NAR’s Newest Demon—Talk To Action

I guess I should have seen it coming. I have been reading enough of C. Peter Wagner lately to know that he sees the demonic in everything (including the Statue of Liberty), so I should not have been surprised that he has taken to attacking the major source of information available about the New Apostolic Reformation (outside of Wagner’s own house organs, which are notorious for keeping secret basic information). Yet there is something so jarring and spiritually disturbing about his decision to cast Talk To Action as the “voice of the accuser” that I really was surprised when I saw it. Unlike the other objects and ideas that Wagner has consistently and literally demonized, I know many of the writers at Talk To Action. While I do not agree with everything at their website, I have come to value their work and admire their dogged determination to explain what NAR is and why it matters. If NAR were an ordinary Christian organization I would have expected them to respond to the criticisms and concerns expressed by Talk To Action with facts and counterarguments. I would have expected them to contact the writers personally and present their responses to whatever reporting they disagree with. I have had lengthy correspondence and even phone conversations with writers at Talk To Action and I can attest that it is possible to reach them without much trouble. But NAR is anything but a normal Christian organization, NAR has ushered in THE SECOND APOSTOLIC AGE. NAR is THE NEW WINE SKIN FOR THESE END-TIMES. NAR is TAKING OVER THE DEVIL’S TERRITORY AROUND THE WORLD. And since NAR is clearly all of these things, that automatically makes anyone or any institution that criticizes it not merely wrong or mistaken, but the voice of the devil. And since we defeat the devil by prayer, the perfect way to alert people of the sinister works of the devil through Talk To Action is the tried and true form of the prayer letter. Here, then, is a portion of a recent Wagner prayer letter:

       "For those of you who would like to know more of the type of things that are being said and      portrayed concerning Peter and Doris, Cindy Jacobs and Lou Engle, and many others, you can go to www.talk2action.org.  This gives a clear representation of what is being discussed even in conservative Christian arenas.  We need to pray that all false accusations and the voice of the accuser of the brethren be silenced in the name of Jesus! (Emphasis added)  Again, Peter and Doris want to express their sincere gratitude in your faithfulness to stand in intercession on their behalf.  They know without this prayer shield that many situations would not have the breakthroughs and victories they see on a daily basis.  I also want to express how crucial your prayer support is right now for Peter and Doris.  Now is not the time to be lax in our prayers, but remain vigilant on the wall.  Thank you for diligently contending and warring on their behalf. "

What is particularly interesting about this "prayer request" is the way that Wagner has attempted to label Talk To Action as the source for what is being discussed in “conservative Christian arenas”. The reality is that, for all I admire about Talk To Action, their website is anything but representative of the types of concerns that “conservative Christians” have about the New Apostolic Reformation. In fact, many of the posts at their site are about Religious Right groups and individuals not at all about the New Apostolic Reformation. One senses here Wagner’s desire to present criticism of NAR as being criticism of the religious right in general, and to present conservative Christian critics of NAR as being in step with the broader purposes of Talk To Action. Nothing could be further from the truth. For evidence of the difference simply visit these three leading conservative Christian websites that are documenting what they consider to be NAR’s heretical teachings:

The Apologetics Coordination Team

Critical Issues Commentary

Let Us Reason Ministries

Wagner’s demonization of Talk To Action is bad enough; his deceptive presentation of explicitly Christian critics only amplifies the outrage. Wagner and NAR have grown accustom to making their outrageous claims about demons, dominion and the end-times with impunity. As the light begins to shine brighter, and the audacity of their claims is understood and more widely refuted, expect more and more accusations to come from those who claim to be fighting “the accuser of the brethren.(Revelation 12:9)”