Despite the last few posts on the New Apostolic Reformation, I generally reserve my political views for my Facebook page, but the intersection of this current political issue with theological issues commends its appearing on my blog to some extent. You may have heard that the next weekly Republican debate will feature questions submitted by the general population via YouTube. I simply could not resist taking this opportunity to question the logic of this association of Rick Perry with the so-called Dominionists of the New Apostolic Reformation. I’m neither endorsing Rick Perry nor Dominionism, just attempting to point out how the political Left are demagoguing on this issue (at which they are masters, if you ask me), at least in the blogosphere. A prime source of Left-wing blogging on the topic of the New Apostolic Reformation is called NAR Watch. Much of the information is interesting and useful, but I still contend that they engage in too much assumption as it relates to just what members of this movement wants out of any presidential candidates they may endorse.
The following video is my question submitted for consideration to be used on the night of the debate. I’m not holding my breath that it’ll actually be aired, but I’d like to share it with you. Most of you could probably take it or leave it, but if you either enjoyed it very much, or seriously take issue with it, please take the opportunity to go to the FoxNews Channel’s YouTube page, browse through the hundreds of videos which are apparently organized in no particular order, and click on either the thumbs up or thumbs down icon so others can see whether my question warrants attention.
No jokes about my booming announcer voice 😉
All in all, this whole episode is a great argument for Two Kingdom theology (also see here).
The Misadventures of Captain Headknowledge 
John,
I had to chuckle watching that well framed question.
I got an email from the Obama Campaign headquarters that invited me to meet with Barack Obama for dinner in San Francisco during his run up for the Presidency. He had the nomination sowed up by then. I guess i was on a short list of possible persons who would contribute to his money machine from that area, ( I live in Northern California), and make no mistake about it, it is the money! You, of all people, should know a little bit about the money, I mean, what real money looks and feels like? 🙂
Anyway, I don’t know if you caught his speech lately where he is quoting from Psalm 46?
I almost jumped out of my skin because that was the Psalm I used to frame my words I emailed to him back during the fuss the news media was having over his attendance at the Church in Chicago and his ties to that radical Preacher, Rev. Wright.
I thought to myself, “I wonder if he read my first email to him where i am counseling him to consider the wisdom and insights into Life from Psalm 46 and that he did and the Holy Spirit touched his soul and made an inroad into his spiritual relationship with His Creator?”
Or, was it the money machine knew my ties with Art Torres and the fact my Tribe sponsored the California Democratic party at the 2000 convention at Stables Center? It cost us a hundred thousand dollars or so to be involved as we were with the Democrats back then.
I don’t really know if Governor Perry’s war machine will be so kind to you and get your message in his face, but I sure hope so because, you never know just how far and deep a question like that can go, if they did? 🙂
I don’t expect the question to be used during the debate. This is the third day since I uploaded it, and the last time I checked, it still has only one “thumbs up” vote–and that was cast by a faithful friend at church. It looks like they may be ranking them by votes. There’s no indication as to whether or not they will select it based on how well-framed it is, or how far and deep a question like mine can go.
I’d be interested in your opinion of the so-called New Apostolic Reformation, members thereof called “Dominionists,” and their present campaign to encourage Christians to “take dominion over the Mountain of” this or that–in this case, government.
I have an opinion that doesn’t amount to much. I stand in the Word and the Word, by the hands of Silvanus, teaches me this:
1Pe 5:11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Last time I checked in with Headquarters, well, in fact, “everytime” I check in with Headquarters, They don’t seem overly concerned about taking dominion over that that They have dominion over already! 🙂
I, on the other hand, sometimes wonder why my wife reacts to me the way she does when I start exercising dominion in my own home! Ha! NAR is not my problem!!
Cute. I suppose your wife is thinking, if God already has dominion over me, why is this joker trying to take dominion over me? I feel your pain!
John,
I will share with you a personal story about C Peter, though. My organization in its hay day had about 30,000 plus members, all happy, thriving young people scattered all over the world. Our congregation here where I live had three congregations adding up to about 1,000 people in attendance on any given Sunday morning. My mentoring Pastor was being used by God in extraordinary ways equipping us young, full of ourselves, disciples to carry the Gospel Message into all the world.
C. Peter was holding a conference somewhere in Texas I believe, maybe it was in Southern California? Well anyway, my mentoring Pastor wanted to go and spend some time with him during the conference at one of the plenary lunch breaks where the keynote speakers could mingle with the attendees and talk about various church issues. At one of these opportunities they came together and sat down to eat lunch together and discuss things. After the little chit chat talk they settled into a deep theological question and answer session. My mentoring Pastor always took one or two of his young disciples with him on these trips for their edification. So, it was a threesome at the lunch table. After a few minutes, C Peter asked the two of them “how many sheep do you run”? Without pausing much my mentoring Pastor said, oh, well I pastor a small church of about 300 in the first service and 200 in the second. Then my co-worker said, well, is it that many now? I am pastoring about 100. C Peter breathes in deep and exhales and says, “oh, only that many” softly and looks at his watch and gets up saying, well I should go talk to others now in here and leaves abruptly.
What was established in our hearts from the mentoring Pastor that got us going out into all the world and preach the Gospel was this:
Act 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Act 20:33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.
Act 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.
Act 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
Both of them when they came back commented that they did not have a witness in their spirit that Wagner was really a Shepherd anointed of the Lord to shepherd people but rather their sense about him was he was more of a dominionist who is more comfortable to lord it over others. Why he is so popular and has such success and followers is beyond me knowing or my pay grade?
In the mean time, let us not let that discouraging word about ole’ Pete stop us from serving our neighbor and the best neighbors I know are the ones who live in my home! And then, of course, those who live in the surrounding houses next door and then the community we live in and then the city and county and then, and then, and then!
A telling anecdote.