pair up with someone in front of or behind them and attempt to obtain a prophetic word for the other person while praying in tongues. Thankfully, he admonished us that no one "marry or divorce" or make any other major life decisions as a result of that experiment. I prayed with a young woman behind me, and all I "got" was an impression that there was a deep sadness in her heart. I asked her afterward if that was true at all. She said it was, that something in her past remained as a deep sadness. I shared with her how the Lord had taught me to crucify such things because they weaken us and distract us from serving the Lord as we ought. The woman told me that she sensed a strong anointing in me, and she thought I had powerful healing gifts in my hands. I don't know to what extent she was right, but it blessed me to hear it!

I found the facilities, though large, overtaxed by an overflow crowd. Most of the men's rooms were soon pressed into service as ladies' rooms to reduce long lines. Fortunately, the lines for the men's room did not become excessively long. Potentially uncomfortable overcrowding was eased by the remarkable cooperation, understanding, and patience of an eager and enthusiastic crowd.

The conference was very meaningful to me personally. I had no doubt that I was supposed to be there, though I knew not for what purpose. I remain skeptical about some things, and I would like to have seen more solid interpretation and application of Scripture, but largely received the message of the conference in my spirit. By the time of the anointing service at the end, I felt very strongly that the Lord was calling me to receive and begin to exercise greater spiritual authority. I sensed, as the leaders asserted, that in fact the Lord was in the process of placing a new, greater mantle of spiritual leadership and power upon me as a church leader. The "prophecy" of the young woman I prayed with seemed to confirm this, as have many other previous "words" given to me from various sources.

Conclusions

I have received, and my spirit confirms, much of what this group of prophetic leaders is saying. I remain skeptical about some things, but not enough at this point to preclude my learning from their teachings and cooperating in their quest for finding out what God is saying to his Church, for unifying the Body, for doing spiritual warfare together, and for pressing toward the goal of evangelizing the world in God's timing.

Reply from the Office of Dr. C. Peter Wagner:

Greetings in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Thank you so much for sending the copy of your article in "Insight". Dr. Wagner asked that I relay to you that he thought it was an excellent, well thought out article. He wanted you to know that he takes the insights you shared very seriously and values your input very much.

We bless you and your ministry and want to thank you again for sharing your article.

Sincerely in Christ,
Marty Cassady
Executive Secretary
Global Harvest Ministries

INSIGHT Index	INSIGHT Main Page	Personal Page

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER