I’ve read André Gagné and Matthew Taylor’s deep dives on the NAR. You succinctly summarize the key ideas such that someone who never heard of the movement before could get a feel for the neurotic drive motivating the NAR apostles and prophets and the networks of churches they oversee.
As someone who (unfortunately) grew up in and out of NAR churches and was with YWAM for seven years, I can’t tell you how seen I feel that you emphasized the psychological “benefit” NAR participants anchor their faith on. The lure of being special and actively engaged with the divine to change an embattled world is intoxicating. For a person to de-identify from the NAR world, they have to be willing to not only lose their community, but the over-inflated sense of purpose they were indoctrinated with, to de-center themselves and to befriend banality and the mundane. That’s a big ask!
Thank you so much, Pascale! Matthew Taylor’s work has been essential reading for me. I spent a lot of time in high school in and around NAR churches, and I know very well how significant that psychological “benefit” can be. It means a lot to me that you felt seen by this piece!
I literally broke out in chills when you mentioned the term “high places”. I’m currently reading through the Bible chronologically and so have just spent a ton of time in the Hebrew bible (the Old Testament), the biblical parallel of worshiping “God” via idols/demonic worship at high places vs God in the temple seems hilariously ironic and also pretty terrifying in light of what these people are claiming to be vs. the false gospel they’re actually teaching.
I really appreciated your article and the way you sourced things. I had heard a lot of this in disjointed ways, but the big picture really is chilling.
This tracks. Most of the super faithful charismatics I know believe they have extra knowledge about how the spiritual world works. It’s not about logic. These well intentioned folks believe God sets things up a certain way, so who are we to speak against “the Lord’s anointed?” Their stance is bold and confident and has made me feel like an outsider for speaking against Trump. I’m apparently “deceived” even though I’ve been a Christian for 60 years. But then, again, I should point out that a lot of these same people believed OJ Simpson was innocent.
Thank you for putting so many of these puzzle pieces together. Even for someone like me raised in a NAR-heavy church, it’s been difficult to understand given how slippery it can be. My childhood church seemed to attract folks from IHOP and Bethel — before they got really popular — and looking back it was only a matter of time before those narratives around power and honor (culture of honor, anyone??) play into the existing beliefs around hyper-individualism, nationalism, militaristic faith, purity culture, etc that ultimately lead down a dark path.
I’ve read André Gagné and Matthew Taylor’s deep dives on the NAR. You succinctly summarize the key ideas such that someone who never heard of the movement before could get a feel for the neurotic drive motivating the NAR apostles and prophets and the networks of churches they oversee.
As someone who (unfortunately) grew up in and out of NAR churches and was with YWAM for seven years, I can’t tell you how seen I feel that you emphasized the psychological “benefit” NAR participants anchor their faith on. The lure of being special and actively engaged with the divine to change an embattled world is intoxicating. For a person to de-identify from the NAR world, they have to be willing to not only lose their community, but the over-inflated sense of purpose they were indoctrinated with, to de-center themselves and to befriend banality and the mundane. That’s a big ask!
Thank you so much, Pascale! Matthew Taylor’s work has been essential reading for me. I spent a lot of time in high school in and around NAR churches, and I know very well how significant that psychological “benefit” can be. It means a lot to me that you felt seen by this piece!
I literally broke out in chills when you mentioned the term “high places”. I’m currently reading through the Bible chronologically and so have just spent a ton of time in the Hebrew bible (the Old Testament), the biblical parallel of worshiping “God” via idols/demonic worship at high places vs God in the temple seems hilariously ironic and also pretty terrifying in light of what these people are claiming to be vs. the false gospel they’re actually teaching.
I honestly didn’t even think of that while writing but you’re so right! That is some great (and terrifying!!) added context.
I really appreciated your article and the way you sourced things. I had heard a lot of this in disjointed ways, but the big picture really is chilling.
Also, *IS* Cyrus the dictator one truly wants to emulate? 😬🤷♀️🫠🙅♀️😂🤦♀️
This tracks. Most of the super faithful charismatics I know believe they have extra knowledge about how the spiritual world works. It’s not about logic. These well intentioned folks believe God sets things up a certain way, so who are we to speak against “the Lord’s anointed?” Their stance is bold and confident and has made me feel like an outsider for speaking against Trump. I’m apparently “deceived” even though I’ve been a Christian for 60 years. But then, again, I should point out that a lot of these same people believed OJ Simpson was innocent.
Thank you for putting so many of these puzzle pieces together. Even for someone like me raised in a NAR-heavy church, it’s been difficult to understand given how slippery it can be. My childhood church seemed to attract folks from IHOP and Bethel — before they got really popular — and looking back it was only a matter of time before those narratives around power and honor (culture of honor, anyone??) play into the existing beliefs around hyper-individualism, nationalism, militaristic faith, purity culture, etc that ultimately lead down a dark path.
This is a well written and carefully laid out explanation of why we are where we are right now. Thank you for writing it!
Thank you so much Christy, and thank you again for sharing this piece!
Wow. Just … wow. This is so good.
Thank you Bobby! Really appreciate it :)