NAR to Christ with Dawn HillHow should Christians test a claim that God has spoken through a number, a dream, or an angelic encounter? Dawn Hill examines New Age practices in the NAR through selected excerpts from Angela Scafidi’s interview with James Goll. Drawing on her own years in the New Apostolic Reformation, Dawn explains why people leaving the New Age may encounter familiar practices presented in Christian language.
Recognizing New Age Practices in the NAR
Dawn examines Goll’s account of prophetic evangelism at a New Age fair and asks where the gospel appears in the testimony as presented. She also considers claims about releasing the Holy Spirit, imparting spiritual gifts, and finding personal messages from God in recurring numbers.In the final section, Dawn discusses Scafidi’s separate interview with Ryan LeStrange and reflects on her own time under his leadership as she addresses modern apostolic authority.
Testing Spiritual Claims by Scripture
In 1 John 4:1–6, John tells believers to test the spirits. He directs them to what teachers confess about Jesus Christ and whether they receive the apostolic testimony. In 2 Peter 1:16–21, Peter recalls witnessing Christ’s majesty and urges his readers to pay attention to the prophetic word given through the Holy Spirit.Context also matters when a verse is cited in support of a spiritual practice. Romans 4:17 describes the God in whom Abraham believed, who gives life to the dead and calls things into being. In Ezekiel 37:1–14, God explains the vision of the dry bones as his promise to restore his people. Read each passage in context before drawing an application from it.
The Gospel and Our Hope
As Dawn considers claims about dreams and visits to heaven, she speaks with care for those who grieve. The promises of God and the finished work of Jesus Christ give believers a sure hope. They also give us a reason to bring even our most personal spiritual experiences under the authority of Scripture.
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