By Rick Becker  29 May 2020

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) has poisoned many of the influential leaders in the visible church in South Africa, and sadly, one of the most significant voices in South Africa’s leadership – Chief Justice Mogoeng. The Chief Justice hosted a virtual prayer meeting on Monday, 25 May, with nearly 1000 leaders from across the continent. Instead of the gospel featuring, the meeting revolved around the goals and methodologies of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) Flattering prophetic words have been giving false hope to South Africans for decades, and hoodwinked a visible church desperate for good news. Many will no doubt be lured into believing a new day has (once again) dawned upon our continent.

The Chief Justice has been spearheading the “50-Days of Healing Campaign.” Leaders in the campaign have “acknowledged that poor leadership in the continent is partly a result of the Church’s failure to disciple nations by teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.”
The false premise for this thought is that God’s intention is to transform the nations of this world instead of saving sinners. The NAR makes no distinction between God’s covenant with the nation of Israel, and the new covenant, and that is why they refer to Old Testament scriptures to justify their notion of a prosperous and righteous nation under God. As we examine the following report in Gateway News (a publication that is virtually a NAR mouthpiece) you will note the absence of New Testament references. From the Gateway News (GN) article:

GN: “Apostle Linda Gobodo opened the meeting, sharing that it was based on prophetic words about South Africa over a number of years.”

Firstly, Linda Gobodo is NOT an apostle – the office of apostle is closed. Secondly, search the scriptures, you will not find any prophetic words about South Africa. This means we have to rely on self appointed “apostles and prophets” who cannot even rightly divide the scriptures, and are responsible (but never accountable) for a host of false prophecies to date. So how do these fraudulent prophets explain away their lying words? Simple – they blame it on the church.

GN: “She explained that despite the release of words that the Lord would change the face of Africa in 10 years, there had not been much change because the Church in South Africa was not ready. She said Monday’s meeting represented the awakening of the church in South Africa, which according to prophecy will lead the process of the restoration in the nations.”

Failed logic of the “apostles” words – releasing the words of the Lord had little effect, but this newly released word will initiate the transformation of nations. Ridiculous! All that she is releasing is hot air, that will serve to have one effect – further deception and false hope.

GN: “Mogoeng began his message by reminding attendees of Biblical accounts of Africa’s role in fulfilling God’s purposes. He shared how the patriarch of the nation of Israel, Abraham in a season of famine came to Africa; how Mary and Joseph fled to Africa when Herod wanted to kill baby Jesus; and how it took an African man, Simon of Cyrene, to help Jesus to carry the cross for the last mile. These examples are among many in Scripture that confirm that Africa is indeed part of God’s agenda despite its unfavourable reputation as “the dark continent”.

Did Jesus die for Africa, or sinners? Did he die to transform the hearts of sinners, or nations? The Chief Justice is making a desperate attempt to make Africa look special in God’s eyes by taking descriptive texts, and attaching some sort of continental significance to them. The tragic history of Africa cannot be healed by inserting false ideas into the reason for her existence. Nations exist as the result of what took place at the tower of Babel. This quest for finding pride and purpose in our national identities robs us of finding our purpose in Christ, and deceives us into believing the kingdom of God must be observable in the nations and governments of this world. As aliens and strangers in this world, our purpose is to tell the world there is only one citizenship that matters – “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20.

GN: “He then shared a word he had received for the meeting, saying: “The time for the visitation of Africa has come. The time to remember Africa for good has come. The time for the rebirth of Africa has come. Africa is being born again today. What Africa had lost is being restored today.”  He declared that this day marked the restoration, the healing, the unity the revival of the lost hope that Africa needs to move forward under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. He then led the meeting in a prayer of repentance on behalf of the continent, calling on the Lord to show mercy to Africa.”

How is Africa being “born again” ? Clearly, the Chief Justice has fallen for the false teachings of the New Apostolic Reformation. I sympathize with his desire for a better Africa, but Jesus is not building Africa, he’s building his church – in poor nations where poverty, misery and injustice prevail, and in rich nations, where affluence and pleasures are easy to come by. 

GN: “Mogoeng said what the body of Christ and people of Africa needed to do in this season is to love God, and love one another from pure hearts. He challenged Africans to love their continent, and to marry the land because such a commitment to the continent would bring an end to self-serving leadership. He also spoke strongly against the spirit of toxic denominationalism and commercialisation of the Gospel, calling for the Church to be united, to seek the Kingdom of God, and to demonstrate selfless and ethical leadership.”

One must applaud his call against the commercialisation of the gospel, and at the same time question why he does not name those who do so. He has in fact met with some of the charlatans who masquerade as ministers of the gospel. Did he rebuke them? As for the call for unity – biblical unity means that the body of Christ will not fall for various doctrines that are contrary to scripture: “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Ephesians 4: 13-14. In other words, the true church should be unified in it’s condemnation of the teachings and false prophecies promoted at this virtual African day of prayer. The superficial unity in the NAR is unity based on false doctrines, and is a sign of a great falling away, not revival.

GN: “He also spoke about the importance of spiritually securing the four cardinal points and centre of every country and of the continent of Africa. He personally undertook to ensure that the centre of Africa is secured by raising an altar to the Lord”

This is another false teaching based on the unbiblical spiritual warfare teachings of the NAR. Where did any of the disciples, or early church leaders secure the cardinal points of a city or nation? Where is this concept taught in the New Testament? Why are altars necessary under the new covenant? What covenant has God made with Africa? Simple questions such as these should be sufficient to expose these nonsensical practices, but sadly they don’t, because rational thought and biblical precedence have been clouded by a spiritual delusion.

GN: “The next speaker, SA evangelist Angus Buchan, affirmed the beauty, the blessing and the abundance of the land of Africa. He said these qualities are compromised by greed which comes when the eyes of men move away from Jesus to themselves. He declared that Africa has been given one more chance to return to the Lord which will birth revival. He also brought repentance on behalf of men for violence against women.”

This nation was supposed to have been born again numerous times under Angus Buchan’s declarations and repentance on behalf of the nation. Buchan’s Mighty Men and It’s Time conferences have failed to have any impact on our wicked government, and the godless fabric of our society. Buchan, who somehow has been accepted by millions as God’s mouthpiece for the nation, expects us to believe that God has given Africa one last chance to repent to experience revival. The strange thing is that other NAR apostles and prophets in South Africa have been saying we are in a revival. As usual ,Buchan repented on behalf of others – yet another false teaching found in the NAR that will have zero effect on the perpetrators of violence.

GN: “Rev Christine Shimanya of Uganda shared a number of prophetic dreams and visions God gave her and a team of intercessors over a period of time, confirming that God’s hand was upon Africa and that Africa will be healed and restored.”

For centuries, private revelations have been used to form cults, lead people astray, and deceive naive believers into thinking that their fortunes are about to change for the better. This is no different. The “Rev” should be teaching from scripture, calling on sinners to repent, and warning nations that God’s judgement is coming upon the earth. She should be warning the church of apostasy, and that wickedness will only increase in this world. Instead she has chosen to follow the false prophets of old by delivering fake news: “Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’” And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.” Jeremiah 14:13-14.

GN: “Pastor Laban Jjumba of Uganda challenged praying people to take up the responsibility of building the nation, because according to Isaiah 58:12 those who pray get to rebuild and restore. He attributed the lack of solutions in the nations of the world to the fact the Jesus has been “imprisoned” in the religious system. He is not known as the King who has practical solutions to the challenges faced by nations. He also said the church was meant to be modelled on communities like Abraham’s household living in their land, and not congregations as we currently.”

Isaiah 58:12 is a text that refers to the literal and spiritual restoration of Israel, not any African nation. The phrase Jesus has been “imprisoned” is actually a good example of the Jesus of the New Apostolic Reformation – a limited Jesus who is helpless to fulfill his plans and purposes on earth without his mortal partners. A frustrated Jesus who can only stand idly by and hope the church gets it’s act together before he can initiate something he never promised – the transformation of governments and society before he can return. Abraham is a model to the church in this sense – “For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3. “Repent and believe” is the message this pastor should be preaching to the world, instead of placing his hope in an innovative Jesus that will woe the wicked through his impressive solutions to practical challenges on earth.

GN: “Apostle Naomi Sheneberger from Zambia shared that God was raising new apostolic order so that his promise of revival will begin. She said revival will begin with a shaking that will cause only that which is from the Lord to remain. She also shared that Africa was being repositioned to become a global economic stability for natural resources, with the Spirit of the Lord hovering and replenishing all that was stolen.”

An “apostolic order” is central to the teachings of the NAR. From a previous article I have written – “God apparently forgot to activate apostles and prophets for centuries, and only recently decided to restore the five fold ministry by reintroducing apostles and prophets. These are the men and women on the cutting edge of manifesting God’s kingdom on earth. Without them, the church cannot function or reach maturity. These self-appointed generals of the faith equip their minions to conquer the seven spheres of society, take dominion, bringing heaven to earth, and walk in signs and wonders. Unfortunately for them, the foundation has already been laid by true apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20) and the office of apostle and prophet is closed.”

True revival, would mean that the false prophets and apostles of the NAR would be silenced, and that people would return to the word of God instead of believing the vain imaginations of these self appointed apostles.

GN: “Bishop Joshua Banda from Zambia shared that Africa cannot afford to go for secularism or become a values-free society that seeks to build without God. He spoke about the power of prayer that gives the Church access to the throne of God. In His presence the Church can receive actionable spiritual intelligence as well as biblically-grounded models for national transformation.”

What about rational intelligence – Africans should stop voting for corrupt leaders, and in our case, a corrupt, socialist and racist party. Would that not help create better South Africa?

GN: “Words spoken by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali at an African Union prayer breakfast, that “the ultimate solution to Africa’s problems is Jesus Christ” were echoed at this continental meeting as Mogoeng referred to them as marching orders for the continent.”
The ultimate solution is Jesus Christ. It’s not a national or continental solution based on the methodologies and revelations of “apostles and prophets.” It’s not a solution that will transform a wicked world into some kind of Christian utopia. It’s a solution for those who repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ alone. It’s a solution that transforms the hearts of men and women, not their governments,society or continent.

Related articles:

Many of the words quoted from the Gateway News article are NAR buzzwords. This article – A GLOSSARY OF NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION TERMINOLOGY will identify those words and provide an explanation.

In their desperation to find hope, many are looking to the church for answers.  Unfortunately a false narrative is on offer, and is being propagated by various churches and ministries in South Africa. This article – Is there hope for South Africa explores some of the false teachings that are deceiving many South Africans in the visible church.