Origin and Development of the ‘New Apostolic Reformation’ in South Africa: A Neo-Pentecostal Movement or a Post-Pentecostal Phenomenon?
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Dec 31, 2013
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Abstract
Within South African Pentecostal/Charismatic spheres, since 2000, a new
configuration has surfaced that has been called the ‘New Apostolic
Reformation’ (NAR). The adherents of this movement have sounded a call for
the Pentecostal/Charismatic church, in particular, to return to what they describe
as the ‘Apostolicity’ of the church.
The emergence of this New Apostolic Reformation is more than a South
African phenomenon. C Peter Wagner, almost a decade and a half ago, in his
book, Churchquake (1999: 5-8) contended that there were, at least forty
thousand ‘Apostolic‘ churches representing approximately eight to ten million
members in the USA. He asserted that this New Apostolic Reformation is also
rapidly growing in all of the six continents and is the ‘greatest change in the way
of doing church since the Protestant Reformation.’
In South Africa the following New Apostolic Reformation groupings
have emerged, namely the New Covenant Ministries International (NCMI),
Grace International (GI), Congress World Breakthrough Network (C-WBN),
International Strategic Alliance of Apostolic Churches (ISAAC) and Judah
Kingdom Alliance (JKA).
The paper will also contend with the nature and extent of their deviation
from ‘mainstream’ Pentecostal doctrines and practices.
A number of theories have attempted to explain the emergence of new
religious movements (NRMs), inter alia, deprivation, revitalisation, and
brainwashing. This study focuses on one of these theories, namely,
revitalisation, but also favours a holistic approach to an understanding of the
NAR.
configuration has surfaced that has been called the ‘New Apostolic
Reformation’ (NAR). The adherents of this movement have sounded a call for
the Pentecostal/Charismatic church, in particular, to return to what they describe
as the ‘Apostolicity’ of the church.
The emergence of this New Apostolic Reformation is more than a South
African phenomenon. C Peter Wagner, almost a decade and a half ago, in his
book, Churchquake (1999: 5-8) contended that there were, at least forty
thousand ‘Apostolic‘ churches representing approximately eight to ten million
members in the USA. He asserted that this New Apostolic Reformation is also
rapidly growing in all of the six continents and is the ‘greatest change in the way
of doing church since the Protestant Reformation.’
In South Africa the following New Apostolic Reformation groupings
have emerged, namely the New Covenant Ministries International (NCMI),
Grace International (GI), Congress World Breakthrough Network (C-WBN),
International Strategic Alliance of Apostolic Churches (ISAAC) and Judah
Kingdom Alliance (JKA).
The paper will also contend with the nature and extent of their deviation
from ‘mainstream’ Pentecostal doctrines and practices.
A number of theories have attempted to explain the emergence of new
religious movements (NRMs), inter alia, deprivation, revitalisation, and
brainwashing. This study focuses on one of these theories, namely,
revitalisation, but also favours a holistic approach to an understanding of the
NAR.
Article Details
How to Cite
Chetty, I. (2013). Origin and Development of the ‘New Apostolic Reformation’ in South Africa: A Neo-Pentecostal Movement or a Post-Pentecostal Phenomenon?. Alternation Journal, (11), 190-206. Retrieved from https://journals.ukzn.ac.za/index.php/soa/article/view/408
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Jim, Buchan 2001. Apostolic Evangelism. Mansfield, Pennsylvania: Fire
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Chetty, Irvin G & W de Kock 1996. South African Pentecostals and
Ecumenism. Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae: Journal of the Church
History Society of Southern Africa 22:2.
Chetty, Irvin G 1988. Towards a Praxis Model for Ministry as a Family of
Families – A South African Perspective. Doctoral Thesis, Fuller
Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.
Chetty, Irvin G 2002. Re-contextualisation of the Lukan oikos: A Social
Scientific Approach. Doctoral Thesis. University of Zululand, Kwazulu-
Natal, South Africa.
