My Journey Away from NAR (Part 2)

This is Part 2 of a three-part series on my journey away from the influence of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). If you haven’t read Part 1 yet, you may want to start there to follow my story from the beginning.

Part 2: Slowly Drawn In—When Worship Feels Right but Theology is Off

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) is one of the most influential yet dangerous movements in modern Christianity. Unlike a formal denomination, NAR is a loose collection of beliefs and practices that emphasize modern-day apostles, supernatural signs, and extra-biblical revelation. It often elevates personal experiences over Scripture, prioritizing feelings and manifestations over sound doctrine. The movement has subtly infiltrated churches under the guise of revival, worship renewal, and prophetic ministry, making it difficult to recognize until one is already caught up in it.

The danger of NAR isn’t just its teachings but its ability to blend truth with deception. Many sincere Christians, including myself, have found themselves drawn into NAR-influenced environments without realizing it. The allure of passionate worship, engaging community, and the promise of experiencing God in powerful ways is strong, but when these things are not rooted in sound doctrine, they can lead believers down a path of confusion and unbiblical practices.

And that’s exactly what happened to me.

The Allure of Modern Worship & The Slow Drift

During high school, my family lived in Eastern Washington. Shortly after I graduated, my parents moved back to what I like to call my hometown, and I moved with them. I defaulted to attending the Lutheran church I grew up in before we moved, but something in me longed for more. I missed the energy of modern worship and the sense of connection that a contemporary church provided.

Enter my cousins, who invited me to their hip church—one with an espresso cart at the entrance (hello, cheap lattes) and, best of all, live music! The sermon resonated with me. The pastor used Scripture (or at least mentioned verses). The church was filled with young people. I was hooked. This became my church home for many years.

Looking back, I wouldn’t say this church was fully entrenched in NAR theology when I first arrived, but its influence crept in over time. It was slow, subtle, and effective. And because I didn’t know Scripture as well as I thought, I didn’t recognize the warning signs.

One of the biggest draws for me was the worship. It felt alive. It felt personal. Unlike the structured hymns I had grown up with, this music stirred something inside me. I sang songs from Hillsong, Jesus Culture, and eventually Bethel without giving much thought to the lyrics. I just knew I felt close to God when I sang them.

And here’s where the danger lies—when feelings become the measure of spiritual depth rather than truth.

The Bible warns us about trusting our emotions as a spiritual barometer. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” My desire for a deeper connection with God wasn’t wrong, but I was measuring it through emotional highs rather than biblical understanding. I equated the intensity of worship with the presence of the Holy Spirit, not realizing that genuine worship isn’t about me feeling something—it’s about worshiping God in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

The Influence of Friends – A Shared Business

My closest friends at church were just as invested as I was. We loved the worship nights, the prayer gatherings, and the deep conversations about encountering God. It was exciting! And then came IHOP (International House of Prayer)—a movement that seemed to embody everything we desired. The idea of continuous prayer and worship sounded so biblical. Spontaneous songs? Passionate intercession? What could be wrong with that?

At first, nothing seemed off. We wanted to draw closer to God. But over time, I noticed things that didn’t quite sit right. There was an increasing pressure to experience something supernatural. People would talk about waiting for a prophetic word or feeling the Spirit move. Those who claimed to speak in tongues or pray for hours were seen as more spiritually mature. And once again, I felt like I wasn’t enough.

Scripture warns against seeking after signs and wonders instead of Christ Himself. Matthew 12:39 says, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” But in our minds, wanting to see God move wasn’t wrong—we just didn’t realize we were setting ourselves up for deception by prioritizing experience over truth.

The NAR Influence—Twisting Worship into Mysticism

What I didn’t understand at the time was that many of these practices were influenced by NAR theology. The term wasn’t used back then, but the belief system was taking root in many churches.

Colossians 2:8 warns, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” What seemed like harmless spiritual practices—spontaneous prayer, prophetic words, soaking in God’s presence—were often rooted in mysticism rather than biblical Christianity.

This movement teaches that modern-day apostles and prophets are restoring the church and bringing about revival. They emphasize extra-biblical revelation, supernatural manifestations, and experiential spirituality over sound doctrine. And because these ideas were blended with truth, they were incredibly hard to recognize.

Growth Despite the Red Flags

Now, let me pause here and acknowledge something. I did grow in my faith during this time. Even though I was unknowingly immersed in NAR-influenced teachings, I read my Bible more than I ever had before. I let go of old sinful behaviors. I was no longer just a Sunday Christian—I was actively seeking to know God.

But I also felt like an island at times. While my pastors and some of my friends genuinely loved Jesus, they had fully embraced and defended NAR theology. They weren’t just unaware of its dangers—they were convinced it was truth. Some still are today, using out-of-context Scripture to support the movement.

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy about this very thing in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” That’s exactly what was happening—we were drawn to teaching that made us feel spiritually alive but lacked biblical grounding.

The difference now? I know my Bible. I can point out where these beliefs take Scripture out of context, and I have confidence in the truth of God’s Word.

A Slow Awakening & What’s Next

Looking back, I see how easily people can be drawn into these teachings without realizing it. The mix of truth with error is what makes it so deceptive. The desire for deeper worship, passionate prayer, and a vibrant faith are good things. But when they become untethered from biblical truth, they lead to dangerous places.

For me, the realization didn’t come all at once. It took years before I truly saw how much NAR theology had infiltrated my beliefs. And while I had moments of questioning things, I wasn’t ready to leave just yet.

In Part 3, I’ll share what finally opened my eyes, the breaking point that led me out, and how expository preaching changed everything.

To be continued…