Christianity Today
is out with an extraordinary cover story by Tim Stafford on Heidi Baker. Her
story is a powerful one and her ministry in Mozambique sounds like one that is
bringing great hope to people. I doubt that she could have hoped for a more
sympathetic presentation of her story for an American evangelical audience than
what Tim Stafford has provided. But in presenting her personal story and her
work in Mozambique, Stafford chose to be nearly silent about the broader
framework of her life and ministry, a broader framework that is marked by her
active participation in prophetic and apostolic ministries that are core
components of what C. Peter Wagner calls a New Apostolic Reformation. Stafford
does not completely ignore this important part of the story, but he might as
well have because what he does include is very misleading. Here is the extent
of Stafford’s coverage of Baker and NAR:
Though they have
lost financial support due to their association with the Toronto movement, the
Baker’s are loyal to its leaders and attend their Catch the Fire conferences in
North America every year. Several leaders involved are active in the so-called
New Apostolic Reformation, a controversial charismatic movement. But the Bakers
do not promote the New Apostolic Reformation or consider themselves to be
modern-day apostles.
This is a very questionable characterization of her history. It implies that the only reason anyone would consider her active in NAR is that she attends an annual conference of a group with some people who are active in NAR. For the Bakers to say that she does not promote NAR is
technically true in that there is no one group called NAR—anymore than there
was one group called Reformation. And the fact that she does not call herself
an apostle is besides the point—Cindy Jacobs does not call herself an “apostle”
either, yet she is a central figure in the NAR world. What Stafford seems unaware of is that NAR is not limited to apostles at all--it explicitly draws on the leadership of "prophets" as well as apostles. Like Baker, Jacobs goes by the term “prophet”, but like Baker she is very
active in what any informed person would call the NAR. Six
very clear examples can be given to show that Baker should be rightly
considered an active player in the New Apostolic Reformation.
1.
She is an instructor at C. Peter Wagner’s own
school of ministry called the Wagner Leadership Institute.
2.
Her organization, Iris Ministries, is the major component
of Partners in Harvest, under the “apostolic leadership” of “apostles John and
Carol Arnott”.
3.
She is a founding member of the Revival Alliance
(RA). RA organized and hosted an important moment in the history of apostolic
restoration—the anointing ceremony of Apostle Todd Bentley, featuring
significant participation by Apostle C. Peter Wagner. RA was so important to
the apostolic authority of Todd Bentley that when his ministry later crumbled
under the weight of serious ethical violations he specifically apologized to RA’s leadership.
4.
In 2011 she was a headline speaker at Voice of
the Apostles 2011 conference. Her tape from the talk is published by the
sponsors who are called Apostolic Network of Global Awakening. A video was produced of Heidi promoting Voice of the Apostles by talking about the many
gatherings she has been to.
5.
She is one of ten authors of The Reformers’ Pledge, a major
publication that features chapters by C. Peter Wagner, Che Anh, Cindy Jacobs,
Chuck Pierce, Lou Engle and other noted NAR figures.
6.
She headlined a conference together with Chuck
Pierce, the new leader of Wagner’s Global Spheres network of apostles.
Stafford did a really superficial form of reporting. Hard to even call it journalism...
ReplyDeleteSo easy to be critical guys. Look at the fruit. Having been born, lived and worked in Southern Africa and seeing this ministry, amongst many others, have such a profoundly positive impact on the lost, hurting and destitute I would be very careful to judge it. To then also judge Stafford who to me just gave an honest view of what he saw in Mozambique is quite remarkable. Maybe challenge, but at least be honouring with brothers and sisters in Christ.
ReplyDeleteRafiki--I am trying to be exactly that--careful. I have never written anything about Heidi Baker until now, and only in response to a particularly important claim she made in the article. I won't speak for Chip's comment, but I do not that both he and I have been mislead enough to know to ask questions and seek answers. That is what I am seeking to do.
DeleteThanks for this. Very helpful.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Please see the lengthier post I did on this story as well.
DeleteIris Ministries has wonderful web sites, and Heidi seems to be a very gifted communicator. As a missionary in Mozambique, however, I unfortunately have had to hear so many negative opinions about Iris Ministries voiced by fellow missionaries from many different missions organizations.
ReplyDeleteThe main criticisms seem to be using gifts of rice and clothes as incentives for people to become christians, a very powerful means as poverty is extreme here. People interested in missions will be familiar with the term "rice christians" and the long-term damage such policies has had on the results of mission in the past.
Exaggerated claims about their work was another issue raised. It is really difficult to validate claims unless you are comfortable in Portuguese and take time to do research locally! I doubt that any foreign English-speaking journalist has any chance to critically review what Iris does in Mozambique.