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Glock, C 1964. The Role of Deprivation in the Origin and Evolution of
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Conflict. New York: Oxford University Press.
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(ed): The Encyclopaedia of Religion. Volume 1. New York: MacMillan.
La, Barre W 1971. Materials for a History of Studies of Crisis Cults: A
Bibliographic Essay. Current Anthropology 12: 3 - 44.
Naidoo, TR 2009. Apostolicity: A History of Apostolicity as Propagated by
the Apostolic Movement within the South African Pentecostal Tradition
(1980-2009). Unpublished Master of Theology dissertation. University
of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
Turner, HW 1979. Religious Innovation in Africa: Collected Essays on New
Religious Movements. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co.
Johannes, Verkuyl 1978. Contemporary Missiology: An Introduction. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Wagner, C Peter 1998. The New Apostolic Churches. Ventura, California:
Regal Books.
Wagner, C Peter 1999. Churchquake. Ventura, California: Regal Books.
Wagner, C Peter 2006. The Church in the Workplace: How God’s People
Can Transform Society. Ventura, California: Regal Books.
Wallace, AFC 1956. Revitalization Movements. American Anthropologist
58: 264 - 281.
Wilson, DJ 1988. Pentecostal Perspectives on Eschatology. In Burgess,
Stanley & Gary McGee 9eds): Dictionary of Pentecostal and
Charismatic Movements. Grand Rapids: Zonderan.
Pentecostalism, and American Culture. University of Illinois Press.
Jim, Buchan 2001. Apostolic Evangelism. Mansfield, Pennsylvania: Fire
Wind.
Chetty, Irvin G & W de Kock 1996. South African Pentecostals and
Ecumenism. Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae: Journal of the Church
History Society of Southern Africa 22:2.
Chetty, Irvin G 1988. Towards a Praxis Model for Ministry as a Family of
Families – A South African Perspective. Doctoral Thesis, Fuller
Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.
Chetty, Irvin G 2002. Re-contextualisation of the Lukan oikos: A Social
Scientific Approach. Doctoral Thesis. University of Zululand, Kwazulu-
Natal, South Africa.
Johnny, Enlow 2008. The Seven Mountain Prophecy. Florida: Creation
House.
Glock, C 1964. The Role of Deprivation in the Origin and Evolution of
Religious Groups. In Lee, R & M Marty (eds): Religion and Social
Conflict. New York: Oxford University Press.
Jules-Rosette, J (ed) 1979. The New Religions of Africa. Norwood: Ablex
Publishing Corporation.
Jules-Rosette, J 1987. African Religions: Modern Movements. In Eliade, M
(ed): The Encyclopaedia of Religion. Volume 1. New York: MacMillan.
La, Barre W 1971. Materials for a History of Studies of Crisis Cults: A
Bibliographic Essay. Current Anthropology 12: 3 - 44.
Naidoo, TR 2009. Apostolicity: A History of Apostolicity as Propagated by
the Apostolic Movement within the South African Pentecostal Tradition
(1980-2009). Unpublished Master of Theology dissertation. University
of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
Turner, HW 1979. Religious Innovation in Africa: Collected Essays on New
Religious Movements. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co.
Johannes, Verkuyl 1978. Contemporary Missiology: An Introduction. Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Wagner, C Peter 1998. The New Apostolic Churches. Ventura, California:
Regal Books.
Wagner, C Peter 1999. Churchquake. Ventura, California: Regal Books.
Wagner, C Peter 2006. The Church in the Workplace: How God’s People
Can Transform Society. Ventura, California: Regal Books.
Wallace, AFC 1956. Revitalization Movements. American Anthropologist
58: 264 - 281.
Wilson, DJ 1988. Pentecostal Perspectives on Eschatology. In Burgess,
Stanley & Gary McGee 9eds): Dictionary of Pentecostal and
Charismatic Movements. Grand Rapids: Zonderan.