Excellent book The Violent Take it by Force
by Matthew D. Taylor, September 2024
https://icjs.org/the-violent-take-it-by-force/
A good article "summarizing" the book is at https://religionnews.com/2024/05/06/how-trumpism-has-pushed-a-fringe-charismatic-theology-into-the-mainstream/
Below, the bottom right quadrant, Non-Denominational, Charismatic, is leading the charge for Christian Nationalism. Very fast growth from 40 million in 1970 to 330 million in 2020.
Leaders are self-proclaimed prophets and apostles who seem to be about personal fame and fortune. Megachurches, prosperity gospel, whatever sells.
New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)
This "new" group advocates for spiritual warfare and "Dominion Theology" to bring about Christian dominion over all aspects of society, according to their "Seven Mountains Mandate." They are self-proclaimed modern day prophets and apostles intent on becoming a new elite who run governments world-wide in the name of God and at the direction of God, as determined by their own prophesies. The leaders have become very famous and very wealthy and have built many mega-churches that follow their "apostolic authority." Wikipedia - New Apostolic Reformation
Toronto Blessing - Holy Laughter
The "Toronto Blessing" of January 1994 started at the Toronto Airport Vineyard church and spread to a "main" Vineyard church in Anaheim, CA. In April, two NAR leaders started a new church of their own (Harvest Rock) and continued with nightly euphoric meetings. Matthew D. Taylor writes (see book referenced above):
"John Wimber wanted the Vineyard to span the gap between mainstream evangelical sensibilities and Pentecostal spirituality. Yet the Toronto Blessing threatened to tip that balance, linking the Vineyard movement with people being inebriated with the Holy Spirit, barking like dogs, and rolling ecstatically on the floor. The remarkable verve and vitality of revival were counterpoised against the institutional and governance needs of the Vineyard.
"So within months of Che' Ahn and Lou Engle joining the Vineyard movement because of the Toronto Blessing, John Wimber decided to amputate the Toronto revival from the Vineyard churches."
But, Taylor goes on to write, the Independent Charismatic (NAR) leaders continued there work to build a spiritual oligarchy made up of apostles and prophets.
A leading "apostle" is Dutch Sheets. His YouTube channel is a www.youtube.com/@DutchSheets22
He has been in very close contact with the Trump administration from before the Jan 6 insurrection until now.
His channel highlights this video (below) by Don Lynch, who died in 2020. What do you think of it?
What can Christians DO about it?
Another excellent book Strange Worship
by Drew J. Strait, July 2024