What I can say is that some of their co-workers are real and sincere Christians, and that this ministry is indeed spending a lot of money in Mozambique.
This is very helpful to hear. I would love to correspond with you directly about your experience and what you hear. The only published study of the miracles is a limited one, based on only 24 people and with absolutely no follow up. It was published in the Southern Medical Journal. I will be writing about it at some point. I am ver interested to hear the perspective of other missions organizations and would love to hear from others in the area. Please pass along my name to others. I am doing a full length book on the New Apostolic Reformation and welcome these insights as I prepare the book. Bless you.
DeleteHi! Is it possible that you could share some of the information you are finding about Iris Ministries and Heidi Baker? I am doing a research about their work in Mocambique. Blessings!
Deletekristian7777@gmail.com
You will not get any verifiable proof from doctors that any of the miraculous claims made by Heidi Baker and/or IRIS Ministries are true because there is no verifiable proof available. There are 100s of seemingly regular, everyday people who will come to Heidi's defense and "testify" that they have seen it with their own eyes. Odd though that not one of those people, not even a single ONE of them...owns a video camera! Huh! Imagine that!?!
DeleteI am a Zambian who has lived in Mozambique on and off since 1994. I am connected with friends who live in the same city that Heidi works in and their biggest problem with the Iris Ministries is the fact that they constantly give out stuff to locals causing many young people to have a begging mentality, totally destroying efforts in community development. I understand that God works miraculously because I have seen it in my own life BUT some of Iris Ministries claims dont add up because I have visited some of the areas she has spoken of stating a huge revival has occurred there but the truth is, nothing much has happened. I dont know if I will ever be really certain about the work she does because I have also met wonderful christians whose lives have been greatly affected(positively) by her ministry.
ReplyDeleteHi! My name is Kristian and I´m doing some research on Iris Ministries and Heidi Baker. Do you have any contact information to your friends in Pemba (I suppose) in Mocambique. I would like to know more about their opinion about Iris and their work.
DeleteBest regards/ Kristian
kristian7777@gmail.com
apostles, prophets,who cares cut the red tape guys,thats what jesus did and over 2000 years later he is still the most talked about man in the wo rld.heidi doesnt do anything to be noticed she merely extends the love of christ to those the lord sends her, noyhting is ever going to be up to the worlds standards,she's doing the wil of god"laying hands on the sick,bringing sight to the blind, and set5ting the captives free,in jesus name. what r u doing
ReplyDeleteThere are those who if Jesus showed up in their backyard and gave them a bowl of rice and beans, told them to come as often as the needed, that it was free and limitless and He gave it simply beause He wanted to do, would write it off as poor missionary techniques.
DeleteWhen dreams of changing a nation begin to become reality, that very ugly head of jealously strikes. It seems it is our "brrothers" who are some of the first to try and destroy the dream and at the same time throw those who dream the dreams of God into the first pit they can fnd.
Love at all costs even at the risks of going past careful.
I am sorry brother but I believe you are wrong in this. There was a term coined in the 18th century in England called "Souperism" which entailed preachers giving out soup but the receivers had to hear the gospel first. It is simply evangelistic bribery and the people receiving it know it. And remember the scriptures..Jesus fed people after they had followed him for three days..of their own accord and will.
DeleteGreg
I have written a book on this subject called "The Fire of Heaven", by Robert Jones, Smashwords Publishing (http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/238251). It is neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of the signs and wonders movement, but in doing my research I uncovered some very troubling doctrinal errors. While we are all aware of the scandals in the prophetic movement, what I discovered on the doctrinal end of cessationism was equally troubling. The call of the book was to reopen and prayerfully seek the Lord's guidance in this area.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I point out in the book is what you are doing in this article, which is condemning by association. If there are bad people in the prophetic movement, and someone is a part of the prophetic movement, then they are a bad person by association. I am sure you see the problem if we applied that same logic to all Christian organizations which have their bad apples.
I also suggest some tests for the church to use, primarily the one the Lord gave us, people's fruits. The Bakers have produced such outstanding fruit that I think your condemning them on a mere connection by association to the prophetic movement does not really allow a fair measure of balance.
Finally, I think the church is going to be shocked when it discovers their own errors in this area of cessationism. That does not mean the prophetic movement is right by default, but it does mean we have been standing on some very shaky ground.
Well the Anti-Christ will bring peace to the world, can she top that?
ReplyDeleteHeidi Baker exhibits the same jerking movements in her so called anointing as do those who practice Hinduism and the Kundalini spirit awakening.
ReplyDeleteHave any of you watched the "Finger Of God" or "Furious Love" documentrys by Darren Wilson?
ReplyDelete